Going Down in Flames (Going Down in Flames #1)(10)

“Your existence is a threat to everything the Directorate stands for.”

Her father growled.

“She has a right to know,” Zavien said.

Bryn raised her hand. “How am I a threat?”

“Your mother and I planned to discuss this with you at dinner tonight. I guess we can talk about it now. Dragon society is different than human society. It’s organized into a caste system, and according to the Directorate, every Clan has a specific role to play and that is the only role they are allowed to play. The Reds are the middle class. We are the worker bees, the middle managers, but you’ll never find a Red who is a CEO or owns any business larger than a family bar or restaurant. If a business becomes too successful, a Blue is chosen to oversee the company for the good of the Clans. Like a Red isn’t smart enough to manage the business he created.”

“Seriously? They can just take something over?”

“Yes. And they can shut a business down if they think a dragon from one of the lower Clans has gained too much power.”

“Why do the other dragons put up with that crap?”

Her dad shrugged. “The Blues have always been in charge of the Clans. They are the ruling class, literally. They are the politicians and the lawyers who make the laws and order them enforced. They run the Directorate and, while there are a few token members from the other Clans, they are not allowed full voting privileges.”

“Has the word revolution ever been thrown around?” Bryn asked. “They sound like a bunch of power-hungry dictators.”

Zavien gave a bitter laugh. “No one questions them. We petition them to try and gain more rights for the other Clans, but so far, we’ve achieved little. That doesn’t mean we’ll stop trying.”

“Like we told you before,” her mom said, “we were taught that dragons physically couldn’t crossbreed. Now I wonder if it’s because they were worried about the unpredictability of dragons with unknown powers. All marriages are arranged within Clans according to lineage by the Directorate. Families request permission for their sons or daughters to marry, and the Directorate has the power to deny any union they see as unfit.”

“Based on what?” Bryn asked.

“They are the Directorate,” her mom said. “They aren’t required to give a reason.”

“They should’ve declared Ferrin unfit to marry,” Bryn muttered.

“My parents arranged my marriage to Ferrin because his family was second to mine in prestige and wealth.”

“Your family was one of the top dragon families?”

Her mom nodded. “When I left with your father, it was a huge scandal.”

“Is that why Ferrin is such a jerk?”

“He’s always been a jerk,” her dad said. “Now he’s a mean, vindictive jerk.”

“Didn’t your parents know what he was like? How could they expect you to spend your life with him?”

“As their only daughter, they wanted to secure my financial future. My mother told me loving or even liking the person you marry wasn’t important.” She reached over and grabbed Bryn’s father’s hand. “But once I knew what true love felt like, I couldn’t sit back and play the dutiful daughter, so we ran.”

“I’m surprised Ferrin didn’t have you assassinated,” Zavien said.

Her father let out a low growl. “He tried. Our first two apartments mysteriously burned to the ground. We moved here, and things were quiet for a while. When we found out your mother was pregnant, I was terrified he’d try again.”

“I thought maybe he’d stopped coming after us because he’d married and moved on with his life,” her mom said. “I should have known he wouldn’t let this go.”

It was a lot of information to take in. Bryn closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. “Let me see if I have this right. Technically, I’m not supposed to exist. The fact that I do exist is a threat to dragon society. Ferrin happens to be the most influential man in dragon society, and he sees my existence as a personal insult. I’m being forced to attend a school where the entire student body will view me as a mutant. Have I left anything out?”





Chapter Five


“You shouldn’t trust the people who first offer to be your friends.” Zavien spoke in a voice laced with sympathy. “They’ll be on the hunt for dirt to pass along to their real friends.”

This was impossible. How could she make it through four years without friends? She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Needing to focus her frustration somewhere before she set the apartment on fire, she stood. “Dad, I’m going down to the studio to kick the hell out of the freestanding bag.”

“Wait. I have a better idea.” Her father pointed at Zavien. “But first let me make something perfectly clear. If you ever sneak into my home to visit my daughter again, I’ll put your head through a wall. Do you understand?”

“Got it.” Zavien winked at Bryn. “See where your temper comes from?”

Bryn appreciated his attempt to lighten the mood, but she couldn’t manage a fake smile. It felt like she was drowning.

“Don’t worry,” Zavien said as he walked toward the door. “We’ll figure this out.”

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