Going Down in Flames (Going Down in Flames #1)(40)

“I want to buy a new necklace.”

“We could go now,” Clint said. “Dinner isn’t for a couple of hours. I’m not ready to start on homework, and detention isn’t until seven.”

Bryn cringed. “Sorry.”

“I’m a big boy. I’ll be all right.” He reached for Ivy’s hand. “What do you say? We could fly over to Dragon’s Bluff after we drop off our books.”

“Let’s ditch our things in Bryn’s room,” Ivy said. “It’s closer.”

When they reached her room, Bryn discovered an unwanted intruder. Zavien sat on her couch like he had a right to be there.

She threw her book bag at his head. “Get. Out.”

He dodged the missile and held both hands up in a sign of surrender. “I’m sorry.”

Smoke shot from her nose. “For what? Lying to me so I’d think you gave a damn, or taking back my birthday present?”

“I do care about you.” He met her gaze and held it. “You needed to show remorse for your actions. With your Red temper, it was the only way I could think of to get through to you. I was afraid of what Jaxon or the other Blues might do if you walked around as if nothing had happened. I did it to protect you.”

A hollow feeling settled in her chest. “Don’t tell me how I should act. Your life wasn’t stolen. You didn’t get dropped into an alternate world where people hate you for being born. A person you trusted didn’t tell you he was done with you to manipulate your emotions.”

“That was a dick move,” Ivy informed him.

Clint shook his head. “Not cool.”

Zavien rammed his hand back through his hair. “I’m trying to apologize.”

The sincere tone of his voice pissed her off more. “You can’t treat me like this and expect an apology to fix it. I don’t trust you anymore.”

She stalked past him into her bedroom, threw open the window, shifted, and took flight. Clint and Ivy joined her. They soared toward the back gate. Landing hard, Bryn sent up a cloud of dust.

The guard on duty coughed. “You need to practice your landings.”

“Sorry.” She shifted to human form. “We want to run an errand in Dragon’s Bluff.”

He held out a clipboard. “Sign here.”

Once they were in the air again, Bryn felt her neck muscles relax. She scanned the ground below. From this height, the town was a crosshatch of gray streets and red brick buildings. At the far end of town, she noticed an airstrip and several small commuter planes.

“What’s the airport for?”

“What?” Ivy flew closer.

Bryn shouted. “What’s the airport for?”

“It’s to cover for us when we fly. Plausible deniability.”

Interesting. They landed near the edge of town. Bryn bent her knees hoping to soften the landing, overbalanced, and fell forward. “Damn it.”

Clint laughed but said nothing.

The streets were less crowded than the first time she had visited. Families walked to dinner, kids raced their bikes in the street, and a few students wandered in and out of shops.

It was a short walk to All that Sparkles. When they entered the store, the memory of Zavien smiling and paying for the locket reared up and smacked Bryn in the back of the head. Angry tears filled her eyes. What a jerk.

Honesty was important to her right now, so she showed her friends the key. “I need to hide this in something I can wear all the time. It has a protection charm.”

“It’s pretty. Why don’t you wear it on a chain?” Ivy asked.

“I’m not sure if I should let everyone see it. It was a gift from someone, and I don’t know where he acquired it.”

“With your luck, it’s one of Jaxon’s family heirlooms,” Clint said.

Talia approached with a warm smile. “Bryn, I didn’t expect you back so soon. What can I help you with?”

“I need a new necklace.”

The shopkeeper’s eyebrows drew together. “What happened to the dragon?”

A bitter taste filled her mouth. “It was revoked.”

“If I remember correctly, it was a gift.”

“Not so much.” Bryn’s voice cracked. “I need a replacement. What do you suggest?”

Talia gestured at the silver and gold trees lining the walls. “We have animals, plants, and symbols of the universe.”

“What’s the symbol for ‘Mess with me, and I’ll shoot a fireball at your head’?” Clint asked.

The door to the shop opened. Bryn pointed to the new customers. “Why don’t you help them? If I need anything, I’ll yell.”

After studying her choices, Bryn picked up a pendant of the sun. “What about this?”

Ivy shook her head. “It doesn’t mean anything. The dragon was a symbol. We should find something like that.”

Clint walked to a different display and came back with a charm bracelet. “What about hiding it in plain sight?”

The bracelet was decorated with gold and silver key charms.

“That might work.” Bryn put it on her wrist. “It’s too big.”

“I think it’s an ankle bracelet,” Ivy said.

Bryn bent over and secured the bracelet around her ankle. “Does anyone wear ankle bracelets?”