Soldier (Talon, #3)(51)
I resisted the urge to curl a lip. The Patriarch. The so-called spiritual leader of St. George. Talon had always kept a close watch on the different Patriarchs over the years, but even with all their power, the leader of St. George was nearly untouchable. It was too costly to go after the Patriarch directly, since he rarely left London and was surrounded by so many of the Order. In my time as a Basilisk I’d learned that, long ago, there had been exactly one attempt on a Patriarch’s life, and the resulting backlash from St. George had been immediate and terrible enough for the organization to decide that maybe that course of action was a bad idea. As a result, as long as the Patriarch remained in St. George central, the organization was content to leave him alone. After all, if they got rid of one, another would just take his place. And the human life span was so short, even if one Patriarch was giving the organization grief, he wouldn’t live long enough to make a real difference.
“I trailed the Patriarch to a secret meeting in a park,” St. George continued, unaware of my thoughts. “And I watched him meet with an agent of Talon. The agent knew us—all of us—by name. He knew where you were going to be, and he gave that information to the Patriarch so that St. George could be there when you showed up.”
I felt slightly ill. “So, you’re telling me...”
“Talon and the Order of St. George are working together,” the soldier said. “Not only that, they have been for a while. I heard the agent mention other dragons, other places the Order had taken out. I also learned that the number of strikes against dragons has increased, but no one in Talon seemed affected.” He gave me a very serious look. “I think Talon has been sending St. George after your safe houses, Riley. They’re using the Order to systematically take out rogues and dragons who refuse to align themselves with Talon. And the rest of St. George has no idea.”
“Son of a bitch.” I raked a hand through my hair, dazed. This was huge, worse than anything I could have imagined. Talon and the Order working together? To eliminate rogues? Yeah, this was bad. Very, very, very bad. “Why?” I rasped. “The organization has never gone after rogues full-scale, not like this. Why now? What has changed?”
“I don’t know,” the soldier replied, his expression grave. “But I am certain of one thing. We can’t outrun both Talon and St. George, not if they’re working as one. Especially since both factions want us dead. Sooner or later, they’re going to find us.”
I had to agree with him there. “So, what now?” I said. “What are we going to do? If Talon and the Order are after us, it’s only a matter of time before they wipe out my entire network, and any dragon that gets in their way. How can we stop both organizations?”
“By turning them against each other.” The soldier’s face grew hard. “This alliance cannot be allowed to continue. We’re going to have to break it.”
EMBER
Neither of the boys was coming after me.
Good. My bare feet crushed grass as I headed away from the building toward a cluster of trees at the edge of the lawn. I couldn’t face either of them right now. Too many thoughts and emotions were swirling around my head. I didn’t know what I felt, and Riley’s appearance had only made it worse. I didn’t want to snap something I would regret later.
Dammit, how had this gotten so complicated? How did I not know what—or who—I wanted? You’d think it’d be simple. Human or dragon? The steady, unshakable soldier or the brash, defiant rogue? It shouldn’t be this hard, but...when I imagined being with one, my other half shriveled into a ball of misery, longing for the other. I didn’t want to lose either of them.
Aargh, what is wrong with me? I am so screwed in the head.
The sound of water trickled across my senses, making me look up. I stood a few feet from the edge of a small pond, where a stone fish spewed a continuous stream of water from the center of a fountain. A half dozen real fish swam lazily below the surface, flashing orange, white and red in the sun. A small pagoda sat to one side, red tiled roof curved elegantly at the corners. I stopped at the edge of the water, watching the fish swarm beneath my feet, and sighed.
“Have you come to clear your thoughts, as well?”
I started. The Eastern dragon—Jade, I thought her name was?—sat in the center of the pagoda, facing the water. Her back was straight, and her ankles rested against her knees in the lotus position, hands cupped in her lap. She was dressed in a loose red robe with a golden sash across her shoulder, and her long black hair shimmered down her back like a spill of ink. She had been so very still, I hadn’t even noticed her until she said something. How had I missed a beautiful Asian woman in bright red sitting in the middle of the pagoda?
“Your mind is in turmoil,” the Eastern dragon intoned, as if reading my thoughts. “I can feel the chaos from here.” She regarded me with piercing black eyes. “You are very young, to be tormented so. It is not healthy.”
“Sorry,” I told her, taking a step back. “I didn’t mean to bother you. I’ll leave you alone.”
“No.” Jade held up a hand, stopping me. “You did not come here by chance,” she went on as I paused. “Whether you meant to or not, your mind is seeking solace. Or perhaps answers. There is no shame in admitting weakness, in acknowledging that you need help.”