Soldier (Talon, #3)(83)
I ground my teeth. There were so many things I wanted to do, violent, unspeakable things, mostly involving the soldier. I wanted to char the human into a little pile of dust and bones, then scatter it to the winds with one sweep of my tail. I wanted to shake some sense into Ember, to demand why she would choose a short-lived human over her Sallith’tahn. I wanted to fly up beyond the clouds, where nothing would hear me but the stars, and roar out my frustration until I was cold and empty and there was nothing left.
I couldn’t do any of those things. St. George and Talon were still out there, coming dangerously close to eliminating my underground. My network, my hatchlings and all the dragons I’d freed from the organization were counting on our success. I was Cobalt, leader of the rogue underground, and I could not let personal problems get in the way of the mission.
Afterward, though, there would be hell to pay.
I looked at the soldier, then at Ember, still watching me in dragon form, and smiled coldly.
“All right, then. Guess we should go see what the bastard has decided.”
GARRET
Tristan looked awful.
The last time I’d seen my former partner, walking out of the coffee shop with the evidence tucked under one arm, he’d seemed fine. Dazed and a bit shaken, but otherwise normal. Now, striding across a soccer field toward the section of bleachers I’d staked out, the soldier looked haggard. His clothes, normally spotlessly clean and pressed, were wrinkled. His eyes were bloodshot and dark stubble shadowed his jaw.
Truthfully, I wasn’t feeling much better. My shoulders ached from where Riley had slammed me into the wall, and from the force the rogue dragon had generated, even in human form, I suspected there were a couple bruises hidden beneath my shirt. At least I’d been able to brace myself for the impact. The second I’d walked into the hotel room and seen their faces, I’d realized what was going on, and I knew what was coming. I was just thankful Riley hadn’t Shifted before he attacked; I could tell he’d wanted to and was barely holding himself back. I could take the abuse of a furious human; a furious dragon was a different story. Even with Ember’s intervention, I might not have survived.
Uneasiness stirred. And, surprisingly, guilt. Would I have to watch my back around him from now on? Would there always be a dragon lurking in dark corners and lonely places, waiting for the perfect moment to get rid of me? I knew Riley hated the Order, and we hadn’t seen eye to eye on a lot of things, but to my surprise, I found that I respected him. He was a good leader—brave, cunning and resourceful. And he cared for those under his watch. Except for his obvious disdain for authority, he would have made an exceptional soldier.
I shook myself. There was no time to worry about Riley now. When the mission was done, if we managed to expose the Patriarch, I was certain I would face the full wrath of a jilted male dragon, but at this moment, the approaching soldier of St. George was the bigger concern.
When Tristan spotted me, sitting near the bottom row, he froze, eyes going wide. I held my breath, waiting for his decision. Ember sat beside me, close enough to touch, and Riley leaned against the side with his arms crossed. Tristan knew Ember, of course, and was smart enough to guess the identity of the other. I hoped, when he realized exactly who was waiting for him, he would not turn around and walk away. But after that first hesitation, he took a breath and came forward again, though his eyes were narrowed and his jaw was clenched as he strode up.
“You look like crap,” I offered as he reached us.
“Fuck you, Sebastian,” Tristan returned, glancing at Ember. “And your scaly friends.”
I ignored that and, thankfully, so did the two dragons, though I felt the girl tense beside me. “I take it you reviewed the evidence thoroughly?”
For a second, I thought he was going to snap at me again. His face darkened, and he looked like he wanted to punch something, before he let out a shuddering sigh and bowed his head.
“Yeah,” he rasped, and dropped to the end of the bench, running both hands through his hair. “Yeah, I did. Damn you to hell, Garret, why did you have to drop that in my lap? Do you know what this will mean for the Order? What will happen if this comes out?”
I nodded. “I know.”
“It’ll ruin St. George,” Tristan went on angrily. “The Order will be thrown into chaos. The council will be scrambling to find a new Patriarch, there will be discontents who break away, inquisitions, protests. We might never recover. But why am I even telling you this—that’s what you f*cking dragons want, isn’t it?” He shot a glare at Ember over my shoulder. “This is a dream come true for you. You’re probably going to throw a party when I leave.”
I felt Ember bristle, but her voice stayed surprisingly calm as she answered. “Would you rather Talon be in control of the Order?”
A shudder went through him. “No,” he muttered. “No, this can’t be allowed to continue. St. George needs to know that the Patriarch is corrupt and is working for the dragons. Though I’m damning myself to hell and back for helping you expose him.” He gave me a look that was both resigned and disgusted. “I assume that’s the reason you called me, Garret? You needed someone on the inside.”
“Yes,” I answered truthfully. “You’re the only one I could think of who maybe wouldn’t shoot me on sight.”
“Really wish you wouldn’t have bothered, partner,” Tristan said in a weary voice. “But there’s nothing for it now. I can’t unlearn what I know.” He paused once more, taking a breath, as if resigning himself to the inevitable. “Fortunately for you, I already have a plan.”