Trial By Fire (Going Down in Flames #3)(40)

“Could we work on it without their permission?” Ivy asked.

“Let’s find out.” Clint stood and walked over to a table of Black dragons. He spoke with them and then they all started talking at once. Half of them stood and approached other tables of students and the pattern repeated like ripples in a pond.

Clint returned to his seat with a sly grin on his face. “I think we started something.”

Across the cafeteria, students of Red, Black, and Green Clans shared information between the tables. “They’re leaving out the Blues,” Bryn said.

“Let’s see how long it takes a Blue to ask someone what’s going on,” Ivy said. “I bet Jaxon sends Rhianna over here to find out.”

“No. He’ll want the information first hand,” Bryn said.

Valmont tilted his head and studied her. “It’s scaring me that you understand how he thinks.”

“It terrifies me,” Bryn said. “Blame my grandparents.”

“And here he comes.” Clint sat back and threw an arm over the back of his chair, like he was totally relaxed and didn’t see anyone approaching.

Jaxon came to the table and stood glaring at Clint. “Are you going to tell me, or are you waiting for me to ask?”

“I’m waiting for you to ask.” Clint raised an eyebrow in challenge.

“Fine.” Jaxon spoke in a tone like he didn’t really care. “What did you tell the other students that they are passing around?”

“Some of us would like to see the theater building repaired. Since the Directorate doesn’t have the time or the manpower to do the job, we’re going to do it ourselves.”

Jaxon shook his head. “You can’t do that.”

“Why not?” Bryn asked. “It’s not like the Directorate banned anyone from fixing the building. They said they weren’t going to do it. The students would be helping.”

“The Clan who paid to have the building built will be the one to restore it,” Jaxon stated like it was law.

“They’ll restore it with their own hands, or they’ll pay the other Clan members to restore it?” Ivy said, “Because those are two different things.”

“The Blue Clan will fund the repairs at the appropriate time,” Jaxon said. “Then the work will be contracted out to professionals who won’t screw anything up.”

Jaxon would hate what Bryn was about to say, and that knowledge gave her a big warm fuzzy. “If you’re worried about the design of the building, why don’t I call my grandmother and ask if she’d like to help with the planning. That way a Blue would be in charge.”

Jaxon reached up and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Bryn, do you remember when I said all the irritation in my life leads back to you?”

“I do.”

“That truth still holds.” He turned and stalked back to his table.

Valmont high-fived Bryn. “Well played.”

“Your grandmother trumps Jaxon’s Directorate rhetoric.” Ivy laughed. “I love it.”



After classes, Bryn called her grandmother and explained the situation. “So what do you think? Can you use your influence to sidestep the Directorate and help us restore the theater building?”

“I’m proud of you, Bryn. You’re learning how to play the game.”

“Thank you. You should have seen the look on Jaxon’s face.”

“I’m sure it will be similar to the look on your grandfather’s face at dinner tonight when I tell him about my plans. For this to work, I need you to spread the word among the students that the Women’s League is sponsoring the repairs for the theater.”

“I can tell people at dinner.”

“No. Start right after we hang up. Call someone from each dorm and ask them to spread the word.”

“No problem.”

Bryn called Clint and Ivy, who promised to pass the word around their dorm. Then she contacted Garret who promised to take care of the Green and Red dorms, since he had contacts from his support group.

“Thank you, Garret. I wasn’t sure who to call.”

“One side effect from the support group is being more comfortable with members of other Clans. Maybe working together on the theater building will encourage more cross-Clan friendships.”

The image of the dead boy who was half Red and half Black dragon flashed in her mind. “That would be great, but let’s not advertise that aspect. My grandfather doesn’t approve of cross-Clan interaction and we don’t want to draw his attention.”

After she finished her phone calls, Valmont took one look at her face and said, “In your head, you’re mentally taunting Jaxon.”

“I am.” Bryn grinned. “And I’m doing one hell of a victory dance.”

…

Tuesday night, Bryn, Valmont, and the rest of the Stagecraft students sat in the auditorium listening to her grandmother talk about the planned restoration.

Dressed in a pale lilac suit, her grandmother stood in front of the empty space where the stage should’ve been, gesturing at a placard with designs for the new theater. “We’ve chosen to go with a theme featuring colors from each Clan interspersed throughout. The curtains will be navy. The carpet will be a pattern featuring black, orange, and red. The seats will be forest green.”