Inferno (Talon #5)(60)
We couldn’t stay here. But one thing was certain; Talon wouldn’t wait for us to decide what we were going to do. Their plans, whatever they were, were very likely in motion now, and we were running out of time.
One morning, about a week after we’d arrived at the safe house, I awoke early and couldn’t go back to sleep. After pushing back the covers of my sleeping bag, I rose quietly and minced my way across the floor, careful not to wake the other four dragons who shared the room with me. Nettle and another girl named Iris slept in the twin beds along the wall, both of them snoring softly. Iris was a hatchling from the facility, and she had been extremely nervous about sharing a room with so many strangers. I’d given my bed to her on the first day to help her adjust, taking one of the sleeping bags on the floor. Usually, I’d be so exhausted by the end of the day that the thin mattresses on the hardwood floor didn’t even register, but it did make it challenging to sleep late.
Gliding downstairs, I saw that Jade was already up, drinking a mug of tea at the kitchen table. Morning meditations, where the Eastern dragon gathered all the original rogues on the back porch and had them meditate until sunrise, began in a half hour. She claimed it cleared everyone’s minds, preparing them for the day. I didn’t know what to think about that, but the rogues were certainly more organized than they had been, even under Riley.
“Morning, Jade,” I greeted, covering my mouth to mask a yawn. The Eastern dragon nodded in return.
“Good morning, Ember.” Jade put down her mug and gave me a mildly concerned look. “You are up early again. Are you still having trouble sleeping?”
I shrugged. “Nightmares,” I explained, trying to sound unconcerned. Every night, my brain would recount what had happened on the island, the fight with Director Vance, and the death of Scarlett. Sometimes it added scenes that hadn’t happened, mostly involving Garret and Riley dying in front of me, torn apart by bullets or in the jaws of the director. “It’s nothing serious.”
She shook her head. “So young,” she murmured, mostly to herself. “Everyone here is so young, and yet they have been forced into a life of war. Youth should be a time of learning, of growing up at your own pace. Of discovering the mysteries and wonders of the universe, and deciding where you fit in. This life changes you, forces you to grow up too soon, to make decisions you are not yet ready for.” Her eyes crinkled with sympathy. “My heart bleeds for everyone here. You will not see the scars until many years down the road, but they will always be there, deep in your soul.”
“We don’t really have a choice, do we?” I said sadly. “It’s either fight or conform to Talon. Even if we run, the organization will just hunt us down. We have to fight.”
“Yes,” Jade agreed. “In this, we have little choice. Though I would rather return to my homeland and forget this struggle. If left unchecked, Talon will consume the world.” She frowned and took a sip from her mug before looking at me again. “Remember, though. You do not struggle alone. Meditation has been known to help with nightmares. Perhaps you should join Mist and the others for morning devotions, since you are up this early, anyway.”
“Mist is doing meditations?” I asked, smiling as I pictured the aloof Basilisk sitting cross-legged on a pillow, breathing deep. “I wouldn’t have expected that of her.”
“Indeed.” Jade smiled back. “She learns quickly and is quite the devoted student. I believe her own words were, ‘If I am going to continue to be around Cobalt, I need all the patience I can get.’”
I laughed. “I can see that. Well, maybe I’ll join you sometime.”
“Whenever you feel ready,” Jade said, sipping her tea. “I think it would be a great boon to you, as well as your fellow rogues. You know they see you as the leader of this resistance, just as much as Cobalt.”
I blinked. “Really?”
“Mmm.” Jade put down her mug, regarding me seriously over the table. “It was you who put out the call to fight,” she said. “Who led them into battle to aid St. George. You are at the head of every charge, every assault on Talon. They see your willingness to fight, to not run away or surrender, and it gives them courage. Cobalt might be the brains of the resistance, but you are its heart. And you will be the one who will change things in the end.”
I swallowed hard. “I hope so,” I whispered. I hoped we could change things, for everyone. I didn’t just want to survive anymore. I wanted dragons to be able to live without fear of Talon or the Order of St. George. I wanted this stupid war to end, but I was afraid of what we’d have to do to make that happen. And who I was going to lose before it was over.
Jade gazed into her mug as if she could see the future floating in the leaves. “I think,” she said slowly, quietly, “that, one way or another, we are reaching the end of this struggle. Whether it is a good or bad thing is undecided, but one thing is certain. The final battle is approaching. I only hope we are ready.”
My stomach twisted in on itself, and I took a breath to calm it down. “I’m going to check on Autumn and the others,” I muttered, stepping away from the kitchen. The four pregnant dragons who couldn’t Shift now resided in the barn, which was off-limits to everyone but the various leaders of the underground: Riley, Garret, Jade and myself. And for the past two days, one of the Juveniles named Autumn had been acting strange, lying in her stall and refusing to eat. I had a feeling I knew what was wrong, but I hoped she wasn’t getting sick.