I snorted. Love. That was ridiculous. Dragons didn’t love. Living things, anyway. Gold, wealth, power, influence, those we loved.

Even dragons out of Talon were drawn to shiny things and treasure.

It wasn’t the same. I’d seen plenty of humans in “love.” It was messy and annoying and complicated. What I felt toward Ember…that was pure instinct, something as natural as flying or breathing fire. I didn’t know what this was quite yet, but I knew it was something far purer than the mortal’s definition of love. Muddled human emotions had nothing to do with it.

“Riley!”

My heart didn’t jump as much as it sagged in utter relief. All my senses came to life again, sending heat through my veins, as Ember sprinted over the sand in her black Viper suit and threw herself against me.

She was shaking, gasping for breath, her hands clenched in my shirt. Alarmed, my arms tightened around her. “Ember? You okay?”

No answer, just a noise that sounded half-growl, half-sob, and my alarm grew. “Hey, look at me,” I said, pulling back, though not enough to let her go. “What happened? What’s wrong?”

“St. George,” she whispered, and I couldn’t tell if she was griefstricken, terrified, or really, really pissed. “He’s one of them, Riley.

Garret is part of St. George.”

“Shit.” This day was getting better and better. “Did he hurt you?”

I asked, swearing that if I ever saw that human again, I would fry him to cinders. “Are you all right?”

“I’m…I’m fine.” She pulled away, raking hair from her eyes, and gazed around the beach. “Where’s Dante?”

I frowned. “I thought he was coming with you.”

“We split up. He said he would meet me here…” Ember broke off, walking a little ways down the beach, searching. “Where is he?” Her eyes, her stance, everything, was hopeful, and I sighed, hating what I had to do next.

“Firebrand,” I said as gently as I could, walking up behind her.

“He’s not coming. I’ve seen his kind before. If he hasn’t sold us out to Talon by now, I’d be surprised. We have to go now, before Talon or St. George finds us.”

“No.” She spun on me, eyes flashing. “You don’t know him. He’ll come. He’ll be here, he promised he would.

“Talon has him, now.” I shook my head sadly. “He’s theirs, Ember.

He’ll betray his own blood if the organization tells him to.”

“He’s my brother, dammit!” She glared at me, both the dragon and the human girl of one mind. Both stubbornly resolved. “You’re wrong,” she insisted. “I’m not leaving him. Something might’ve come up, slowed him down. We have to wait a little longer. He’ll be here.”

“No, hatchling,” purred a new voice, one that turned my blood to ice. “I’m afraid he will not.”

Ember

“Lilith,” Riley growled, backing away, as my trainer, Scary Talon Lady herself, sauntered toward us. She was dressed like me, a tight black suit hugging her slender body, her blond hair pulled behind her. her “work” outfit. My breath seized up with the implication.

“Where’s Dante?” I demanded, suddenly terrified. “What have you done to him? If you’ve hurt him, I swear—”

“Don’t worry, my dear,” Lilith smiled at me, evil and predatory.

“Your brother is fine. He’s at home, in fact, waiting for me to bring you back to the fold.”

Riley swore. I looked at him, than at Lilith, confused. “I don’t understand.”

“Dante informed me where you’d be tonight,” the Viper went on.

“He said you had been coerced by a rogue dragon that had been hanging around the area, and told all kinds of nasty lies about the organization. He was very concerned about your state of mind, so he contacted me. Smart boy. He knows where his loyalties lie.” Lilith gave me a mock-sorrowful look. “You, however, hatchling. I am very disappointed in you.”

“You’re lying,” I breathed, shaking my head. “Dante wouldn’t sell me out.”

“Sell you out?” Lilith sounded shocked. “He saved you, hatchling.

Because of him, I can bring you back to the organization tonight.

Because of his actions, you won’t be leaving with this traitor, and I won’t have to kill you for collaborating with a known rogue.”

“What about Riley?”

“Riley?” Lilith frowned a moment, then turned to him with an evil smile. “Is that what you’re calling yourself these days, Cobalt?

How very…human. Setting your sights a little high with my dear protégé, aren’t we? You should’ve known I would find you eventually.”

“Ember, run,” Riley growled, every muscle in his body coiled for a fight. “Don’t worry about me. Just get out of here, now.”

“Stay where you are,” Lilith ordered, her voice sharp and cold.

“When I’m finished here, we are returning to the organization, where you belong. And you will wait right there until I am done. This won’t take long.” She flexed her nails, smiling a vicious, demonic smile.

“But I suggest you turn around now, hatchling, and close your eyes.

You probably don’t want to see this.”

She’s really going to kill him. I glanced at Riley, and he gave me a small, resigned nod that made my stomach clench. Whatever I did, whatever I chose, he understood. If I went back to Talon, he wouldn’t fault me, but he wouldn’t run, either. He couldn’t beat Lilith, but he would fight for me, for Nettle and Remy and Wes, and all his other rogues. He would fight Talon’s best Viper to give them a shot at freedom.

I swallowed my fear, and stepped away from Lilith, backing up to face her with Riley. “No,” I said, making her eyebrows arch. “You want him, you’ll have to kill me, too.”

Lilith smiled.

“How unfortunate,” she mused, taking one step back herself. “I was hoping you would see reason tonight, but I see that Cobalt has polluted your mind beyond repair. Very well.” Her eyes began to glow, an ominous, poison green. “If your choice is to turn your back on Talon and side with these criminals, that makes you a traitor as well. So, now you can die with them!”

And she surged into the air, almost faster than I could see, rising up to engulf us in her shadow. Her wings spread to either side, huge green membranes fanning the air, making me feel tiny, insignificant.