“Hang in there, Firebrand,” I murmured, watching her talons curl, digging into the floor. “I know it sucks, but try not to think about it. You’re okay. I’m right here.”
She relaxed a bit. “I’m mad at you, you know,” she whispered, making me blink in surprise. Her green gaze rose to mine, fierce and indignant, her pupils razor thin with pain and anger. “What was that, back there? Throwing yourself at the soldiers for me? You don’t think I would’ve followed?”
“Ah. I was hoping you might forget that. Not so much, huh?” I offered a small grin that didn’t appease her in the slightest, and sighed. “I need you to survive, Firebrand,” I told her softly. “If I die, I’m counting on you and Wes to keep going for me. To take care of my hatchlings and my network, everyone I’ve gotten out of Talon. Without some sort of guidance, without someone fighting for them, the underground will fall apart. Talon will kill or take them all back, maybe to a laboratory like the one we saw tonight.” She shivered, and I eased closer, seeing my solemn reflection in those emerald eyes.
“You promised to help me fight,” I said. “But I need more than that, Ember. You can’t stop just because I’m gone. Promise me you’ll take care of my underground even if I’m not there anymore. I need to know that my hatchlings will be safe, that I’m leaving them in good hands.”
She blew out a ragged breath. “I can’t do what you do, Cobalt,” she whispered back. “I don’t know the first thing about your network or how to keep it going, but...I’ll try. I’ll do my best to keep everyone safe and away from Talon and the Order, but you have to promise you’ll keep fighting, too. Don’t you dare give up and die on me. I think I would kill Wes before the day was out.”
I chuckled. “Fair enough.” Though that reminded me, I needed to call my surly human friend soon, make sure he’d gotten out okay. I knew Wes; when I gave the order to clear out, he cleared out. No use in both of us dying, and there was nothing he could do against an army with guns. Though he would be insufferable after this; I would have to endure a few thousand I told you sos for the next month at least. Right now, he was probably having a nervous breakdown. Hopefully where we were going had a phone, and a place for me to Shift so I could use it.
“Good.” Ember sniffed, curled into a ball and laid her head on her tail. “Just remember that.”
Smiling, I pressed closer, laying my neck against hers, feeling the rise and fall of her breath. As her tail curled with mine, my gaze went to the soldier, still sitting against the wall. He wasn’t looking at us, gazing at the door of the container, but I curled a lip at him, anyway, baring fangs in a silent warning.
Ember is mine, St. George. You can’t have her. This time, I’ll fight if I have to.
*
The truck finally pulled off the highway, took several measured turns and slowed even more as the tires left pavement and crunched over gravel. We rumbled and bounced along what felt like a winding mountain road for several miles, making Ember growl and dig her claws into my tail, before the truck finally shuddered to a halt.
St. George rose, his posture tense, and we followed his example, Ember letting out a small hiss as she pushed herself upright. Footsteps crunched outside and then the door creaked partway open, letting in a rush of cool night air.
A young Chinese woman peered through the opening, dark eyes solemn as they fell on Ember and me, then sought the soldier by the door. “I’ve talked to my people here,” she told the human as, with a jolt, I realized what she was. “They’re expecting us.”
“Holy hell,” I said, as both of them turned to stare at me. “Where did you find an Eastern dragon, St. George?”
“London,” the human replied, a faint smile cracking his stoic expression. “And you have it backward. She found me.” He nodded to the Asian woman, who regarded me coolly over the opening. “This is Jade. She’s agreed to help us, if we can aid her in return.”
“Oh?” I smirked, staring the Eastern dragon down. “Has something finally happened, then? Is St. George banging your doors down now? Because that’s the only reason I can think of for you to come begging for our help. I guess closing your eyes and pretending the war doesn’t exist isn’t working anymore.”
The soldier blinked at me, surprised, but Jade’s mouth twisted in a bitter smile. “I see our Western cousins’ reputation for rudeness is well-founded,” she replied.
“At least we stand and fight,” I returned. “Not hide in temples and pretend nothing is wrong, that the war won’t ever touch us.”
“It was not our war.” Jade slitted her eyes, and I saw the glimmer of pale green shine through for half a second. “We wanted nothing to do with your Western ways—the violence, the killing, the constant scrabble for power. All we desired was a peaceful existence, a simple life, the way we have lived for centuries.”