I groaned. This wasn’t going to end well. At all. No matter what I said, someone was going to be confused, hurt and pissed as hell. And then what? We still had this thing with Talon and St. George to deal with. We had to work together to have any chance of pulling this off, but how was that going to happen with Riley wanting to kill Garret or vice versa?
No, I couldn’t tell him, not yet. Succeeding here, breaking St. George’s unknown partnership with Talon, was more important than my feelings toward either of them right now. I had become a rogue not only to get away from the organization and its crushing, power-hungry tyranny, but to help all my kind be free. From St. George, Talon, the Elder Wyrm, the Patriarch, whoever wanted us extinct or enslaved. I needed to stop agonizing and start doing. If I was going to make a difference in this war, I had to have my priorities straight. And right now, we needed clear heads and the ability to work together.
I’ll tell them, I promised all three of us. Soon. When this is over, as soon as we break the Order away from Talon, I’ll tell them everything.
I toweled, slid into my clothes and opened the door with a billow of steam, ready to tell the boys the bathroom was now free.
Riley, alone in the hotel room, looked up from the corner chair and gave a smile that had no humor in it whatsoever.
“Hey, Firebrand,” he said, rising from the seat. “About time you got out. We need to have a talk.”
RILEY
Ember blinked, glancing warily around the room. “Where is everyone?”
“Gone,” I said simply. “I sent them both on an errand while you were in the shower. Figured that was the only way to get you alone. No Wes. No soldier. No distractions. Just you and me.”
She eyed me with suspicion, filling me with both fury and sorrow. Was she afraid? Did she hate being around me that much, that just standing in a room with me alone caused her shields to go up? I’d been as patient as I could, waiting for her to clue me in on what was bothering her, and it was driving me to distraction. Wes and I had been checking the status of my safe houses this morning, making sure they were all still there, that everyone was alive, and I could barely focus long enough to hear him out. This standoff needed to end. Now.
“So, what’s going on, Firebrand?” I asked, stepping forward. “And don’t think you’re going to run away from me this time. I’m done waiting. You’ve been hiding something ever since the monastery and I want to know what.”
Ember swallowed. I could see the wheels turning in her head, trying to think of ways to stall, to dance around the question, and it only pissed me off more. “This isn’t a good time, Riley—”
“Bullshit.” She gave me a sharp look, and I met her glare. “When will it be a good time, Ember? When we’re not running, or fighting for our lives? When we’re not dealing with Talon or St. George?” I made a vague gesture, holding her gaze. “You’re a rogue now—there will never be a good time. There will never be a moment when we don’t have to worry about our enemies. There’s always going to be something, be it a hatchling we have to rescue, a traitor we have to hunt down, or a strike force coming for us in the middle of the night. Something will always be there, making things difficult. Trust me on that.”
She didn’t answer.
“But you were fine with that,” I said in a low voice, stepping closer. “We were fine. I know things have been rough, especially in the beginning with Griffin, and it’s gotten even crazier since. But I haven’t forgotten about us, Firebrand. I made you a promise, and you seemed to believe me.” I paused. “Did you believe me?”
“Yes,” Ember replied. “I believed you. I still do. But, that was before...”
“Before the soldier showed up. With the Eastern dragon.”
It was barely noticeable, but Ember flinched. The girl who could stare down a dozen St. George soldiers without fear, cringed a little when I mentioned Jade. And that was all the confirmation I needed. If I wasn’t certain before, I sure as hell was now.
“What did she say to you?” I asked, careful not to growl, though everything inside was painfully tight. “It had to be something epically horrible—you’ve been looking at me like I’m some kind of freak show. Why are you afraid? What could she possibly tell you about me that’s so awful? Did she know about my time in Talon, and what I used to do? Because if she did...” I lifted an arm helplessly, before letting it drop. “I can’t change my past, Ember. I know I used to do awful things for Talon, but I’m trying to fix that. I...” I raked a hand through my hair, feeling suddenly tired. “I’m trying to make up for those years. Hell, I would think that what we’re doing now is proof of that.”
“Riley.” Ember shook her head, looking anguished. “It’s not that. Jade didn’t know anything about you, or what you did before you left Talon.”
“What, then?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “Did she say something about you?” Ember shook her head again, but I plowed on, anyway. “Firebrand, listen, whatever she told you, I don’t care. You hear me? Nothing you can say or do will scare me off, or make me see you any differently.”