Page 33 of Legion

The creak of the door interrupted us. St. George stood quickly, but I stayed where I was, watching as the heavy iron barrier groaned and swung back, revealing four emotionless, identical humans with large guns. I smirked at them from against the wall.

“Hey, guys. I’d get up, but, uh...my head kinda hurts. You understand, right?”

The clones didn’t answer. As one, they stepped aside, parting like elevator doors, and a smaller figure walked through the gap to stand in the frame. St. George tensed, and I stiffened as two bright, crystal-blue eyes met mine across the room.

“Hello, Cobalt,” Mist said, smiling. “Ready for round two?”

EMBER

I paced the floor of my room, unable to sit still. It was a fairly standard bedroom, with a twin bed in the corner, a desk and a bookshelf, a separate bathroom, even a television on the wall. Nicely furnished, for a prison cell. There were no windows, of course, and I knew the heavy metal door would be locked, even without turning the handle. And the large, two-way mirror on the wall wasn’t fooling anyone. At least the cuffs were gone, and it had been a few hours, so the Dractylpromazine might’ve worn off.

The door beeped, making me jerk my head toward it, and a few seconds later a human clone opened it and stepped aside as Dante came into the room. I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to fly across the floor and grab my twin by his two-timing neck. His clone bodyguards made that impossible, however, even if I was able to turn into a dragon. Besides, I had bigger questions I wanted answers to.

“Where are Garret and Riley?” I demanded as soon as Dante stepped through the frame. His brow furrowed before smoothing out again.

“Alive,” was the cool, infuriating answer. “And they’ll remain that way...as long as you cooperate.”

“You’re a real piece of work, Dante,” I snarled. “Do you even hear yourself? What kind of soulless bastard makes threats like that?”

Dante stared at me, expressionless, before turning to his guards. “Leave us,” he ordered quietly. “Lock the door and stand guard, but don’t return until I call for you. Go.”

Without hesitation, the clones turned and left the room. The door clicked shut, and my brother turned back to me. “All right, Ember,” Dante said, walking forward with his arms slightly raised. “Here I am. No guards, no one to stop you. Do your worst—”

I punched him in the jaw as hard as I could, landing a solid right hook across his chin. He staggered back and nearly fell, one hand going to his face. For a few seconds, he stood braced against the wall, cradling his jaw in stunned silence. Finally, he straightened and pulled his hand down to gaze at the blood on his fingertips before turning to me.

“Feel better?”

“No,” I whispered as my eyes started to burn. “Damn you, Dante! How could you turn on me like this? You were my best friend—we used to do everything together. And now look at you.” I stepped back, shaking my head. “You’re one ofthem.”

“I turned onyou?” Dante sounded genuinely shocked. “You’re the one who left. Ran off with that traitor and went rogue. You walked out, not me. I’ve done nothing but try to bring you back to Talon.”

“Against my will.”

“If I didn’t bring you home, they were going to kill you.”

“Hello, doesn’t that bother you?” I cried, throwing up my arms. “If I didn’t do what they wanted, they would kill me. If dragons don’t conform to Talon, they get Vipers sent after them. How is that freedom? How is that for the good of our race?”

“It’s for our survival,” Dante answered stonily. “We can’t have everything we want, not if we’re going to exist in this world. If you haven’t noticed, there’s a war out there. We’re being pushed toward extinction, Ember. Sometimes, sacrifices have to be made. Dragons who break away from Talon are a danger to us all.”

“How do you know?” I challenged. “You haven’t even met any rogues besides me. All you know is what Talon preaches at you.” He gave me an exasperated look, as ifIwere the unreasonable one, and it made me want to pull my hair out. “Dammit, open your eyes, Dante. Talon doesn’t have our best interests at heart. They’re not who they say they are.”

“Ugh, we’re having the same argument we had in Crescent Beach,” Dante said, making a hopeless gesture. “And nothing has changed. Look, sis, just...come with me, all right?” His expression became hopeful, pleading. “There’s someone you have to meet. When you do, you’ll see why we belong with Talon. You’ll see why we’re special.” He took a step back, holding out a hand. “No more arguing. Just come with me. Please.”

“Do I have a choice?”

I thought that might irritate him, but he only shook his head. “No,” he murmured, almost sadly. “You don’t.” He took a short breath, as if he were nervous on my behalf. “The Elder Wyrm has called for you, Ember. It’s time you met the leader of Talon, face-to-face.”

* * *

The elevator came to a stop, and the doors slid open.

Dante stepped out, followed by his bodyguards, and glanced back at me. “Come on, sis,” he urged as I hung back in the box. The elevator had opened onto a short hall with a pair of massive wooden doors at the end. “We’re expected. You don’t want to keep the Elder Wyrm waiting.”

I took a furtive breath and stepped through the frame to join Dante in the hallway. Another pair of guards stood at the entrance, and they gave Dante short nods as they pulled back the doors. I followed my brother into a massive office, stark and cold for all its elegance, everything colored in black, white and gray. A chill hung in the air that had nothing to do with the air-conditioning, and I shivered.

The desk was empty, but a figure stood at the windows, gazing out on the city below. When she turned, it was like watching a giant—a mountain—turn to stare at you, crushing you under the weight of its gaze. The breath left my lungs in a rush, and I suddenly couldn’t move, frozen like a mouse under the stare of the most powerful dragon in the world.

“Ember Hill.” The Elder Wyrm smiled, and it was somehow even more terrifying than if she’d roared and spit fire at me. “We meet at last.

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