Page 66 of Talon

Ember

After I left Garret’s apartment, I rode aimlessly for a while, my mind still a chaotic, swirling mess. Lexi had called me earlier, wanting to go surfing in the cove, but I knew I wasn’t clearheaded enough to tackle giant waves and would just end up getting pounded. Besides, Lexi would probably know something was up, and while she was great with human problems like boys and clothes and feelings, she could not help me with this.

I wished I could’ve talked to Garret, come totally clean and told him everything. After my training session and the atomic bomb Scary Talon Lady had dropped in my lap, I’d gone straight to his apartment, not really knowing what I would say, just that I had to see him.

That had been a mistake.

Meeting with Garret, stealing those kisses in his room, hearing his whispered confessions, made me realize how much I had to lose when the summer ended. I had thought it was just my freedom, but even that seemed to pale in comparison to losing Garret. He wasn’t just a cute human boy who could surf and play arcade games and take me to the carnival. This wasn’t a rebellious desire to show up my trainer, to experience human emotions because dragons weren’t supposed to have them. No, I really, truly wanted to be with him. And the thought of him leaving, of never seeing him again, made my heart ache in a way I’d never felt before.

So now there were two black clouds hanging over my head, making me even crazier. Or maybe it was just the one big cloud, and all my smaller issues stemmed from it. The suffocating, giant-ass cloud called Talon. Talon said humans were the inferior species. Talon forbade us from flying, or even changing into our real forms, without their permission. Talon sent an evil, sadistic trainer to make my life a living hell.

Talon wanted me to become a Viper.

I shivered, clenching the handlebars of the bike. Of all the factions and positions in the organization, I had never dreamed I would become a Viper. I knew I wasn’t big or strong enough for the Gilas, and I didn’t have the charm and grace to become a Chameleon. After talking with Riley that afternoon on the pier, I was almost certain I was destined to become a Basilisk. Not ideal, but better than getting lumped with the Monitors, doing boring busywork for the rest of my life.

But Viper. Talon’s most elite operatives. Officially, the Vipers were called in as a last resort, a final gamble when everything else had failed. And, of course, they were occasionally dispatched to hunt down rogues and deserters and return them to the organization. That was the official story, anyway. That was why going rogue was as futile as it was dangerous; you stood no chance against a Viper, once it was on your trail. They never gave up once they took a mission.

Was that my calling now? Hunting down my own kind, forcing them back to an organization that was slowly stiflingme?It didn’t seem right. Though I had no idea what else the Vipers actually did. Surely they didn’t just hunt down runaways. But when I’d asked Scary Talon Lady about it, she’d just laughed and said that wasn’t my concern just yet. That everything would reveal itself at the right time.

I needed to talk to someone. Garret had been a knee-jerk reaction because I was upset and not thinking clearly, but he couldn’t help me with Talon problems. I needed another dragon, someone who understood what I was going through. And I knew of only one person who fit that description.

I pulled out my phone as I ditched the bike in the yard and climbed the steps to the house. My heart thumped loudly as I pulled up his number, my thumb hovering over the call button.

Still staring at the screen, I opened the front door, and crashed right into Dante leaving the house.

“Oof. Ow. Again,” he complained, taking a step back and rubbing his chin, where he’d banged it against the top of my skull. “Jeez, it’s like walking into a bowling ball. But I always knew you were hardheaded.”

“Funny.” He was acting normal again, like nothing was wrong. But I was tired of pretending, and stepped aside to let him pass. “I guess it’s better to have a head like a bowling ball than no balls at all.”

“Below the belt, sis.” His forehead creased as he peered down at me. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. Besides, what do you care?” He wasn’t moving, so I tried sidling around him into the house. “Don’t you have things Talon wants you to do? Sucking up, brownnosing, that sort of thing?”

“Okaaay, someone is in a mood.” I slipped past him, but instead of leaving he followed me into the living room. His tone turned suspicious. “Wanna tell me what’s going on?”

“Would you listen?” I challenged, staring at him over the kitchen counter. “Or would you just sell me out to Talon if I said something wrong?”

A hurt, angry expression crossed his face. “All right, that’s it,” he growled. Striding into the kitchen, he leaned over the counter and lowered his voice, speaking in a harsh whisper. “When have I ever not listened to you, Ember?” he demanded. “You keep telling me I’m not on your side, but this whole time, I’ve done nothing but look out for you, lied to our guardians for you, looked the other way when you broke the rules. I lied for you when you went out flying, I covered for us at the party and I didn’t mention I saw you talking to that rogue. I haven’t even said anything about you and Garret.”

I jerked, startled. “How—?”

“Lexi told me.” Dante’s voice was grim. “And it sucked, having to hear it from her and not you. You used to tell me everything.”

He sounded genuinely hurt, and my anger wavered. Maybe Iwasbeing unfair. As far as I could tell, Dante hadn’t informed Talon that Riley was back. Hehadcovered for me at the party, and he’d never breathed a word about my illegal midnight flight with Cobalt. Maybe he was just scared. Maybe he was looking out for me the only way he knew how.

“You accuse me of keeping secrets,” Dante went on angrily, “but you’re the one who’s hiding things. I don’t care what you do with the humans, Ember. We’re supposed to fit in and learn their ways, make them think that we’re one of them. As long as we remember that we’re not. And someday, all humans will know it.”

I jerked up. “Is that what your trainer told you?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

I turned on him, narrowing my eyes. “Where did they put you?” I demanded. I was tired of beating around the bush, tired of secrets, from both sides. I needed answers, and I hoped I could still count on my twin to come through for me. Dante blinked, confused, and I pressed the advantage. “Faction, Dante. What are you? Where did Talon decide to put you?”

He paused, and for a second I thought he wouldn’t answer, stating that he couldn’t talk about it. But after a moment, he leaned against the counter with a sigh.

“Chameleon.”

I slumped. “Yeah, I thought so. It suits you.” I could see Dante in a business suit, smiling and talking to people of power, completely in his element. “You’re sure to fit right in.”

---