“There’s nowhere completely safe, mate,” Wes said quietly, slumping back in his chair. “Not since they caught on that Talon moved a lot of its business to the States. They’re bloody everywhere now.”

“Where were they before?” I asked.

“England,” Riley answered without looking at me. “St. George’s main headquarters is in London, where it’s been for hundreds of years. They’re very traditional, and they don’t like change, so it took them a while to spread out. That’s why Talon does a lot of business in the US and other countries—the Order doesn’t have such a strong presence here. Or it didn’t for a long time.” He leaned over the laptop. “This is a fairly new base,” he stated, staring at the tiny white squares on the screen. “It wasn’t here ten years ago.” One finger rose to trace the perimeter, his face shadowed in thought. “There’s the fence, and that’s probably the armory, barracks and mess hall, officer housing…so this big one has to be headquarters.” He tapped the screen, tightening his jaw. “That’s where he’ll probably be.”

“Bloody fabulous,” Wes muttered. “The most heavily guarded building of them all. Tell me again why we’re doing this? If it was a hatchling we were all getting ourselves killed for, I’d understand. I wouldn’t like it, but I’d understand. That’s more your type of loony.” He continued to glower at Riley and ignore me, as if I wasn’t standing not three feet away. Well within singeing distance, I thought. “Even if we do get this blighter out, what makes you think he won’t run straight back to St. George to tell them where we are? Or shoot us in the back himself?”

“He won’t,” I snapped, glaring at Wes. “I know Garret. He’s not like that.”

Wes turned a disgusted sneer in my direction. “Really?” he drawled. “Then answer me this, if you know the blighter so very well—how long did it take you to figure out he was part of St. George?”

I flushed. I’d never guessed the truth, never let myself think Garret could be the enemy, not until he’d aimed a gun at my head, and even then I hadn’t wanted to believe it. Wes gave me a smirk. “Yeah, that’s what I figured. You only think you know him. But the truth of it is he was lying to you that whole time. He would’ve told you anything to get you to reveal yourself, anything you wanted to hear.”

“He saved us from Lilith—”

“He shot at a bloody adult dragon,” Wes interrupted. “Because it was clearly the bigger threat. And when it was over and his squad hadn’t arrived to back him up, he told you what was necessary for him to stay alive. He told you exactly what you wanted to hear.”

“That’s not true!” I remembered Garret’s face that night, the intense way he’d looked at me, the remorse and determination and guilt. I’m done, he’d told me. No more killing. No more deaths. I’m not hunting your people anymore.

Wes snorted. “Leopards can’t change their spots,” he said with maddening self-assurance. “St. George will always hate and kill dragons because that’s what they do. It’s the only thing they know how to do.”

I looked to Riley, standing silently beside the desk, hoping he would back me up. To my dismay, his mouth was pressed into a grim line, his jaw set. My heart sank, even as I turned on him, frowning.

“You agree with him,” I accused, and his eyebrows rose. “You think this is a huge mistake, even though you were there. You heard what Garret said.”

“Firebrand.” Riley gave me a half weary, half angry look. “Yes, of course I agree with him,” he said evenly. “I’ve seen what St. George does, not only in the war, but to all our kind, everywhere. How many safe houses do you think I’ve lost to their cause? How many dragons are murdered by the Order every year? Not just the Vipers or Basilisks or the ones directly involved in the war.” His gaze narrowed. “I’ve seen them slaughter hatchlings, kids younger than you. I once watched a sniper take out an unarmed kid in cold blood. He was on his way to meet me, riding his bike through the park, and the shot came from nowhere. Because I couldn’t get to him in time.” Riley’s eyes flashed gold, the dragon very close to the surface, angry and defiant. “So, no, Firebrand, I’m not completely thrilled with the idea of rescuing one of the Order,” he finished in a near growl. “Any excuse for another of the bastards to die is a good one in my book. And don’t think your human is innocent just because he fought Lilith and let us go. He has dragon blood on his hands just like the rest of them.”

I cringed inside, knowing he was right. But I still raised my chin, staring him down. “I’m not leaving him to die,” I said firmly. “He saved our lives, and I won’t forget that, no matter what you say.” He crossed his arms, and I made a helpless gesture. “But you don’t have to come, Riley. I can do this alone. If you feel that strongly—”

“Firebrand, shut up,” Riley snapped. I blinked, and he gave me a look of supreme exasperation. “Of course I’m coming with you,” he growled. “I told you before, I won’t let you take on St. George alone. I’ll be with you every step of the way, and I’ll do my damnedest to keep us alive, but you can’t expect me to be happy about it.”

I swallowed. “I’ll make it up to you, Riley, I promise.”

Riley sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “I’ll hold you to that,” he said. “When this is over, I fully expect you to do whatever I say, no hesitation, no questions asked. But first, let’s concentrate on getting through the next twenty-four hours. Come here.” He motioned me forward. “You’ll need to see this, if you’re planning on sneaking into the base with me. You are planning on coming, I assume? No chance of talking you out of it?”

“You know me better than that.”

“Sadly, I do.”

I eased in front of him and gazed down at the screen, suddenly very aware of his presence, his hand on my arm as he peered over my shoulder, the smell of his leather jacket. Wes grumbled under his breath, something that included the words sodding and bollocks, and Riley gave a grim chuckle.

“Yeah,” he muttered, his deep voice close to my ear, making my skin prickle. “Just like old times.”

Cobalt