Garret
"Yes?"
I met the man's appraising look with a hard soldier look of my own. We've cleaned up the best we could, in the park, using napkins and sparkling water. But my clothes were still stained with Joseph's blood and I had no grace for bullshit.
Inside, the Order of St George headquarters looked very respectful. The lobby was panelled with polished dark wood, and the reception was behind tall shiny mahogany desk. Elderly soldier sitting there seemed surprised to see me, even though we have been in contact and announced our relocation to London a week ago.
I let my displeasure at his question show shortly before I requested to be led to late Patriarch's office.
His name was St Christopher and he didn't look pleased but complied and I was thankful for that. The last thing I needed now was fighting to assess my leadership from the get-go.
We entered the spacious office with severe white walls, of which one was completely covered by wooden bookcases. I strode through the room irreverently. Crested a large desk of polished dark wood and thumped on the imposing black leather armchair with two crossed swords on a shield of the Order of St George on the wall behind it.
"Sit down." I ordered the soldiers, who looked doubtfully at old-looking leather chairs surrounding the large meeting table of polished dark wood that filled approximately half of the space.
Commander Knight sat down on the seat closest to me flanked by his wife and Madison and the others followed one by one.
"St Christopher, I want a dinner served for us here in two hours and notify all living soldiers to gather here for elevation of the new Patriarch in three days." I said in a tone, that didn't leave any place for opposition.
Jason Knight barely waited for the old man to leave before he burst.
"Are you not assuming too much Sebastian? You want to be Patriarch at eighteen?!"
I gave him an annoyed look but didn't dignified his question with an answer.
"Any contact from Mitchell?" I asked instead.
"No." It was from Madison.
It was good enough I guessed. Lieutenant Mitchell was supposed to leave the hotel room, when he saw, that we've escaped and board the next plane to London. That was if he did, what I ordered him to do. The situation with two Commanders was not sustainable and the faster the Order got a leader, the better.
I took in my troop, fifteen exhausted men and two equally exhausted women. Madison was uncharacteristically subdued, more than after the Day of Fang and Fire, how I called Ember's betrayal in my head.
Alexander was injured, Joseph was gone, Tristan was away or dead... And I was the leader of this mission, of the entire Order of St George. I was the reason for the injuries and death and whatever happened to Tristan.
I didn't ask for this. All I wanted was to be with Ember and the rogues for the rest of my days. Repent for some of the evil I've mindlessly committed against dragons and people who helped them.
Now I was infused with dragon immortality and kept a court in a dragon proofed building with a bunch of dragon slayers, whose loyalty was at best wobbly. Knight have practically already challenged me, and I could only ignore his challenge for so long.
Oh how I wanted to get up, leave the building and disappear in the crowd on the streets. But I couldn't. I had to keep on going... for her. I almost laughed out loud at the notion, but I couldn't deny it. I lived and breather for Ember, even if she never wanted to see me again. Even if she wanted me dead, I still did anything in my powers to keep her safe, at least from the Order of St George. The job shouldn't be that hard, at least for some time, the way we were decimated and underfunded...
A soldier, maybe forty years old entered with a tray with three large pitchers of water and stacks of glasses.
"What's your name?" I asked him.
"St Patrick Sir."
Another orphan then.
"St Patrick, where does the Order house its soldiers in London?" I asked as I really needed everyone to get in their place, at least temporarily, so I could think in peace. Maybe sleep first actually.
"There are quarters on the top floors, where those of us serving here live, while on duty. Otherwise there's a small chapterhouse outside of Luton, that sadly has been empty since dragon attack..."
"So, you all live here now?" I asked.
"Yes, there's plenty of room and dragons didn't come here..."
"Show us to the quarters then."
St Patrick looked worried as he said.
"Yes sir."
The top floor was full of small rooms, each with a metal bunk bed and a chest at the foot. Common toilets and showers were at the end of the hall. The quarters were very old and probably only used as a temporary accommodation for soldiers on duty in many years. There were three larger rooms with a bed and a table each, probably intended for the officers. All three were taken. I considered requesting these were vacated for me and Commander Knight but got a better idea.
"Pick your beds, freshen up and meet me for dinner." I commanded the men and went back to my office with Knight and Patrick on my heels.
"St Patrick, the late Patriarch have left all his fortune to the Order of St George. This should include at least one apartment and one large house here in the city. I'll stay in the house. Commander Knight you and your family may take the apartment, unless you prefer protection of this building, then I'll have one of the rooms vacated for you." I stated and stretched.
"We can discuss the details over dinner. I hope St Christopher has something delicious coming. You're dismissed."
I said curtly as I was dying to wash Joseph's blood off me and get some sleep. The latter would have to wait, for now I had to settle for a bath and a change of clothes.
Dinner was a somber affair, everybody was too tired to really enjoy food, but even exhausted soldiers were hungry and knew better than to turn down a meal. St Christopher managed to order quite exquisite tapas...
I almost snorted, a chorizo took me back to the white sofa and Ember's warm embrace. What would have happened if I have ignored Tristan's call and stayed that night? Well I guessed I'd never know.
Most soldiers left immediately after finishing their meals and soon I was left with Ward, Knights and St Christopher.
I really wasn't in a mood for another power play, I was considering dismissing them, when the doors opened, and a familiar face appeared.
"Andrew! Good to see you." I said sincerely. "Sit down. Commander, Lieutenant, ladies please feel free to take the rest of the wine to your quarters." I said not looking at the others.
Once they left, I let myself slump an inch. I was now Andrew's leader, but our relationship, him owing me his life, justified some informality.
"Have you come to tell me all about how things are going here?" I asked him.
"I've come to welcome you, and I will gladly share with you whatever I know... Commander." Andrew winked.
Yeah, that would take some time to sink in, time I didn't have, I'd better rub it in. But not on Andrew, he meant no harm and I needed as many willing allies, as I could get if I was to force Knight and Ward to obedience...
"Go on then." I said seriously.
"Come now Garret, last time I saw you, you were a fugitive from the Order with a price on your head, now you are the Commander and if I understood Christopher right, you intend to become the next Patriarch. Do not begrudge an old friend for dying to hear the story."
I sighed.
"I don't. But I'm straight from the fight and still need to find my bed. How about we tell stories another day and now you report to me, preferably on the way to the house?" I countered.
Andrew looked at me and shook his head.
"Sure Garret, you are the Commander after all."
"Wow Garret, this is like a palace." Andrew mused when we opened the heavy front door bound in iron formed like vines.
Behind was a large vestibule with chessboard floor and wide marble stairs adorned with wrought iron railing and covered with thick red carpet to our left. Ahead were large closed doors smaller doors led to both sides. Bedrooms were usually upstairs, so I went there. The security was extern and I fired them as they almost for sure snitched for Talon. They might tell them I was here, but I wouldn't provide them with more information than absolutely unavoidable. I'd get Wes look at the house's electronic security later, now I only wanted to sleep. Andrew have filled me up during our drive here and offered to keep the first watch at the house.
We went through a hall opening each door. Lavishly appointed library, a dining room with a table for twenty people occupied the middle of this floor. Apart from that there was a smaller office and a lounge with sofas and armchairs.
I took another set of stairs to the second floor where four bedrooms, or should I say four sets of personal rooms were located. One was a white suit with golden curtains and a white marble bathroom with golden details. There was something very feminine about the double bed with padded white headboard and cream-colored leather settee and chair in the sitting area. I went on inspecting the house's remaining three living quarters. One of teal and copper, one blue and a grey and brown clearly belonging to the Patriarch. A beautiful sword hung over the headboard of carved walnut. The furniture was devoid of unnecessary decorative elements but expensive and functional. I liked it here. Andrew lifted a brow at that but said nothing. I told him to take any other room he wanted and dismissed him.
I undressed from borrowed clothes and lay in bed only in my shorts. I watched the sword over the doors and thought, that the room felt strangely comfortable, swords and knives were the only decorations, grey walls ang brown wooden furniture, everything was to my taste, that I didn't even know, that I had. I decided to get new bedding and keep the rest as it was.
Just before I fell asleep two faces crossed my mind. Tristan looked right through me and smiled at something way more interesting. Ember was killing me with the most venomous look I've ever seen on her.
Ember
"They disappeared from the closed room ma'am." Seth, young Gila stood in front of me not daring to meet my eye.
Mace, his superior, supposedly got incapacitated by Mist and Riley and couldn't provide me with much useful information.
This was a disaster!
In the middle of which Adam Roth turned out to be a traitor, who waited for the eggs to be stolen from the facility only to intercept them himself, using an army of vessels, that he claimed didn't exist.
I watched with mixed feelings as Stealth dispatched of said army. I had no more than two months before I needed to shift and nothing was ready.
On the contrary, I couldn't possibly go into hiding now with Roth posed to depose me, the Order alive and reunited, rogues out in the free and everybody hating me.
But I had to. This Sallith'tahn egg was my biggest asset, I couldn't give up now, I had to keep on fighting, find the way.
"You may leave." I said coldly and waited for the dragon to leave before I sank my forehead to the cool surface of the desk.
I glimpsed the reflection of my face on its smooth surface, exhausted vacant gaze, hollow cheeks, damaged hair, held more or less under control by too much hair spray. I only wanted to sleep, but I couldn't. Lately my nightmares became so intense I dreaded falling asleep.
"Rose! Any news about where they went?" I asked knowing well she'd have shared any such news with me immediately.
I better went home when I still could. Soon I would be bound to a facility myself. An easy target for anyone ambitious enough to reach out and...
Could I trust anybody anymore? Dragons were quite unforgiving and a leader who failed...
Worrying never helped anyone, I'd better got my mastermind here.
"Ex-agent Cobalt, rogue hatchlings Mist, Nettle and Kain have entered the facility unchallenged and left taking the four... residents and their eggs with them despite actions undertaken by Gilas on site to stop them." The Archivist's parchment voice grated on my last nerve.
"Alba, what about the satellites?" I said before he could go on.
"There were two Order's cars on their way to the facility, but they turned around and fled before coming within sight of the buildings. One car was closer, we assume that's where their hacker was, messing with our security system. They got attacked by approximately one hundred hatchling vessels and Mr Roth himself. They were aided by Stealth and left leaving one dead soldier behind. Cobalt, Mist, Nettle and Kain disappeared with them as far as we could assess... Stealth killed all the vessels participating in the strike and our cleaning team is currently picking up their carcasses spread throughout more than sixty miles..." Young dragon reported obediently, her face neutral mask.
"Where is Adam Roth now?" I asked no-one in particular.
"I doubt we'll find him before he wants us to. Such a move... He must have been preparing to it for a long time." Rose offered.
Yeah. Very long time indeed. Probably ever since Elder Wyrm shared with him, that she'd intended to live in a body of a hatchling... If not before that. For any ambitious backstabbing dragon this was a perfect opportunity. Elder Wyrm intends to leave the organization to a puny hatchling. I almost laughed out loud. The way things have worked out, he didn't even need to adjust his plans. It was even better for him as my vessels were all slain while those, he's stolen throughout twenty years of overseeing the operation... Duped! Betrayed again!
Red flashed in front of my eyes as a searing pain shot through my chest, I felt anger so great it threatened to obliterate my tiny body, it was too strong! I hated this world, humans and dragons alike. I only wanted what was best for them and how have they repaid me?! Again, and again I suffered, I was betrayed and abandoned and...
"Ember!" Rose yelled from beside the doors, through which Alba and two humans were leaving in great haste.
Closer to me the Archivist lifted his grey eyebrow and watched my tantrum with slightly frowned forehead.
I blew fire at my desk and felt deep satisfaction when the papers turned into ashes, the shiny black surface wrinkled, the laptops melted...
Alarm sounded and sprinkler system rained water on everything myself included. I blew last plume of fire at a chair on the other side of the desk and then I bolted for the doors, shifting back in the corridor as I pushed through fire door and then ran down the stairs, tears blurred my vision and sobs shook my entire body.
I noticed Rock following me from, where he waited outside my office doors, but I didn't care. I went as fast as I could barefoot, my pumps destroyed when I shifted. Fortunately, I always wore a Viper suit nowadays. I ran out the lobby and onto a sunlit broad pavement outside.
I ignored alarmed looks of people I passed by, I ignored the warmth of the sun, that talked about different times and different life, I couldn't stop now, I couldn't go back. Warm beaches, Garret's tender embrace, Cobalt's intense attention, Nettle's carefree companionship and Mist's grudging respect. It all was lost forever to me.
Talon and Sallith'tahn egg were all I had left and my hold on both felt so slippery right now.
I reached my building and passed by dumbstruck portier heading to the elevator.
Rock entered the elevator with me, but I refused to look at him. Instead I looked in the mirror...
My hair stood on ends like an explosion of red, my mascara was ruined and stained my cheeks all the way down to my jaw. My eyes were swollen, slits of flaming green visible between puffy reddish lids. My face was blotchy, and my features were twisted from weeping. I didn't care.
The key didn't fit the lock! I tried and tried to open the doors until I dropped it and then sunk to my knees screaming.
Rock bent quickly, picked up my keys unlocked the doors and lifted me by my arms. I stumbled inside and he closed the doors behind us.
I curled up in the corner of the white sofa and let my thoughts race inside my head as I tried to numb myself to agonizing pain in my heart.
After an all too short while I felt firm hand om my arm.
"Get up, I've drawn you a bath." A deep male voice urged me.
I let Rock lead me into the bathroom and waited for him to leave. Foam was heaped over the bathtub's edge and the entire room was filled by warm fragrant damp.
"Don't lock the doors." Rock said over his shoulder before he closed the doors behind him.
I considered just laying down where I stood, but thought better of it and took off my suit and lay down in hot water instead.
The warmth caressed my human skin and stiff muscles but couldn't penetrate deeper into my chilled soul and black thoughts.
All my best cards I have played badly so far. Garret, I've made an enemy of him, impossible to control from afar. Reeling him back for rebounding was too dangerous now, I've come too far to start from scratch.
Riley hated me. I have used Sallith'tahn magic to force him to betray the breeders and make an egg, that he didn't want.
Adam Roth played me like a violin, I had no way of knowing for how long, but it seemed sensible to assume he was years ahead of me in this game.
Why oh why have I kept these adults alive? Lilith and Rose were loyal enough I guess. But it looked like Roth and Stealth were going to be main figures in the final round.
I was tired...
Another thought thread surfaced within my mind. Warm white sand, sun shining on turquoise waves, tanned guy playing guitar by a bonfire and warm firm embrace of another watching me with steely grey eyes as if I was the only thing in the entire world worth looking at.
Yes! My heart cried out. Yes, this is a solution to all this. I could bury my face in Garret's chest and cry and he would hold me and then he would say it was going to be okay and just by him saying that, it would.
Desperate longing that used to be suppressed to a slightest tingling blossomed in my soul, this was the missing piece, the remedy to all ailments, together we would have found the way out.
I gave it a couple of minutes, let it unfold for my mind's eye in all it's simplicity and naivety.
And then I laughed. I laughed and laughed so loud, that Rock stuck his head in. Most of the foam was gone but I didn't care, I laughed until I lost my voice and any trace of longing for Garret was gone, replaced by coldness and determination.
I should have gotten him killed, as long as he lived I would never be safe from his influence. As long as he lived a part of me would hope and long for him. I thought, foolishly that a couple of decades of cat and mouse was worth the... that thing. But I was wrong. I didn't have decades to spend on shaky legs. I needed to get my bearings and start acting like a CEO of Talon now.
I climbed out of cold water and wrapped a plush robe around my thin frame.
In the kitchen, Rock was unpacking my favourite tapas from plastic boxes they came in and putting them on heated plates he took out of the oven. He nodded approvingly when I stepped in and took a seat by dinner table.
He poured red wine into two crystal glasses placed two plates on the table and sat at the opposite end of the table and started eating. Such thing was unheard of. But I did nothing to correct his behaviour, it was easier to eat with him eating too. I put a piece of wine boiled chorizo into my mouth and was surprised when it actually tasted as good as I remembered.
Sleep helped. I feared nightmares but instead I slept until noon next day and woke up feeling much stronger. As if facing the reality, I tried to avoid granted me additional powers to do what needed to be done.
I accepted a cup of latte from Rock who lived up to his name. His face expressed nothing but polite respect and he took care of me like the best psychiatric nurse in the history of looney.
I decided to take it slowly, nothing I needed to do was going to be pleasant so I better took some pleasure first.
"Rock?!" I called.
He poked his head into bedroom.
"I want pancakes and strawberry milkshake and a bath." I said stretching and yawning.
Rock nodded and retreated to the kitchen. I fell back onto my pillow, closed my eyes and let the softness of the bed fool me for a moment longer.
"Our first priority is to kill Commander Sebastian. I want it done before I come down with the egg." I said as a first thing, once my somewhat shaken team gathered in the black meeting room this afternoon. I couldn't risk leaving Garret alive.