The present
The humans surrounded us, silent as wraiths in the darkness of the jungle. There were close to a dozen of them, dark skinned and mostly naked, wearing loincloths and necklaces of shell and bone. Most carried crude wooden spears, which they’d pointed at us in a bristling ring of spikes. A few outside the circle held bows and arrows. None of them spoke, or made any sound at all. They simply watched us with unreadable black eyes.
“Okay,” Riley murmured, gazing around. “That’s a little worrisome. Do you think this is the welcome party?” His voice was amused but held a hint of warning. Garret had drawn his weapon and was keeping the muzzle pointed at the ground, ready to respond with lethal force if he had to.
“What do you think they want?” I asked, keeping my gaze on those sharp points hovering very close to my face. Garret had moved behind me, and I could feel the tension lining his muscles, his hard gaze as it swept the crowd. Riley shrugged.
“No clue, but I’m not too keen on getting skewered to find out.” His gaze slid to me, and a hard smile pulled at his mouth. “You have a change of clothes, right?”
“You want us to Shift? In front of all these humans?”
“Who are they going to tell? The news monkeys?” He rolled his eyes before his attention focused on the crowd again. “I figure this way we won’t even have to fight anyone. They’ll just drop their spears and run.”
“And if they don’t?”
“Then I’d rather be in dragon form if they try to shove a spear up my ass.”
The crowd in front of us suddenly parted, and an old man stepped through, stopping just a few feet away. He was thin, nearly skeletal, with twig-like arms and only a few strands of wispy white hair stuck to his head. He regarded the three of us with eyes that were still sharp and clear, then raised a clawed hand to point at me.
“You,” he rasped in a thickly accented voice. “Name.”
“My name?” I asked. Around us, the warriors remained silent, still keeping their spears pointed at us. The old man didn’t answer, just continued to watch me with piercing black eyes. “Ember,” I said quietly. “My name is Ember Hill.”
He nodded once and stepped back, and the men surrounding us lowered their spears. The old man raised a withered hand and beckoned, indicating for us to follow.
We did, trailing him down a narrow path that soon disappeared as we went deeper into the jungle. Even for Garret and Riley, it was difficult to keep up. The old man, and the men surrounding us, moved like ghosts through the trees and vegetation, silent and nearly unseen. They blended perfectly into their world, unlike us, the noisy intruders, stomping through the undergrowth in our rugged boots, hacking at vines along the way. The jungle closed in around us, becoming darker and even more tangled, as if offended by our presence and our attempts to clear a path. After only a few minutes, I was lost, and all sense of direction had vanished into the canopy. Which made me nervous. If our mysterious guides decided to disappear and leave us stranded in the middle of the jungle, we might never find our way out.
“Where do you think they’re taking us?” I whispered to Garret after a few silent minutes. The soldier had holstered his weapon but his posture was still tense, his eyes constantly scanning our surroundings and the men slipping noiselessly through the trees beside us.
“I don’t know,” he replied, glancing at something overhead. I looked up and saw a small yellow monkey on a gnarled branch, peering down at me with large black eyes. “But they knew your name,” Garret went on. “That means they were waiting for us.”
We continued into the darkness. The men and our guide never slowed down or said anything, either to us or each other. The one time Riley tried talking to our guide, the old man simply shook his head and put a finger to his lips. After a couple hours of walking, I was starting to wonder if this hike would ever end, if the jungle just went on forever, when Garret suddenly nudged my arm and pointed to something in the trees ahead.
At first, I didn’t see anything different or unusual: just looming trunks, undergrowth, vines and shadows. Then the outline of a wall, stony and ancient, appeared through the trees, nearly invisible with moss, vines and gnarled roots. As we got closer, I spotted a crumbling archway in the wall, flanked by a pair of statues so weathered and moss covered that they were entirely featureless. Beyond the barrier, rising toward the jungle canopy, a huge stone structure, as weathered and moss-eaten as the statues, towered among the trees.
My brows rose. Was this where these people lived? A hidden village deep in the jungle, surrounded by the ruins of an even older civilization? I was amazed. It was hard to believe that there were still places in the world this untouched by modern conveniences, where humans had lived without electricity or phones or computers for hundreds of years.
As we approached the archway, however, the old man stopped and turned, holding up a hand. I looked around and saw that the warriors surrounding us had backed away and were standing several yards from the entrance, as if reluctant to step close.
The old man looked at me, then Riley and Garret. He took a step back, pointing at us, then to the archway beyond. I frowned.
“You’re not coming with us?”
No answer, just the repeated motion of pointing at us, then to the gate, a little more vigorously this time. Riley looked at us and shrugged.
“Guess we go on without him. Be on your guard, though. I’d hate to walk into an ambush of archers firing at us from every nook and cranny.”
We stepped toward the archway, moving cautiously as we approached the gate. I glanced over my shoulder once, and saw that the old man and the rest of the warriors were gone. Like they’d never existed.
We continued through the gate. Beyond the wall, the arch opened into a massive courtyard. Moss and vegetation had swallowed half of it, with weathered stone tiles poking up from the green and walls crumbling under the weight of gigantic roots that snaked over them like monstrous pythons. They slithered through the courtyard between uprooted stones and piles of rubble, making the footing treacherous. Crumbling buildings covered in moss and vines stood at the top of the steps, and trees pushed up through the stone, splitting roofs and walls as they reached for the sky. Between the steps and the buildings, more streets snaked off into parts unknown.
“It’s awfully quiet,” Riley remarked as we ventured warily through the sprawling courtyard. Insects scurried away from us, fleeing over rocks and vines, but they were the only sources of movement I could see. “And I’m not just saying that to be cliché. You guys can feel it, too, right?”
I nodded. He was right. A few minutes ago, the jungle was teeming with sound: buzzing insects, calling birds, howling monkeys in the treetops far overhead. Now the canopy was dead silent, as if every living creature for miles around was afraid to make a peep.
“I don’t like it,” Garret began as, at that moment, a tremor went through the ground under our feet.
We froze in the center of the courtyard, weapons out, bodies tense as we gazed around. The tremor came again, a faint vibration that made the rocks tremble, accompanied by a muffled boom. And another. Insects scattered in every direction, and a few pebbles went tumbling and bouncing down the wall, as the footsteps grew steadily louder, and my heart beat faster and faster. It nearly stopped when I saw a ridge of spines moving behind the roofs—roofs that were at least forty feet tall.
“Aw, shit,” Riley breathed. And then words failed us as a dragon the size of a building walked calmly between the ruins and into the light.
He was old; even without his massive size, I could tell that much. His scales were a dull blackish-green, the color of swamp water, and his enormous wings were tattered and full of holes. Moss and vegetation grew along his back and shoulders, giving him a shaggy look, and I suspected that when he laid down, he could blend perfectly with the jungle floor. His curved black claws were longer than my arms, and bony horns swept forward from a narrow, skull-like face, eyes burning orange-red in the sockets. Those piercing eyes now fixed on me, as the great Wyrm Ouroboros raised his head, towering over us all, and flashed the most terrifying smile in the world.
“Ember Hill.” His voice was the deep growl of thunder, shaking the earth and reverberating in my bones. “Daughter of the Elder Wyrm. We meet at last.”
My legs were shaking, and my voice had gotten caught somewhere between my heart and my throat. For a moment, I had the crazy, horrifying thought that perhaps Ouroboros had drawn us here, to a forgotten temple in the middle of nowhere, to kill us. Or, more specifically, me, the daughter of his ancient rival, the Elder Wyrm. Perhaps with the thought that disposing of the Elder Wyrm’s blood would somehow aid in Talon’s destruction. Or maybe he just wanted revenge and he couldn’t strike at the leader of Talon directly, so he would kill her daughter instead.
Well, if that’s the case, the joke’s on you. I’m not the favored twin. If you eat me, all you’ll be doing is…
…denying the Elder Wyrm immortality. My blood turned to ice. I was the Elder Wyrm’s vessel, created to house her memories so she could essentially live another thousand years. Was that why Ouroboros had called us here? Did he somehow know of the Elder Wyrm’s ultimate plan to become immortal and want to end it for good?
Ouroboros, I realized, was still watching me, like a king waiting for his slave to lift his face off the floor. I glanced up into the ghoulish, reptilian face and saw amusement in his burning eyes. He knew the effect he was having on us, and was probably reveling in it.
Come on, Ember. You’re the daughter of the Elder Wyrm. Even if he does plan to kill you, don’t let him see you sweat.
I took a furtive breath, raised my head and took one step forward, toward the second-oldest dragon in the world.
“Ouroboros.” I concentrated on keeping my voice calm, collected. Like she would. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
Ouroboros laughed, the deep, booming sound making my heart skip and probably startling every bird for miles into the air. Beside me, Riley flinched, and Garret went for his gun, though I saw him force his hand away from his weapon a moment later. There was nothing we could do against a dragon this size. We would need a missile launcher to even put a dent in his armored scales. This was the king of the realm, the undisputed god of the jungle, and everyone here knew it.
I had to wonder: if Ouroboros was this huge—close to eighty feet from snout to tail, if I had to guess—how big was the Elder Wyrm?
That was a scary thought.
“Ah.” Ouroboros chuckled, shaking his massive head. “It is refreshing to actually talk to someone who will hold a proper conversation,” he stated as his voice sent tremors down my spine. “My subjects—the people you met on the way here—all they do is bow and scrape and press their faces to the dirt. When they do venture past the wall, I can’t even get them to look at me. I was hoping the daughter of the Elder Wyrm and the infamous rogue Cobalt would be less easily cowed.” He glanced at Riley and cocked his head.
There was a split-second hesitation on Riley’s part, as if he, too, had to take a breath to center himself, before his lip curled in a faint smile. “I wouldn’t want to presume,” he said, sounding like his defiant self. “You were having a nice conversation with Ember, and I didn’t want to interrupt. Not certain if the penalty for that kind of thing is death around here.”
Ouroboros snorted, and a smoke cloud the size of a small car went curling away toward the canopy. “So you are exactly as they say,” he mused, sounding pleased. “And I can see why Talon despises you so much. Perhaps you will survive what is coming, after all. But…” His expression darkened, and it was like a wall of clouds dropping over the sun, ominous and terrifying. “Before we go any further, there is one matter I will put to rest, right now.”
Through all of this, Garret hadn’t moved or said anything, and the Wyrm’s attention finally shifted to him. “St. George,” Ouroboros growled, his voice making the ground tremble. “The last I saw of your kind, I was crushing a pair of lance-wielding knights on horses. Now you hunt us with guns and vehicles and modern weapons. I might have separated myself from Talon and the rest of civilization, but I still hear the goings-on of the world. Your Order has brought much death and destruction to dragonkind. You have hunted us relentlessly for centuries, and have done your best to make us extinct.” The Wyrm’s huge body sank into a crouch, talons digging into the stone as he lowered his head, regarding the soldier with glittering red eyes. “Dragons do not forget, St. George,” he rumbled. “Nor do we forgive. I do not see how you thought to come into the lair of a great Wyrm and leave alive.”
My stomach dropped. Garret faced the dragon calmly, no sign of fear on his face, though his expression was resigned. “St. George was wrong,” he said, not moving as those massive jaws shifted closer, wreathing him in smoke. “What we did to your people…” His gaze flickered to me and Riley. “There’s no excuse for the slaughter we caused. But I’m not part of the Order any longer. I’m here because I want the fighting to end.”
Anger flared, and I clenched my fists. Why was Garret’s loyalty in question anymore? Hadn’t he done enough, proven his commitment? He had risked his life on multiple occasions, been threatened, captured, abused and shot in the back by his own Order, all to keep dragons safe. To show St. George that their ancient enemies were not the demons they believed them to be.
Of course, that was before Talon released their mindless dragon army on the Order and nearly destroyed them in one fell swoop. So, they weren’t helping things at all. But a few in the Order were starting to listen. Like Lieutenant Martin. If he could allow a bunch of rogue dragons into his base, then there was hope, after all. Hope for a future without war, where dragons didn’t have to live in fear. Where teenagers weren’t trained as killers and assassins. And where a former soldier of St. George and a dragon could be together without both sides trying to tear them apart or kill them.
Frighteningly, Ouroboros didn’t look impressed or appeased. “I’m afraid that’s not good enough, dragonslayer,” he said, making my heart pound with terror. “Are you telling me a murderer should not be punished just because he is repentant? That remorse will erase all the blood on his hands, all the lives he has taken?”
“No.” Garret’s voice was a whisper, though he quickly composed himself, gazing up at the monstrous dragon looming overhead. “But I can do more good alive than dead. At least until this is over. I know it will never be enough, but I can try to make up for my past.”
“Can you?” The great Wyrm curled a lip, showing a flash of yellow fangs the size of short swords. “You are one human. Your life is but a heartbeat. A flap of a butterfly’s wing. If I destroy you here, squash you like an insect, no one will know. No one will mourn you. One less human in the world will not make any difference.”
“Hey, now.” Riley sounded nervous. “I admit, the guy was a bastard when he worked for St. George, but he’s been pretty useful to us.”
The Wyrm ignored him. With a terrifying smile, he sat up, towering over us. “I’ll make this sporting, St. George,” he said, and nodded back toward the gate, in the direction we came in. “Run. Now. We’ll see how far you can get before my flames catch up to you. And, human, I haven’t had to chase anything for over a hundred years. Do try to make a fight of it, won’t you?”
Garret didn’t move. I saw his gaze flicker to me for the briefest of moments, saw the countless emotions burning in his eyes, before he faced the Wyrm once more. “No,” he said calmly. “I’m not running. I have nothing to hide anymore.”
“Well.” Ouroboros sniffed, sounding faintly peeved. “You’re no fun at all, are you? I guess I’ll have to be content with a quick snack, then. Don’t worry, though, human.” He reared back like a snake, jaws opening to show his fangs and enormous maw. “I’ll make it quick.”
I lunged in front of Garret, feeling my body explode into dragon form as I did. The great Wyrm pulled up in surprise as I spun to face him, spreading my wings in a desperate attempt to shield the soldier from the massive creature before us. I knew nothing I did would help; one swat from Ouroboros would easily kill us both. But I wouldn’t stand there and watch Garret die in front of me.
There was another ripple of energy, and a lithe blue dragon stepped in front of the ancient Wyrm, as well. Stunned, I glanced at Cobalt, but he wasn’t looking at me, his narrowed gold gaze was on the huge dragon overhead.
“This isn’t why we came, Ouroboros,” the rogue said, the tremor in his voice barely noticeable. “And you didn’t call us here just for a snack. What do you really want?”
Ouroboros looked amused. Sitting back, he cocked his head, regarding us with ancient red eyes. “Well,” he rumbled. “I suppose that answers my question. The girl’s actions are not terribly unexpected, now that I have met her, but I will admit, Cobalt, you’ve surprised me today. Considering how long you’ve fought against St. George, I would have thought watching one of your enemies crushed in front of you would be gratifying.”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong.” Cobalt’s voice was light, but his body was still a tense, coiled wire between the Wyrm and us. “It was mostly for a certain red hatchling who has a tendency to leap in front of the lunging dragon before she looks.” He shot me an exasperated glance before turning to Ouroboros again. “But I don’t risk my hide for just any human. The soldier has fought Talon and St. George with us, and in this day and age I’ll take all the allies I can find.”
The great Wyrm nodded. “Excellent,” he said, confusing the hell out of all of us. “That’s what I wanted to find out.
“I wanted to test how far you would go to help each other,” Ouroboros explained. “Two dragons and a soldier of St. George might not be enemies, but it is hard to believe they are allies, even harder to believe they are friends. I wished to see if you were truly a team who thought and acted together, or a random group of strangers simply thrown together by circumstance. If it was the latter, I would be wasting my time here. Because I doubt you would survive what is to come.”
“Then…you weren’t really going to kill him?” I asked, relieved that my voice was working and not frozen in terror at the back of my throat.
“Oh, I definitely would have killed him,” Ouroboros said. “Had you not moved to defend the soldier, he would be nothing but a dissolving lump in my stomach right now.” He paused, running a tongue along his teeth. “Mmm, it has been a long time since I’ve eaten a mortal,” he mused in a longing voice. “Perhaps I should start demanding sacrifices again.”
I shuddered, and beside me, Cobalt curled a lip. Ouroboros didn’t seem to notice. “You want to strike a blow against Talon,” he continued. “But guts and determination alone do not win wars. If you are going to fight the organization, you’ll need soldiers, allies to assist in the struggle. I can help with both.”
“How?” Cobalt asked. “Will you be joining us?”
My heart beat faster at the thought. If we had a Wyrm like this on our side, the second-oldest dragon in the world, we might have a chance of bringing Talon down for good.
But Ouroboros snorted. “It has been over three hundred years since I have spoken to any of my kind, and in that three hundred years, Talon and the Elder Wyrm have finally forgotten that I exist. Or, at the very least, they have concluded that I am dead. If I returned with you, I would be letting all of Talon know that I am very much alive, and the Elder Wyrm will not stand for that sort of competition.”
“But…you’re a Wyrm,” I protested. “You could help us win this war. Countless dragons are being used and destroyed by Talon. How can you sit back and do nothing?”
“Nothing?” The Wyrm’s voice held the hint of a growl, warning me to watch myself in the lair of a god. “I am doing something, hatchling,” he went on. “I have called you here. Because an opportunity has arisen, and I see a chance to strike at the Elder Wyrm and Talon. But the future is hazy, and Talon is on the move. It is not yet time for me to reveal myself. Especially as I am unsure that you will survive this war, or indeed the next encounter.
“I called you here,” Ouroboros continued, “because I have information that may be helpful to your cause. I think you, in particular, will find this very interesting, ex-Agent Cobalt. As you stated earlier, a war is coming. You cannot take on an organization as large as Talon with a ragtag group of hatchlings and rogues. You’re going to need allies willing to fight the organization, and you have very few at the moment.”
You could still help us, I thought stubbornly, though I knew better than to say it out loud. Best not to annoy the giant Wyrm that could flick you over the wall like a bug. Still, it was infuriating. We’d come all this way, leaving behind friends and those still in danger from Talon, to meet with the world’s most legendary rogue. Only to have him say he couldn’t be bothered to fight Talon with us.
I felt my spines bristle. Cobalt gave me a warning look, as if he knew what I was thinking, and turned to face the Wyrm again.
“I take it you happen to know where we can find a few,” he said.
Ouroboros chuckled. “Oh, you could say that. The dragons there are quite unhappy with the organization, and some of them have been there for a very long time. They would be more than eager to join the fight against Talon, I would think. If you can get to them.”
I looked at Cobalt, saw him frown slightly as he pondered what the Wyrm was saying, then draw in a slow breath as he figured it out.
“The facilities,” he breathed, staring at Ouroboros. “You know where Talon is keeping the breeder dragons.”
My stomach twisted. There was so much hope and longing in Cobalt’s voice, even after all this time. After years of searching, countless traps, false leads, betrayals, failures and disappointments, he still held out hope that, one day, he would find the place Talon kept their breeder females and rescue them all. It was one of his life goals, probably the biggest one, the white rabbit he kept chasing no matter how many dark holes it led him down. Maybe this time, Ouroboros would give Riley what he desperately wanted. But I couldn’t help but be skeptical. The last time we’d followed a lead to where the facilities were supposedly located, it had been a clever trap that had nearly killed us all.
“Yes,” Ouroboros said. “I do.”