Soldier
Page 52
She blew out a ragged breath. “I can’t do what you do, Cobalt,” she whispered back. “I don’t know the first thing about your network or how to keep it going, but...I’ll try. I’ll do my best to keep everyone safe and away from Talon and the Order, but you have to promise you’ll keep fighting, too. Don’t you dare give up and die on me. I think I would kill Wes before the day was out.”
I chuckled. “Fair enough.” Though that reminded me, I needed to call my surly human friend soon, make sure he’d gotten out okay. I knew Wes; when I gave the order to clear out, he cleared out. No use in both of us dying, and there was nothing he could do against an army with guns. Though he would be insufferable after this; I would have to endure a few thousand I told you sos for the next month at least. Right now, he was probably having a nervous breakdown. Hopefully where we were going had a phone, and a place for me to Shift so I could use it.
“Good.” Ember sniffed, curled into a ball and laid her head on her tail. “Just remember that.”
Smiling, I pressed closer, laying my neck against hers, feeling the rise and fall of her breath. As her tail curled with mine, my gaze went to the soldier, still sitting against the wall. He wasn’t looking at us, gazing at the door of the container, but I curled a lip at him, anyway, baring fangs in a silent warning.
Ember is mine, St. George. You can’t have her. This time, I’ll fight if I have to.
* * *
The truck finally pulled off the highway, took several measured turns and slowed even more as the tires left pavement and crunched over gravel. We rumbled and bounced along what felt like a winding mountain road for several miles, making Ember growl and dig her claws into my tail, before the truck finally shuddered to a halt.
St. George rose, his posture tense, and we followed his example, Ember letting out a small hiss as she pushed herself upright. Footsteps crunched outside and then the door creaked partway open, letting in a rush of cool night air.
A young Chinese woman peered through the opening, dark eyes solemn as they fell on Ember and me, then sought the soldier by the door. “I’ve talked to my people here,” she told the human as, with a jolt, I realized what she was. “They’re expecting us.”
“Holy hell,” I said, as both of them turned to stare at me. “Where did you find an Eastern dragon, St. George?”
“London,” the human replied, a faint smile cracking his stoic expression. “And you have it backward. She found me.” He nodded to the Asian woman, who regarded me coolly over the opening. “This is Jade. She’s agreed to help us, if we can aid her in return.”
“Oh?” I smirked, staring the Eastern dragon down. “Has something finally happened, then? Is St. George banging your doors down now? Because that’s the only reason I can think of for you to come begging for our help. I guess closing your eyes and pretending the war doesn’t exist isn’t working anymore.”
The soldier blinked at me, surprised, but Jade’s mouth twisted in a bitter smile. “I see our Western cousins’ reputation for rudeness is well-founded,” she replied.
“At least we stand and fight,” I returned. “Not hide in temples and pretend nothing is wrong, that the war won’t ever touch us.”
“It was not our war.” Jade slitted her eyes, and I saw the glimmer of pale green shine through for half a second. “We wanted nothing to do with your Western ways—the violence, the killing, the constant scrabble for power. All we desired was a peaceful existence, a simple life, the way we have lived for centuries.”
“Yeah? And where did that get you?”
“Stop it.” The soldier’s voice interrupted us, quiet but steely. I looked at him in surprise. “We are not enemies,” he went on. “We’re on the same side, and there’s no time for this. Things are happening that we need to discuss, but first we need everyone healthy again. Standing here arguing about the past is not going to help.”
“Also,” a tight, impatient voice at my back chimed in, “I’m going to start biting things if I don’t get this bullet out soon.”
The human’s expression clouded with worry, but he turned back to the Eastern dragon. “Jade, you said your people are expecting us. Does that mean that they know about...?” He gestured to Ember and me.
“Yes.” Jade gave a somber nod. She opened the door farther, revealing a large rectangular building behind her. Wooden pillars lined the veranda, and the roof was tiled in red, giving the structure a distinctly Asian feel. “We are at the Zheng Ji temple,” Jade went on. “It’s safe for our kind here—there are no visitors or outsiders allowed. The monks who run this temple are aware of our existence and are sworn to secrecy. We can trust them.” Her acidic gaze flicked to me again. “So try not to singe or snap at them when they attempt to help you. They’re not used to dealing with barbarians.”
I chuckled. “Fair enough.” Though that reminded me, I needed to call my surly human friend soon, make sure he’d gotten out okay. I knew Wes; when I gave the order to clear out, he cleared out. No use in both of us dying, and there was nothing he could do against an army with guns. Though he would be insufferable after this; I would have to endure a few thousand I told you sos for the next month at least. Right now, he was probably having a nervous breakdown. Hopefully where we were going had a phone, and a place for me to Shift so I could use it.
“Good.” Ember sniffed, curled into a ball and laid her head on her tail. “Just remember that.”
Smiling, I pressed closer, laying my neck against hers, feeling the rise and fall of her breath. As her tail curled with mine, my gaze went to the soldier, still sitting against the wall. He wasn’t looking at us, gazing at the door of the container, but I curled a lip at him, anyway, baring fangs in a silent warning.
Ember is mine, St. George. You can’t have her. This time, I’ll fight if I have to.
* * *
The truck finally pulled off the highway, took several measured turns and slowed even more as the tires left pavement and crunched over gravel. We rumbled and bounced along what felt like a winding mountain road for several miles, making Ember growl and dig her claws into my tail, before the truck finally shuddered to a halt.
St. George rose, his posture tense, and we followed his example, Ember letting out a small hiss as she pushed herself upright. Footsteps crunched outside and then the door creaked partway open, letting in a rush of cool night air.
A young Chinese woman peered through the opening, dark eyes solemn as they fell on Ember and me, then sought the soldier by the door. “I’ve talked to my people here,” she told the human as, with a jolt, I realized what she was. “They’re expecting us.”
“Holy hell,” I said, as both of them turned to stare at me. “Where did you find an Eastern dragon, St. George?”
“London,” the human replied, a faint smile cracking his stoic expression. “And you have it backward. She found me.” He nodded to the Asian woman, who regarded me coolly over the opening. “This is Jade. She’s agreed to help us, if we can aid her in return.”
“Oh?” I smirked, staring the Eastern dragon down. “Has something finally happened, then? Is St. George banging your doors down now? Because that’s the only reason I can think of for you to come begging for our help. I guess closing your eyes and pretending the war doesn’t exist isn’t working anymore.”
The soldier blinked at me, surprised, but Jade’s mouth twisted in a bitter smile. “I see our Western cousins’ reputation for rudeness is well-founded,” she replied.
“At least we stand and fight,” I returned. “Not hide in temples and pretend nothing is wrong, that the war won’t ever touch us.”
“It was not our war.” Jade slitted her eyes, and I saw the glimmer of pale green shine through for half a second. “We wanted nothing to do with your Western ways—the violence, the killing, the constant scrabble for power. All we desired was a peaceful existence, a simple life, the way we have lived for centuries.”
“Yeah? And where did that get you?”
“Stop it.” The soldier’s voice interrupted us, quiet but steely. I looked at him in surprise. “We are not enemies,” he went on. “We’re on the same side, and there’s no time for this. Things are happening that we need to discuss, but first we need everyone healthy again. Standing here arguing about the past is not going to help.”
“Also,” a tight, impatient voice at my back chimed in, “I’m going to start biting things if I don’t get this bullet out soon.”
The human’s expression clouded with worry, but he turned back to the Eastern dragon. “Jade, you said your people are expecting us. Does that mean that they know about...?” He gestured to Ember and me.
“Yes.” Jade gave a somber nod. She opened the door farther, revealing a large rectangular building behind her. Wooden pillars lined the veranda, and the roof was tiled in red, giving the structure a distinctly Asian feel. “We are at the Zheng Ji temple,” Jade went on. “It’s safe for our kind here—there are no visitors or outsiders allowed. The monks who run this temple are aware of our existence and are sworn to secrecy. We can trust them.” Her acidic gaze flicked to me again. “So try not to singe or snap at them when they attempt to help you. They’re not used to dealing with barbarians.”
