“Surface injuries. Just a graze, as I said before.” The words were flat. Not harsh or rude, just impassive. It made my insides hurt, hearing him talk like that. Like we were strangers again. “I should go,” he went on, before I could ask the million questions floating around my brain. “If you’re looking for Riley,” he added, pointing behind me, “he and Wes are in the room down the hall. I’ll talk to you later this evening.”

“Why did you come back?” He stiffened, and I changed tactics before he could shut down completely. “You mentioned something happened. That you found something in England, something big. What’s going on?”

“I’ll explain everything tonight, when everyone has had a chance to rest. It’s something everyone should hear together.” He stepped back, eyes shadowed, and gave me a polite nod. “I have things I need to check on,” he stated, though he wasn’t looking at me anymore. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“Garret.”

He stopped with his back to me, and didn’t turn around. Biting my lip, I took a few steps toward him, gazing at the line of his broad shoulders. “Is this how it’s going to be with us?” I asked. “Like we never knew each other at all?”

“I don’t know.” Now his voice sounded flat. He turned, metallic-gray eyes accusing and sorrowful, making my insides curl. “I didn’t think I’d see you again. For a while, I wondered if I’d made the right choice, but it looks like I have my answer. It didn’t take long for you to make your decision.”

“You’re the one who left,” I reminded him hotly. “You didn’t have to go.”

“You didn’t ask me to stay.”

We stared at each other, a thousand emotions simmering below the surface. My thoughts and feelings were a tangled mess, woven around each other until it was impossible to separate them. Garret stood there, wounded and beautiful, the shadow of the boy staring out through the soldier’s mask, and guilt settled in my stomach like a lead ball.

The squeak of a door opening interrupted us. My heart sank, even as a rush of heat across my skin told me who had stepped into the corridor. For a second, Riley paused, observing Garret and me in the hall, before striding forward.

“Hey.” His voice was perfectly civil; there was no echo of a growl in his tone or evil glint in his eye as he stepped up. But I could feel the tension lining his shoulders, the subtle heat radiating from his skin. As if Cobalt lurked just below the surface and was a breath away from coming out and snarling in Garret’s face. He flicked a glance at the soldier, his gaze cool and unruffled and somehow still a threat, before turning to me. “I didn’t know you were awake, Firebrand,” he said, and one hand rose to brush my cheek, light and caressing. Warmth flooded my skin, as Riley gave me a tentative, crooked smile. “Everything okay?”

No. Everything was not okay. I could feel them both gazing at me. I could feel Riley’s protectiveness and Garret’s torment pulling at me, tearing me in half. It was too much. I had to get away from them both.

“I need some air,” I said, and lurched away from them, backing down the corridor. Both started after me, concerned, and I pointed at them in warning. “Don’t!” I said, almost a snarl. “I’m fine. I just...have to think. Alone. Both of you stay right there.”

And before they could say anything else, I turned and fled down the hall through the first exit I could find, and out into the sun.

RILEY

I watched Ember leave, nearly tripping over herself to get away from me, and was torn between going after her and risking the hellfire sure to be spat in my direction, or turning around, grabbing the soldier and smashing his head through the wall.

“Okay.” I breathed deep, opting for the less violent approach, and shoved Cobalt down. Enough was enough. I could either be a bastard to the human and drive him off for good, or I could accept that something was happening that was bigger than all of us, and having a former soldier of St. George backing us up wasn’t a bad idea. “I think we’re gonna have to have a talk, St. George.”

“It’s not necessary.” The soldier’s voice was flat. “If this is about Ember—”

“No.” I narrowed my gaze. “It’s not about Ember. I don’t have a problem with you being here—let’s get that out of the way right now.” He blinked in surprise, probably wondering why I wasn’t in dragon form already, snarling at him to back off. I twisted my lips in a smirk. “I’m actually a pretty reasonable guy, most of the time.”