A car suddenly streaked around a corner and skidded to a halt a few feet away. Mist sprang forward, wrenched open the door and motioned us inside. Still holding Ember, I pulled her into the backseat, the soldier right behind us, as Mist slammed the door and lunged into the front. I held my breath, waiting for gunshots, for a snarling Viper to land on the windshield and fill the car with fire. But nothing happened except the tires squealing as the car tore across the lot, through the open security gate and into the city streets.

* * *

Holy shit. We’d escaped. We’d actually escaped from Talon.

Cobalt, you are the officially luckiest son of a bitch in the history of SOBs. Wait until Wes finds out; this will go down in dragon history. If Talon doesn’t kill you in the next five minutes. I looked down at my “hostage” and winced. Or Ember. Or St. George for that matter.

“Um, Riley?” Ember’s voice, though not exactly furious, was not happy. “Are you going to let me go soon?”

“Sorry, Firebrand.” I eased the gun away from her throat, but didn’t loosen my grip around her. “Not yet. Not until I’m positive we’re clear of Talon. I wouldn’t put it past the Elder Wyrm to be keeping tabs on us right now, trying to see where we go. Once we’re out of the city and I’m sure Talon isn’t following us, we can drop the farce. And you can punch me out then, if you like.”

She sighed. “No,” she muttered, finally relaxing against me. “Once I got past the shock and the ‘what the hell are you doing,’ I realized you were trying to save us. We wouldn’t have made it out if you hadn’t done that. Though you did freak me out for a second there, Riley.” A shiver went through her, making my stomach twist. “You sounded entirely serious. I almost believed you.”

I closed my eyes. “I would have never done it, Firebrand,” I whispered. “That whole time, I was terrified Luther would call my bluff. I had to make it sound as convincing as I could, because there was no way I could even think about pulling that trigger.”

“I know,” Ember murmured back. “And I knew, deep down, that you wouldn’t. Even...even if I am the Elder Wyrm’s vessel, and she just wants me to extend her own life. And it might’ve been better for everyone if you did.” She gave another violent shudder before taking a deep breath, seeming to brush it off. “But we’re out,” she breathed. “We made it out, all of us. Your stupid bluff actually worked, and that’s why I’m not going to punch you in the face when we get out of this.”

“I might,” said the soldier in a low voice.