We walked across the parking lot together and ducked into the restaurant. Inside, the hostess smiled brightly as we approached, not noticing the way we both scanned the room, searching for enemies.

“Good evening,” she greeted us as we stepped up to the podium. “Two?”

I shook my head. “We’re supposed to be meeting someone here,” I told her. “St. Anthony?”

“Ah, yes. He told us you were coming. Right this way, please.”

She led us to a corner booth, gesturing to the seats with a bright, “Enjoy your meal,” before walking away. I continued to stand, feeling Ember go rigid beside me. For the man in the booth, gazing calmly up at us with his hands folded on the table, was not Tristan.

“Hello, Sebastian,” Lieutenant Gabriel Martin said, and indicated the seat across from him. “Please, sit down.”

I didn’t. I tensed and quickly glanced around the room for anyone who could be a soldier of St. George. Lieutenant Martin sighed.

“Relax, Sebastian. I’m alone. There’s no one here but me, and no one in the Order knows where I’ve gone. Now, please...” He gestured to the booth again, giving me a tight smile. “Sit down. You and your dragon are in no danger, at least not today.”

Warily, we did as he asked, sliding into the seat across from him. “Where’s Tristan?” I asked, and his face darkened.

“Back at the barracks. He won’t be joining us.” Martin paused as a waitress arrived to take our drink order. After she left, he took a sip of his water and continued in a grim voice. “Sebastian, you should know that after the incident with the Patriarch, St. Anthony was taken into custody. He admitted to meeting with you outside of St. George and to conspiring against the Patriarch, both treasonous offenses as I’m sure you know. There were some in the Order who called for his execution for the part he played in aiding you that night.”

My stomach dropped. I knew Tristan had taken a huge risk in helping us, that St. George could see him as a coconspirator of the whole event. I’d hoped his actions would be overlooked in the general chaos; the last thing I’d wanted was for my former partner to be punished, too.

“Fortunately,” Martin went on, “or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, the Order is in a bit of upheaval at the moment. With all the disorder and confusion, no one has gotten around to organizing a trial. Or, at least, they have bigger issues to worry about. And I have no intention of reminding them anytime soon.