“But,” Martin went on with a sigh, “you were also the one who discovered the truth. You brought this conspiracy to light, you and your dragons. And regardless of what St. George believes, you risked much to bring it to the Order’s attention. I will not forgive what you’ve done, but it would be foolish of me not to hear you out.” His voice turned cold and hard, and his eyes glinted as he spared the girl beside me a glare of loathing. “Even if I must sit down to dinner with a demon.”

Ember’s lips thinned, but she didn’t say anything. She knew nothing she said would change Martin’s disposition toward her. She was a dragon, and so, in his eyes, she was a monster. But he didn’t know her at all. He’d never seen her bravery, her kindness and determination. He’d never seen her risk her life for someone, be it human or dragon, because all life was precious to her. He didn’t know how much she hated the endless fighting and killing and longed for the day when the war would be over. Even with Ember sitting right across from him, all he saw was a dragon.

But he was still here, talking to us. Sitting across from his sworn enemy and having a conversation, instead of trying to slaughter it outright. It was a start, I thought. We wouldn’t be able to end the war overnight, but at least it was a step in the right direction.

“So.” Martin folded his hands before him again. “Talk, Sebastian. You risked contact with St. Anthony for a reason. I assume it was for something important.” His expression darkened. “Though, I will warn you both, I’m not sure what you think the Order can do, now that that the Patriarch is gone.”

“Why?” asked Ember, the first thing she’d said since meeting Martin. He gave her a hard look, but answered calmly.

“When Sebastian exposed the Patriarch’s involvement with Talon, it threw the Order into chaos. His death has fractured it even more. There is a divide within St. George, between those who accept that the Patriarch was working with the dragons, and those who believe he was set up. Chapterhouses have called their soldiers back and are operating independently from each other. Everyone is outraged, but no one knows what to do or who to trust.” Martin’s gaze narrowed. “It’s quite the mess you left us, Sebastian,” he said. “So I hope that, whatever news you’re about to tell me, you don’t expect the Order to respond in haste. Or at all.”

Ember released a slow breath. “Talon was expecting this,” she said, her voice full of quiet horror. “They were probably planning to expose the Patriarch themselves, and we just hurried things along.”