“They were going to see a Broadway musical, West Side Story, and were struck by a drunk driver on the way home,” Ember continued in that same bored monotone. “My brother and I went to live with our grandparents, until Grandpa Bill developed lung cancer and could no longer take care of us.” She kept talking, but her gaze strayed out the window again, at the ocean just beyond the glass. I knew it was killing her, being this close, yet not able to touch it.

Hang in there, sis. We’re almost there.

“Dante.” Mr. Ramsey’s attention shifted to me, as I’d known it would. “What is your real objective while in Crescent Beach?”

I pulled the buds out of my ear and hit Pause on my iPhone to give the human my full attention. Ember might be so distracted that she could barely think, but I hadn’t forgotten the real reason we were here. “Observe and blend in,” I answered calmly. “Learn how to engage with humans, how to be human. Assimilate into their social structure and make them believe we are one of them.”

Ember rolled her eyes, mocking my perfect dedication as she usually did. I gave a small shrug. I didn’t mind; one of us had to keep us grounded.

The rest of the ride passed in silence, and we were soon pulling into a small subdivision of neat white villas and tidy yards. I watched the houses roll by, seeing the many humans walking, jogging or riding their bikes down the sidewalk. They looked so...carefree, I thought. Carefree and ignorant. Completely unaware that two dragons were watching them from the backseat of a car.

Ember was going to love it here.

We pulled into the driveway of one of the many villas along the road, and after a brief introduction to our guardians, Mr. Ramsey left, and our appointed “aunt” showed us to our rooms.

After closing the door, I set my suitcase on the bed and gazed around, taking everything in. This was it. Assimilation had officially begun. From here on out, everything I’d learned, all my training, would come into play. When Talon called for me at the end of the summer, I would be ready for whatever they required of me.

If I could keep my reckless, impulsive twin from doing anything crazy.

Easier said than done, Dante.

Quickly, I changed, then headed toward Ember’s room, knowing she would be leaving the house as soon as she could. I hadn’t even knocked on her door when it swung open and my twin slammed into me from the other side.