Lexi and Calvin were pretty cool for humans, despite Calvin’s promise that he would teach Ember to surf when she asked about it. And Lexi talked...a lot. Even more than Ember, which was saying something.

And then, I saw him.

We were hanging out at the Smoothie Hut, a place that sold what our teachers referred to as “junk food,” when a weird shiver went up my spine. I turned from Calvin and gazed at the parking lot, just as a guy pulled up on a motorcycle and stared at us for a few seconds. He wore a leather jacket, and his black hair was messy and windblown. He met my stare, and one corner of his mouth curled up in a smirk, even as his eyes glinted yellow. Definitely not human.

Another dragon.

A rogue.

I didn’t know how I knew he was a rogue. Maybe because no dragon from Talon would randomly show up in a place where there were already two hatchlings. Maybe it was his eyes, gleaming and dangerous, or that defiant smirk that said he knew exactly what we were...and pitied us for it.

“Gorgeous Biker Boy.” Lexi sighed in response to something Ember said.

I felt a kick to my shins from below and jumped. Ember was giving me a worried look, and I realized that I’d been staring back at the rogue, the echo of a growl rumbling in my chest.

What are you doing, Dante? Get ahold of yourself.

Quickly, I excused the both of us, saying that our guardians wanted us home early tonight. I expected Ember to protest, but she only nodded and followed me back down the beach. When we were out of sight of the two humans, however, she jogged up and lightly smacked my arm.

“Hey,” she demanded. “What’s with you? You nearly went psychopathic lizard on me, right in front of two very normal humans. What’s the deal?”

“I know,” I rasped. “I’m sorry. It’s just...” I raked a hand through my hair, still keyed up. “Do you know what that was, in the parking lot just now?”

“You mean the other dragon? Yeah, I kinda noticed.”

“Ember.” I gave her a solemn look, willing her to understand. “That wasn’t anyone from Talon. That was a rogue. I’d bet my life on it.”

She blinked at me. I saw nervousness and alarm cross her face at the realization, but also something that raised the hairs on my neck. Curiosity. And...anticipation. The rogue intrigued her. And that, more than anything, made me realize I had to act. Before my twin did something unforgivable, something Talon could not overlook, and ruined the future for us both.

* * *