We sprinted for the doors, but before we were halfway across the floor, Dante’s voice cracked like a whip in the silence.

“Ember! Stop!”

I looked back, and my heart sank.

The lobby behind us was full of dragons. Not just a dozen or so; a massive flood of iron-gray clones crept from the shadows along the walls, hissing as they came into the light. They slithered over the tables and sofas, leaped atop the welcome desk on the back wall, crowded forward in a mass of scales, wings and teeth. More identical humans appeared on the balcony overhead, raised their assault rifles and pointed them down at us. Standing between them, glaring down at us in triumph, was Dante.

We hit the front doors, Ember slamming her body into them with a crash, but they held. I reached them and drove my foot into the barrier between us and freedom, but they didn’t even shake. Sealed, I realized, staring at the thick metal barriers in dismay. Nothing short of an explosive or a speeding dump truck was getting through them tonight.

I slumped and slowly turned to face the army at our backs. End of the line, Riley. I was wounded, St. George was out of ammo and we were backed into a corner with a sea of dragons closing in from all sides. Wes, I thought, I’m glad you’re not here. Sorry to bail on you like this, but take care of my underground for me.

I took a deep breath, glanced at St. George and smirked. “You take the hundred on the left, I take the hundred on the right?”

He gave me the grim smile of someone who was prepared to go down fighting. “Meet you on the other side.”

“No!” Ember cried, her voice ringing through the lobby, and lunged forward.

Chapter 16: EMBER

EMBER

I stepped forward, putting myself between the clones, Garret and Riley. Instantly, the dragons tensed, muscles coiling to spring at me. Ignoring them, I raised my head, seeking the lone figure on the balcony.

“Call them off, Dante! Tell them to stand down. I want to talk to you!”

“Hold,” Dante barked, his voice barely audible over the hissing of the clones. They froze immediately, becoming as still and silent as rocks. But they were still just a lunge away from us, a chilling, unmoving wave, blank eyes glittering in the darkness. I took a deep breath and stepped forward, glaring up at my twin. “I have a proposal for you.”

“Ember.” Garret’s voice echoed at my back, soft and wary, making my stomach tighten. He could guess what I was about to do. “Don’t.”