“Yeah, no shit.” Riley sighed, sounding angry and weary all at once. “I guess you know by now that Faith is a Viper,” he continued, sounding like he really didn’t want to know the answer.

“Yes,” I answered simply.

“Is she…?”

“She’s dead,” I replied, making him sigh again.

“I figured. Fucking Talon.” The pain in his voice surprised me. “They were just kids. Sending Vipers after us is one thing, but they weren’t even juveniles yet. Dammit.” There was a muffled thud, as if he’d slammed his fist into something. “Sending dragons to kill dragons. It makes no sense.”

“Where are you?” I asked.

“Heading your way now. Old rail yard, right? I was there when Mist gave you that false information.” Riley paused, then asked in a quieter voice, “How is she?”

Of course, he could mean only one person. “She sustained a few surface injuries when she was fighting the Viper,” I answered, making him mutter another curse. “The wounds themselves don’t look too deep, but the edges are burned fairly severely. Third-degree if I had to guess.” I stifled a wince, knowing from personal experience just how painful third-degree burns were. Though I continued to hear myself speak with clinical detachment. “Other than that, from what I can tell, her injuries are minor.”

“Dammit, Ember,” Riley growled. “Taking on a Viper yourself, you idiot hatchling. Where is Faith now?” he went on, sounding faintly hesitant now. “Did Ember…kill her?”

“No. I did.”

“Good.” He hesitated again, longer this time, as if struggling to make himself speak. “Look, let’s make one thing clear,” he finally muttered. “I don’t like you. I think you’re a murdering bastard, and the fact that you’ve recently had a change of heart doesn’t erase all the blood on your hands, and it never will. I also think you’re an idiot for believing Ember would ever choose a human over her own kind. She’s a dragon, and even if she hasn’t figured it out yet, dragons and humans don’t belong together. You should know that, St. George. And if you truly care for her, you’ll let her be with her own kind. For both your sakes.

“But,” he went on, as my insides twisted painfully at his words, “I know what Talon is capable of. I know what the Vipers are capable of, even their hatchlings. Ember might be too softhearted to destroy one of her own, but I know that Faith wouldn’t have hesitated to kill her. If you put that Viper down, much as I hate you for it, then you probably saved Ember’s life. And for that…” He sighed. “You’re not as much of a bastard as I thought.”

“Thanks,” I said drily, knowing that was the closest to gratitude I’d ever get from the rogue.