Page 52 of Consumed By Fire

“I’m sorry, Octane.” She gets up onto her elbow, her big eyes on me. They’re filled with sympathy. “That had to be tough. You had to grow up far too young.”

“It was hard on all of us. My mother never fully recovered. She became ill three years later and died. She was never the same. You see, Trinity…I blamed the Reds for the death of both my parents. I hated your kind. I blamed you all for both of their deaths.”

“I’m sure you did. I would have done the same.”

“It was just the two of us. Jed and me. I can’t believe how well he turned out. Especially considering how bitter and twisted I was. How angry I was all the time. I was wrong. I know that now.”

“You are a good male, Octane. You suffered a great loss at an early age and had to take on a huge responsibility…but you are ultimately sweet and kind and loyal and funny. Yes, you’re angry; that’s to be expected. But your heart is ultimately kind, and your brother would have felt that. I’m sure he is grateful to you. I’m not surprised by how great he turned out, given who he looks up to.” She puts a soft hand on my chest, which tightens a little inside at her comments. I value the woman’s opinion. “Is Jed a frontline dragon? Did he also take on the fight?”

I shake my head. “My brother chose a different kind of fight. He works at the hospital and is studying to become a doctor. We have many humans on the island, and every now and then, a dragon needs medical intervention. He will qualify this year. I am very proud of him.” I feel warm inside just thinking about Jed. I warm some more when I look at Trinity.

“I’m going to tell you how Titan and the others are getting onto the island. You need to promise that you will never use this knowledge to hurt my people. Can you do that?” Her gaze is unwavering.

16

Trinity

What am I doing?

No!

I can’t tell him. It would be wrong. Then again, if we are to stop the fighting, someone needs to know and put a stop to it. Enough people have died. There is no one better than Octane. He will do the right thing with the information. I know he will!

Octane sits up.

I do, too.

He takes my hands in his. “You can trust me…I swear it.”

I nod once. “I know, and I do. It’s not you I’m worried about. I’m worried that the information might get into the wrong hands.”

“It won’t. I promise.” He squeezes and lets me go.

“Okay…here goes…” I clear my throat. “There is a tunnel that leads from our island to yours.”

His mouth falls open. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am. Our late king started the project many years ago; I’m talking as much as thirty years back. Our people worked at it for many years, digging away and slowly making progress.”

“Thirty years, and we never caught wind?”

“Why would you? You said it yourself: our kind never mingle. Draigers do not take prisoners. How would you have found out?”

He shrugs. “I guess you are right. I take it that they were successful. If so, why haven’t we been overrun yet?”

“About ten years ago, our late king passed away, and his son took the throne. Arctic has a different vision from that of his father. He put a stop to the project, which was aimed at gaining access to Draig Island and killing off your kind in the dead of the night while you slept, then taking control of the island. The plan was to sever all contact with the humans. To be free.”

“Why did he put a stop to it?”

“Arctic is a good king. He is a good male. He hates the war. His focus is to put a stop to the violence. He is certain he can do that by working with the humans. By accepting female Tributes and bringing hope back to our kind.”

“I thought that they were just rumors. Talk that was more than likely false.” He narrows his eyes.

I feel my cheeks heat. “I lied about that. It was not just talk. It looks like it is going to happen. I shouldn’t have told you so much. I tried to cover it up, so I lied. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay…I get it. I lied about taking your baby. We both did what we thought we needed to do. This is of great concern, Trinity.” He scratches his chin, the stubble catching against his fingers. “Why have we not heard of Mistveil’s contact with the humans? Why have we not heard of your king’s wish for peace?”

“It seems to me that the humans are pitting us against each other.”