“That was quick,” Riley muttered behind us.
Tristan ignored him. “In two days time, the Patriarch will be traveling to the States to meet with the various chapterhouses and leaders of St. George,” he said, making me straighten. “He’ll be here in a week, but he’s holding an assembly with all the officers, council members and chapter heads as soon as he lands in Salt Lake City. Every high-ranking official in St. George will be at that meeting. If you want to reveal evidence that the Patriarch is allying with Talon, you’d certainly have everyone’s attention.”
“Oh, that’s a great idea,” Riley said, shoving himself off the bleachers. “An entire room filled with the high muckety-mucks of St. George, not to mention the Grand Poobah himself. I’m sure they’re going to let two dragons and a known traitor waltz right in and accuse the Patriarch of treason. And I’m sure I’m going to be strolling merrily into a building full of St. George soldiers with itchy trigger fingers.” He stopped at the bottom seat to glare at Tristan, arms crossed and a smirk twisting his mouth. “I’d accuse you of leading us into a trap if it wasn’t so blatantly obvious. How the hell do you expect to get us in there, anyway?”
“I don’t,” Tristan said flatly. “I’m not taking two lizards anywhere near that building—that would be suicide, for me as well as you.” He glanced at me, brows drawn together. “I’m taking Garret, but he has to come alone.”
“Garret’s a traitor to the Order,” Ember broke in, sounding worried. “They know who he is. He won’t get any farther than us if someone recognizes him.”
“I’m counting on it,” Tristan muttered, still looking at me. I suddenly realized what he was getting at, and my insides went cold. He smiled grimly. “The only way for you to get close to the Patriarch,” Tristan went on, “is as a prisoner. You won’t get anywhere near him otherwise—he’s too well guarded. But, like your lizard said, they know who you are. We can use that to our advantage. You turned yourself in to me, and I’m presenting you to the Patriarch and the rest of the council for judgment. Once we get inside, I’ll release you, and you can show the evidence to everyone.”
“What?” Ember exclaimed, as Riley barked a mocking laugh. “Are you crazy?”
“Possibly,” Tristan said with a humorless smile. “But I can’t think of another way to do this. If you want that evidence to reach the Order, Garret, you’re going to have to trust me.”
“Trust you,” Riley sneered. “Trust you to take your most-wanted criminal and the proof of the Patriarch’s involvement with Talon into the heart of enemy territory as your hostage with no way for us to reach him if things go south? While we’re at it, why don’t we tie a pretty bow around his neck and send him in with a card, as well?”
“Look, dragon,” Tristan spat, curling a lip in Riley’s direction. “I don’t like you any more than you like me. I’d rather stand back and put a sniper round between your eyes than sit here talking with you.” He paled a bit, and ran a hand over his scalp. “Shit, if anyone knew what I was doing right now,” he breathed, shaking his head, “I’d be executed faster than you could say ‘treason.’”
I felt a stab of guilt for dragging Tristan into this. Just by coming here, talking to us, he was risking everything. Even if we reached the Patriarch and convinced St. George of the man’s betrayal, Tristan wouldn’t be off the hook. He’d still met with me, a traitor of the Order. He’d still conspired against St. George. His future, his very life, would be on the line.
Unless he turned me in.
“But if you want to expose the Patriarch,” Tristan went on, unaware of my thoughts, “and break St. George away from Talon, this is the only way. The Patriarch only comes to the States once a year at most. There won’t be another meeting like this for a long time. If you want to walk into St. George, accuse the Patriarch of conspiracy with Talon and have the barest hope of being heard without getting shot the instant you open your mouth, this is your best chance.”
“And then what?” Ember demanded. “Even if you do convince everyone that the Patriarch is working with Talon, what happens after that? They’re not just going to let Garret walk away.”
“I’ll take care of that,” Tristan said. “I’ll get him out again, I promise.”
“Not that I don’t trust you, St. George,” Riley said, the hint of a growl underlying his words, “but if we let you walk into that room with him and the evidence, I’m pretty damn sure we’ll never see either of them again.”
Tristan ignored him. “In two days time, the Patriarch will be traveling to the States to meet with the various chapterhouses and leaders of St. George,” he said, making me straighten. “He’ll be here in a week, but he’s holding an assembly with all the officers, council members and chapter heads as soon as he lands in Salt Lake City. Every high-ranking official in St. George will be at that meeting. If you want to reveal evidence that the Patriarch is allying with Talon, you’d certainly have everyone’s attention.”
“Oh, that’s a great idea,” Riley said, shoving himself off the bleachers. “An entire room filled with the high muckety-mucks of St. George, not to mention the Grand Poobah himself. I’m sure they’re going to let two dragons and a known traitor waltz right in and accuse the Patriarch of treason. And I’m sure I’m going to be strolling merrily into a building full of St. George soldiers with itchy trigger fingers.” He stopped at the bottom seat to glare at Tristan, arms crossed and a smirk twisting his mouth. “I’d accuse you of leading us into a trap if it wasn’t so blatantly obvious. How the hell do you expect to get us in there, anyway?”
“I don’t,” Tristan said flatly. “I’m not taking two lizards anywhere near that building—that would be suicide, for me as well as you.” He glanced at me, brows drawn together. “I’m taking Garret, but he has to come alone.”
“Garret’s a traitor to the Order,” Ember broke in, sounding worried. “They know who he is. He won’t get any farther than us if someone recognizes him.”
“I’m counting on it,” Tristan muttered, still looking at me. I suddenly realized what he was getting at, and my insides went cold. He smiled grimly. “The only way for you to get close to the Patriarch,” Tristan went on, “is as a prisoner. You won’t get anywhere near him otherwise—he’s too well guarded. But, like your lizard said, they know who you are. We can use that to our advantage. You turned yourself in to me, and I’m presenting you to the Patriarch and the rest of the council for judgment. Once we get inside, I’ll release you, and you can show the evidence to everyone.”
“What?” Ember exclaimed, as Riley barked a mocking laugh. “Are you crazy?”
“Possibly,” Tristan said with a humorless smile. “But I can’t think of another way to do this. If you want that evidence to reach the Order, Garret, you’re going to have to trust me.”
“Trust you,” Riley sneered. “Trust you to take your most-wanted criminal and the proof of the Patriarch’s involvement with Talon into the heart of enemy territory as your hostage with no way for us to reach him if things go south? While we’re at it, why don’t we tie a pretty bow around his neck and send him in with a card, as well?”
“Look, dragon,” Tristan spat, curling a lip in Riley’s direction. “I don’t like you any more than you like me. I’d rather stand back and put a sniper round between your eyes than sit here talking with you.” He paled a bit, and ran a hand over his scalp. “Shit, if anyone knew what I was doing right now,” he breathed, shaking his head, “I’d be executed faster than you could say ‘treason.’”
I felt a stab of guilt for dragging Tristan into this. Just by coming here, talking to us, he was risking everything. Even if we reached the Patriarch and convinced St. George of the man’s betrayal, Tristan wouldn’t be off the hook. He’d still met with me, a traitor of the Order. He’d still conspired against St. George. His future, his very life, would be on the line.
Unless he turned me in.
“But if you want to expose the Patriarch,” Tristan went on, unaware of my thoughts, “and break St. George away from Talon, this is the only way. The Patriarch only comes to the States once a year at most. There won’t be another meeting like this for a long time. If you want to walk into St. George, accuse the Patriarch of conspiracy with Talon and have the barest hope of being heard without getting shot the instant you open your mouth, this is your best chance.”
“And then what?” Ember demanded. “Even if you do convince everyone that the Patriarch is working with Talon, what happens after that? They’re not just going to let Garret walk away.”
“I’ll take care of that,” Tristan said. “I’ll get him out again, I promise.”
“Not that I don’t trust you, St. George,” Riley said, the hint of a growl underlying his words, “but if we let you walk into that room with him and the evidence, I’m pretty damn sure we’ll never see either of them again.”
