Page 18 of Ignite the Infernos

It’s cooler down here, which is nice, but the trade-off is a light dose of claustrophobia that can easily bloom into a full-blown panic attack, given the right circumstances, so I urge my sister to keep moving while we collect ourselves. We used to train in this arena when we were younger. It saved us from the harsh sun for a while, but time and the weight of the sand above edged the facility too close to unstable, and we stopped using it. In all that time though, there’s never been a collapse, so Ens and I decided it would be the best option to house a reveal. Trying to shift inside the wards is risky since we don’t know how big I’ll be, and trying to reveal outside of them is a no-go thanks to The Horde’s presence in the Scorch.

“You do know the others aren’t going to take this nearly as well,” Enslee tells me just as something else goes bounding by my head in the dark.

Whatever it was stays just out of reach of my lantern light, and I decide it’s best to pretend it didn’t happen. I do, however, pick up my pace.

“We’ve been stoking the fires of our resentment toward the Noctises for a long time. No one is going to like that you’re bonded to one,” she continues.

“Well, they’ll have to find consolation in the fact that he hates me now,” I murmur. A forlorn feeling accompanies those words, and my heartbeat suddenly feels like an echo in the vast emptiness of my chest. “Anyway, it’s your turn to tell me everything that’s happened here while I was gone. Are we any closer to figuring out who’s fucking us over?”

My heart drops when my sister shakes her head and exhales a frustrated sigh. “No, and unfortunately, cracks have developed that’ve made it harder to suss out what’s what.”

“What do you mean?”

Enslee lifts her lantern even higher, and I can tell we’re almost there. Anticipation sings through me, but I quiet the excitement and focus on what she’s saying.

“When your Flight came back without you and Ren, it was mayhem. Teams were going out weekly to search, but we couldn’t find so much as a whisper of anything. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to all of it than we thought, so I pressed Elias and Daria about the intel that sent you and your Flight to Enoit.

“Maybe I pressed too hard, or maybe it was inevitable given the circumstances, but that’s where things started to shift. They were understandably hurt by the insinuation that they set you and your Flight up. From there, it just got worse. People took sides, the situation propagated suspicion and distrust, and whoever’s really to blame for what happened now has a perfect place to hide amongst the mess.”

Her words seep into me. They make lazy laps around my worries and bump into my unease. I knew uncovering the colluder in our camp would take its toll, but I hoped the wreckage wouldn’t destroy everything we’ve built. Surviving has always cemented us together, and now, I worry, that same innate drive will tear us apart.

“I’ve been careful with parceling out information, but we’re not a big group and everyone knows something is up, especially after your Flight was attacked a second time. How about you, any leads?”

“No,” I admit dejectedly. “I’ve racked my brain, but I can’t come up with one credible option. I can’t even figure out what their endgame would be. Nothing makes sense, just like with the rebellion and all the players involved. We’re missing too many things to make out the big picture.”

We both grow introspective as we walk.

“We need to press the brokers,” Enslee declares. “They’re the key.”

“It’s worth a shot,” I agree. “But if we’re going that route, we need to keep it locked down between us. No one else can know.”

Enslee scoffs. “That’s easier said than done.”

“But not impossible,” I counter.

The echoey cadence of our conversation suddenly drops away like it just fell off a cliff. The tunnel walls disappear and we step out into a massive dark cavern. Enslee wanders off to the side, and I hear the distinct sound of a lighter before a loud whoosh fills the air. One by one, a series of pyres ignite around the immense structure, revealing a high, domed ceiling, stacked rows of seats, and a large, flat stretch of smooth pebbles down below.

Each of the three towering dunes surrounding Syphon Central hides a long-forgotten, and now buried, history. One was a hotel that half collapsed about thirty years ago. The other was some kind of parking structure that eventually filled with sand, and the third dune hid this . . . some kind of sports venue.

I force myself to breathe through the apprehension and exhilaration that starts to build.

“Have you thought about what you might look like?” Enslee asks as she walks back and stands next to me.

I realize I haven’t. It felt too much like hoping, and I try to do that as little as possible these days.

“I’ll probably be some kind of gray or gray-purple like the other Syphons,” I finally answer and then start down the stairs before I can psych myself out any more than I already am.

Enslee stays where she is for safety. Something we agreed on before I let her come with me. I have no idea how big I’ll be, or how clumsy. She can use the tunnel for safety, worst-case scenario.

“Maybe gray,” she calls after me. “But don’t forget, Mom’s dragon was ivory. You could lean in that direction too.”

I don’t let my thoughts go there. I already feel too vulnerable and anxious. I’m not unburying any more memories today; I’m trying to heal, not torture myself. Instead, I keep my focus on not tripping down the crumbling stairs, all while considering that I’m about to tear my body apart and reveal a creature that could weigh anywhere from sixteen to a hundred thousand tons.

“Nervous?” Ens yells when I’m halfway down. The echo makes the question prance around me like some schoolyard taunt.

“Nope,” I cheep and then clear my throat. “Not even a little.”

Enslee laughs, knowing I’m full of shit. “You deserve this, Ever. More than anyone. I love you and I can’t wait to see you fly.”