Rogue Read Online Free PDF Page A

move.
    “So.” Mist’s voice echoed in the tiny space, startling me. I’d been expecting her to stay quiet and distant, not speaking unless absolutely necessary. I’d been about to break the silence myself and was surprised that she’d beat me to it. “You’re Dante Hill.”
    Her voice was a challenge. It seemed we were going to butt heads after all, unless I could win her over. I could’ve used my position to demand obedience; Roth had put me in charge, after all, but resentful employees did not produce fast results. If I was going to find Ember quickly, I needed her on my side.
    Smiling, I leaned against the wall and put my hands in my pockets, adopting a pose of easy nonchalance. “I am,” I agreed pleasantly. “Though you seem surprised, Mist. Let me guess—you expected me to be taller.”
    Mist’s expression remained neutral. “A Chameleon in training,” she remarked, raising a slender eyebrow, “using humor to defuse a tense situation. Classic disarming technique.”
    I kept the smile on my face. “Did it work?”
    She blinked, and the other corner of her mouth twitched. “No,” she replied, though her eyes said differently. “But thank you for trying. I am, unfortunately, well versed in the various faction trainings and techniques. Your Chameleon charm is not going to work on me, I’m afraid.”
    “Give it time.”
    The elevator had passed the first floor. And still, we continued to descend. Past the basement, and the subbasement, going even deeper underground. “Do you have something against Chameleons?” I went on, wondering how many sublevels this place had. The glowing numbers above the door had stopped moving altogether.
    “Not at all,” Mist replied. “Chameleons are a vital part of Talon. We all have our place.” Her piercing blue eyes remained brutally honest as she looked me over, assessing. “What I don’t like is having vital information kept from me, especially if I need it to do my job.”
    I gave her a puzzled frown. “You think I’m hiding something from you? That’s a rather hasty conclusion. We haven’t known each other very long.”
    “It’s not you, Mr. Hill.” Mist’s tone remained coolly polite. “But you must know that this situation with your sister is not normal. Why is Talon so interested in her? Cobalt I can
understand—he’s a dangerous fugitive who has caused real harm to the organization, and his actions cannot be ignored any longer. The rogue must be stopped, that is very clear.” Her piercing blue gaze sharpened, cutting into me. “But why is Talon so invested in bringing
her
back? Why go through all this trouble? Ember Hill is a hatchling who has done nothing for the organization.” Mist’s eyes narrowed even further. “Why is she so special?”
    Her words were eerily familiar, as I heard my own suspicions parroted back at me. The situation with Ember
wasn’t
normal. Talon was expending considerable resources to return her to the organization when they could have sent out a Viper and been done with it. Even bringing
me
on was puzzling. Yes, I was her brother and the person who knew her best, but why bother? What made her—
our
—situation so special?
    However, I wasn’t going to tell Mist that I shared her concerns. If I was going to bring Ember back, if I was going to make a future for us in Talon, then I had to appear fully in control of the situation at all times. I could not appear weak, or scared, or unsure, because Talon had no use for dragons who failed. I was not going to fail.
    “I’m afraid I can’t give you the details,” I told Mist, who gave me a cold look but didn’t seem surprised. Talon shared information only if they thought it was necessary; that much at least she understood. “I would,” I went on, “if I were allowed. Just know that finding Ember is our top priority. The Elder Wyrm wishes that she be returned to the organization. The reasons are irrelevant.”
    The elevator stopped, and the doors slid open.