“Welcome to the war, soldier,” he said and left the barracks, striding away without looking back. I watched him go, then stepped around the cot and swung my pack to the thin mattress.

I could feel St. Anthony’s eyes on me as I unzipped the bag and started unpacking, moving everything to the footlocker at the foot of the bed. The container was small, but I didn’t have much to begin with.

“So. You’re him.”

St. Anthony’s voice was mocking. I glanced at him, seeing his dark stare as he leaned against the wall and watched me. His lips were now twisted into a faint smirk.

“I’ve heard of you,” the other soldier went on. “The prodigy. Martin’s favorite little recruit.” I didn’t answer, continuing to unpack my things. “So they’ve decided to let you tag along with the real soldiers, huh? And I’m the lucky guy who gets to babysit.”

“Do you have a problem with me?” I asked, looking him in the eye. I was the youngest recruit in recent history to graduate basic training, but only by a year or two. It wasn’t that uncommon for soldiers to join the ranks at fifteen. I didn’t know what St. Anthony’s issue was with me, but it couldn’t be just my age.

“Not yet.” The other soldier continued to lean against the wall, arms crossed. “I will have one the first time you see a dragon, piss your pants and run in the opposite direction. Or freeze up and get your head bitten off.”

“I’ve been trained for this,” I said firmly. “I’m not afraid of dragons.”

“That’s what they all say, until they see one rip through a man’s guts like paper. Or blast a line of soldiers into charcoal. The real war out there?” His eyes narrowed, appraising me. “It’s nothing like training. It’s bloody and crazy and scary as shit. Underestimate a lizard, and you’ll be a pile of ashes on the ground. There won’t even be enough left to bury.” He pushed himself upright, glaring down at me. “So, I need to know that you will actually back me up when I need it, that you’ll do your job when it starts getting hot. My last partner died for this cause. If the Order calls for it, I damn well hope you’ll do the same.”

“You’re not telling me anything new.” I straightened, meeting his glare. “I know what’s expected. And I know everyone is watching me. They’re all waiting to see if I perform as Martin hopes, or if I fail and get myself torn to pieces by a lizard. So why don’t you save the lecture until after I’ve screwed up? If I’m still alive.” He blinked, and I threw back my own smirk. “Maybe I’ll surprise you.”

My partner snorted. “We’ll see,” he replied.

* * *

One month later, we did.

I stood with my back against the door frame, on point, watching the soldier across from me prepare to kick in the door. Around us, the woods were eerily silent, a damp mist hanging in the air and creeping along the ground. The cabin was tucked away in a remote section of forest, no roads, no civilization for miles. According to intel, there were two Talon agents living here. A middle-aged, human male servant...and a Sleeper. One of the evil lizards themselves.

My heart beat faster, and I took a furtive breath to calm it. I’d be facing a real dragon soon. The moment I’d trained for my entire life was here. I was ready. I wasn’t afraid. Starting today, I would begin to avenge my parents, and anyone else whose life had been ruined by Talon. And I wouldn’t stop until every one of the fire-breathing demons was dead, or I was.

The soldier across from me held up three fingers, and I gripped my M4, feeling my muscles tense. Behind me, I felt Tristan do the same. Three, he mouthed. Two...one!

The door exploded inward, and we lunged inside, sweeping our rifles around the room. My finger tightened on the trigger, ready to shoot anything that moved, dragon or human. We couldn’t hesitate to wonder if the person in our sights was a Sleeper or a normal human. If they were found in the target’s nest, they were with the enemy. They’d been corrupted, working for Talon, which made them just as guilty as the lizards themselves. If you had to shoot a Talon servant to get to the dragon controlling him, then so be it.

But the room we crashed into was silent and dark, devoid of life. I scanned the walls and the corners with the rest of the squad, ready to fire if anything leaped out at us or bolted for the door. Nothing did, though I saw a half-full beer bottle on the counter and the sink was full of dishes, so the cabin wasn’t abandoned. They wouldn’t have been able to sneak out, either. One of the Order’s snipers, a soldier named Jacobs, was watching the doors and windows a half mile back, so anyone fleeing the cabin would be shot down before they got a dozen feet.