Everywhere Treason went, dragons ran away from him in fear or ran up to him with a billion questions. Finally he barked his teeth at the crowd following him and stormed off to a pat of the beach where the water was dark and murky.  Nobody seemed to like this part of the beach.  That was what made Treason like it—it was empty.

Cinder was somewhere around here, hanging out with Rye and Whisky instead of him.  How could they still be so close, after years?  The last time Cinder and Treason had seen them was at Rye and Whisky's wedding, four years ago.  And yet she'd rather spend time with them than with her own boyfriend?  Undoubtedly, she was happily telling them whatever huge secret she'd been hiding from him for weeks.  He tore a bush out of the ground and heaved it at the water, growling. 

"Treason, right?"  Pina Colada approached him carefully, smiling.  "Just wanted to check up on you.  How are you liking the beach?"  She sat next to him, her head barely as high as his shoulder.  What was such a young dragoness doing running a beach like this?  She couldn't be more than five years old, he was sure. 

"I'm not," he growled coldly. 

Instead of snapping back like any dragon in the Scorpion Den would, she just looked down at her talons and said, "oh."  It made him feel guilty and sick and he didn't like it. 

"The beach itself is very nice," he said as brightly as he could muster, which was still very dark, he was sure.  "I just don't like all those annoying little sardines of dragons scampering after me and asking questions."

"Oh, sorry about them," Pina Colada laughed, straightening up again.  "We don't get newcomers often.  They're just being friendly."

"Friendly is very annoying," Treason observed, and she giggled. 

"Well, just wanted to see how you were settling in.  See you later!"  And then he was alone again.  Alone, with his thoughts about Cinder, about what she could be hiding, about whether he'd ever find out and what would happen if he did.

Is she sick?  He wondered with a jolt.  Is she dying and doesn't want to tell me because I'd get too worried?

Well now I'm worried!

Treason pressed his talons against his head, his tail lashing.  Would she really hide something that serious form him?  He hoped not.  He'd want to know, if it was true... at least he could say goodbye. 

No, he thought firmly.  She's fine.  She would have told me if she was going to die.

But... would she really?