Exposed (The Broken Soul Series Book 3)

by Jenny Phillips

  Kali spoke up next, “I only know specific people so I’m not a ton of help but I did endure them and their powers for six months. I could probably contribute a little more to some inside information as well.”

  Chase jumped up. “None of this is my job, why are you all nagging me about this? I’m not Charles, or my Uncle Spencer, or my dad! I can’t do anything different!”

  “But they clearly listen to you more than they do to us,” Nolan countered.

  “Whatever.” He crossed the room and gave one look back at us. “Tell Mom and Dad I went for a walk.”

  I blew out a breath and looked at the others. “Well that went great.”

  Jackson hugged Kali tighter. “Give him some time. I think he feels as stuck as we are.”

  “He doesn’t like to question Charles,” I said.

  “No,” Jackson answered, “but he’s been doing it more and more lately.”

  “I’m sure he has a lot to process,” Maggie offered.

  It was about a half an hour later that the Thomas’ showed up and still no Chase.

  His mother looked worried for a moment and then smiled at me and patted my cheek. “I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”

  I nodded then asked, “Did you see my Aunt Carolyn?”

  Her expression clouded over even more. “I think she was meeting with Charles.”

  “Okay.” Excusing myself, I went upstairs and retreated into Chase’s room. I flopped myself down on his bed and tried to make sense of it all. The trouble with that was nothing made sense no matter how hard I tried. Eventually, I drifted off.

  “Are you ready?” Rylan’s amber eyes searched mine intensely.

  “I thought we were going to meet Thursday?”

  “Oh, well I wasn’t sure if you meant tonight since that’s technically Thursday or tomorrow night which is technically Friday.”

  “I didn’t even think about that.” I flopped down on a boulder. Rylan had picked a grassy meadow I had never seen before. The grass blew gently in the breeze and I wished I had seen this place before. It was strangely calming here.

  “So?”

  I leaned my arms on my knees. “I haven’t said my good-byes.”

  “Won’t that only make it harder?”

  “I guess so.” I ran my hands over my arms wishing I’d worn something warmer to bed.

  “Cold?” Rylan asked, and snapped his fingers. The breeze stopped and I felt a few degrees warmer instantly.

  I huffed and let out a soft laugh. “That’s amazing.”

  “Anywhere you want to go.”

  “This is fine. I like it here.”

  Smiling, he plopped down on the grass next to my boulder. “It’s close to my house back home. I used to sit out here and think of you.”

  I studied him, taking in the beauty of his face. “You did?”

  “Yeah.” He smiled to himself as if he were lost in a memory, “Before I started dreaming of you I always wondered what you’d be like.”

  “I wish I knew you were real in those early dreams before … you know.”

  “I knew, and yet you still seemed so far away.” He lost his smile. “I think in my mind you were too good to be true. Like I didn’t deserve you even then.”

  “So you never felt the connection?”

  “I don’t think it was that.” His brow deepened. “I think before I really believed you existed I thought my parents used the idea of you like a myth …”

  “So you thought I was the Easter Bunny?”

  He laughed. “Kinda.”

  “That’s a new one for me.”

  “I think part of the reason I was so quick to listen to Stephen was because I thought out of the gates I didn’t deserve you. Once I realized, you made me realize,” he corrected, “what kind of effect it had on you it was too late to take it back.”

  I chewed my lip, contemplating what he was saying.

  “I regretted it in how I went about it but not that I was open to new ideas. Stephen may not always go about things the right way but he has good intentions.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “For the most part, yes.”

  “And that means?”

  He spread his hands. “I think he would sacrifice what he needed to for the greater good.”

  “Meaning me?”

  “Not necessarily. I think he cares about you, me, everyone … he just doesn’t go about—”

  “Things the right way,” I finished. “I don’t agree with you,” I said point blank and Rylan met my eyes nervously. “But unlike him, I trust you.” I stood up from the boulder. “What time and where should I meet you tonight?”

  “The supermarket around the corner at 1a.m.,” he said.

  I sat up wide awake. Chase was sleeping soundly next to me. I sat in the dark listening to his soft breathing. When I checked my phone, I found it was close to midnight. Luckily, I didn’t have much to pack since I was still living out of my suitcase. I gathered the few things I’d left in the bathroom and tiptoed back to Chase’s room. I watched him silently for a few minutes. I didn’t want to wake him.

  Rylan was right. Saying good-bye would just make this harder and give me time to change my mind. I wanted nothing more than to crawl back into that bed with Chase but I had to get going. It wasn’t like Rylan and I could text each other. If I missed him at our arranged time then I’d have to wait until we could set up another meeting point.

  I silently said my own good-bye to Chase and turned before I gave myself time to tear up. Logistically, this should only be a couple of days. However, with Stephen I never knew what I may be walking into. Rylan didn’t seem as sure of my safety these days either. I shook my head, not allowing myself to second guess anything, and had made it halfway through the living room when I heard my Aunt Carolyn’s voice in the shadows.

  “I thought you may try leaving without a good-bye.”

  My shoulders slumped.

  “Don’t worry,” she whispered, “I won’t try to talk you out of it.”

  “You won’t?” I asked, hopeful.

  “No. I don’t blame you. I think I’d try to leave before someone talked me out of what I thought was right, too.”

  “Thank you,” I said, heading to the corner where she sat in a chair. I sat my suitcase down and gave her a hug.

  “Can I at least drop you off?”

  “I—” I almost said ‘no thanks’ but then admitted it would be nice to have someone there with me. “I think that would be good.”

  “Well let’s get going then.” She got up and grabbed her purse from the table by the door.

  “Did you wait up because you knew I would do this?”

  “Partly,” she confessed. “But also because I just wasn’t able to sleep well.”

  I chewed my cheek. “What kind of meeting did you have with Charles?”

  “Not a good one.” She let out a breath. “Nothing for you to worry about, though. You have plenty to deal with.”

  I climbed in the passenger seat while she slid behind the steering wheel. The drive wasn’t long as it was literally around the corner. I was able to see a dark sedan waiting in the empty parking lot. That had to be Rylan. I pointed it out to my aunt.

  Once we were parked next to it, Rylan opened the door and I could see that thankfully, he was alone. He was dressed in dark jeans and a long sleeve gray T-shirt. His eyes were his Glamoured amber color. I don’t know if he did that for my benefit or Aunt Carolyn’s. Either way, I appreciated it.

  He greeted me with a big hug and helped Aunt Carolyn out of her car to give her a polite hand shake.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” he said.

  “Please take care of her.” Aunt Carolyn had begun to tear up. “Protect her from my brother.”

  Rylan’s head snapped up like he was in shock at the idea of Stephen’s sister standing in front of him. Or maybe it was just surprise at their obvious differences. “I will,” he assured her, and gave her one last smile before he left us to say ou
r good-byes.

  “You be careful,” she instructed. “I don’t trust that grandfather of yours and you shouldn’t either. Always be alert.”

  “I don’t trust him,” I answered honestly. I wanted to say more but knew Rylan would be listening so instead I gave her another big hug.

  Rylan opened the passenger side of his car to politely move us along. Aunt Carolyn let go and dabbed at her eye before she gave a quick wave and retreated to her own car.

  Rylan tapped the steering wheel. “Are you ready?”

  “As I’ll ever be.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Nice to have you back.” Stephen stood in the entrance of a loft-style apartment. His voice lacked all sincerity.

  “Yeah,” I said dryly, “super happy to see you, too.”

  “No time for pleasantries, my dear. Rylan, you can take her straight back to the couch and wait for me. I need to speak to Justin, and then I’ll be there. We’re all going to get right to business.”

  “Is it too late to turn back?” I asked only half joking.

  “I was afraid he’d be like this. He’s going to want you to turn right away.”

  I bit my lip. I had also known this would probably be the case. “The full moon is Friday, right?”

  “Yes, but he’s going to want you to turn tomorrow night. He only needs the full moon for the amulet ritual. He needs you turned before that.”

  Why hadn’t I waited after all? Stephen returned with Justin only a minute later. I recognized him from his post outside of my room at the mansion.

  “Okay, Morgan, Rylan. We’re going to get right down to it. I need you turned tomorrow night. I don’t care if you do this of your own volition or if I have to force it. We’re running out of time. The full moon is Friday night and I need you turned before then.”

  My heart raced. “Couldn’t you do it the same time as the other ritual?”

  “No.”

  He had no interest in bargaining.

  “I want everything done so that Friday afternoon we can take on the Council and get to the ritual room with plenty of time to spare. So I need everyone to be prepared for a fight.”

  “Wait. The ritual room?”

  “Yes,” Rylan answered. “There’s a room in the Council basement that was once used for those kinds of rituals. That’s what we need—”

  “Rylan, be careful with how much information you divulge,” Stephen warned.

  I had an idea. A crazy idea but it could buy some time.

  “So wouldn’t it be a better plan to hold my turning in the ritual room?”

  “I’m sure it would be ideal …” Rylan answered.

  “But not necessary,” Justin spoke for the first time.

  I ignored him. “Then why wouldn’t we just do that on Friday and then the amulet ritual right after with everyone already gathered in the room it was intended for?”

  Stephen watched me carefully. “There may not be enough time. We don’t know how tightly they have that room sealed or how difficult they’ll fight to protect it.”

  “What if I can assure you that I not only have a way in but you can avoid any resistance?”

  “I’m listening.”

  “I have the only way in to the room.”

  His eyes narrowed in suspicion. “How?”

  “It would benefit you to wait until later so there won’t be anyone at the Council. Then neither side has the casualties we did last time.”

  “How?” he repeated, losing his patience.

  I lifted the chain from under my shirt, revealing the key. Stephen wiped his face with his hand. He tried to hide his elation at the sight of that key but I knew he would do almost anything in his power to get his hands on it.

  I slipped it back into my shirt. “We wait until almost ten Friday night. Most people will be long gone. I, of course, have my card key. We slip in while the security guard is making rounds. Go straight to the basement. Perform my turning ritual immediately followed by your amulet ritual. Easy peasy.” I shrugged.

  “Almost too easy.” Justin eyed me skeptically.

  “Ask Stephen, he knows how things work at the Council.”

  “What’s in this for you?” Justin asked while Stephen contemplated.

  “Doing things with consideration of life. Less chance of deaths. Get in and get out …”

  Justin snorted.

  “Morgan—” Rylan started, but stopped and looked at Stephen.

  My grandfather stated, “My dear, we’re not leaving the Council once we’re in. We’re going to take it over.”

  Not what I was expecting to hear.

  “By then my power will be so great no one will be able to stop me.”

  My stomach twisted in knots. We had to stop him from completing the ritual. I needed to find a way to warn the others. They were expecting me to bring them to Stephen but he was heading right to them.

  Rylan had tossed my new cell phone out the window on the way here. I didn’t have Kali’s connection to Jackson this time. I’d have to be more creative in coming up with a way to communicate.

  “Are you tired?” Rylan asked while Stephen and Justin made sleeping arrangements in the abandoned apartment complex we were in.

  I shook my head.

  “Hungry?” he tried.

  I huffed. No way were they drugging me this time. I’d starve. Stephen and Justin left to meet with others and Rylan and I were alone.

  “You know he’s going to kill me, right?” I crossed my arms over my chest taking in the bare and outdated apartment.

  Rylan’s jaw twitched. “I won’t let that happen.”

  “He’s so hung up on power there’s no way he’ll let me live.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  I shook my head. “No one like me has turned. You don’t know what kind of powers I’m going to have.”

  Rylan put his arm around me and squeezed. “You don’t either. There is no one else like you, Morgan. It could have a completely different effect on you.”

  Something about that made me shiver and Rylan must’ve thought it was from a chill because he ran his hand over my arm briskly. What if it made me power hungry like Stephen? Could I lose a part of my humanity? I couldn’t bear the thought of losing myself. What would that do to Chase? I had to rest in the fact that I had tomorrow to try to contact Chase. I had to stop this.

  “Why does it need to be a full moon?” I asked suddenly.

  “What’s that?”

  I shifted uncomfortably. “Why does the ritual need to be during a full moon?”

  “Have you used our Full Moon powers?”

  “Yes.” I had played around with them once before. They were fun but nothing I thought Stephen would be interested in.

  “It needs to combine all of the different powers at the same time.”

  “Light, Dark, Full, and Half,” I said quietly.

  Rylan tensed. “What did you say?”

  “Hmmm? Oh nothing.”

  He eyed me. “You know more than you’re saying.”

  “It’s just in that room I found scrolls that listed all of the Gifts. It didn’t make sense at the time but now I understand.”

  “Do you?”

  “Well, not entirely, no,” I admitted.

  “This is the peace I was talking about, Morgan. The incorporation and inclusion of all Gifts.”

  “But the power that’s in it for Stephen …”

  “I have to hope for the best,” he said.

  “I think you’re making a huge mistake,” I told him.

  Stephen and Justin came back at that moment.

  “Morgan, after some consideration we’ve decided to agree to your requests.”

  “We didn’t already agree to this?” I asked.

  “However, we’d like to remind you of what happens when you don’t uphold your end of the bargain.”

  I watched in horror as Stephen grabbed Rylan’s arm and snapped it like a twig. Rylan let out a scream and vomit threatened to rise as
I watched the sick angle at which his arm hung. Rylan was pale and looked close to losing consciousness. Stephen rubbed his hands on his khakis as if it would clean them of the heinous act he’d just committed.

  “If you think for a second about doing something stupid … I want you to remember this moment,” Stephen nearly spat at me. Justin followed right on Stephen’s heels as they left us alone again.

  Rushing to Rylan’s side, I lay my hands on his trembling chest and felt the Healing process begin. Rylan still had a glistening sheen to his skin where the pain had caused him to start sweating but even his paleness was almost immediately lifted.

  “Thank you,” he said weakly.

  I sat back, tired from the process of Healing. It always sucked the largest amount of energy out of me.

  “I shouldn’t have brought you here.” He leaned heavily on his hand propping his cheek.

  “Not much we can do about that now.”

  “I have a feeling they’re not going to be telling me their plans any time soon.”

  “Sarcasm now? You just had your arm broken!” I asked in disbelief. “So we just sit and wait?”

  “I guess,” he said. “I doubt we’ll get our own room either. They’ll want us under constant supervision.”

  I got up from the floor and sat on the wood coffee table to bring myself to his eye level. His eyes were flickering from black to amber. Even after all of that he was still working to please me.

  “If you had the chance to leave now would you?”

  “Like run away?” He looked away.

  “Well, not exactly running away … but away from Stephen.”

  “With no consequences or chances of him tracking me down?” He met my eyes and shrugged. “Sure, I guess. What are the odds of that happening, though?”

  “We’ll just have to see what Friday brings.”

  “First we have to get through tomorrow.”

  I made a motion for him to scoot over. Squeezing into the armchair next to him I rested my head on his shoulder.

  “We should both get some rest. I think they’ve proven their point for now.”

  The next morning I woke bleary eyed and confused. Rylan sat straight up in the chair and smiled at me in greeting.