by Tricia Barr
Kenzie released one hand from Kol for a moment to send some warming magic to Piper, who gave her a grateful smile, her chattering ceasing.
“No, I’ll lead,” Kol said, swooping to the front.
Kenzie pulled her bookbag more firmly onto her shoulders, then released the latch on her smartwatch and let it fall away, then found her handhold again. The bag held her grimoire, hidden via spell, and so light as a result that the bag felt empty. She wouldn’t lose it, if she could help it. That grimoire had come too far for her to lose it again.
Another monstrous cry filled the air, the sound approaching the citadel as they flew away. The sound terrified Kenzie. What new hell awaited them?
Kenzie scanned the ground below, but couldn’t see Leif through the foliage—assuming he was below them and not on a different course.
Worry wormed through the fiber of Kenzie’s being until the amazement of being in flight—on a dragon, no less—faded into background noise. A shiver ran through her, and she wasn’t sure if it was from the whipping wind or from the giant question mark that still seemed to hang over them all.
Chapter 39: Juliet
Fear followed Juliet to every secret meeting, but General Dracul’s threat turned her into a nervous wreck. Even Nik suggested they cut down on having them. So they did. But they couldn’t stop. Not if they wanted to achieve their goal to get Oberon back.
When Juliet was confident everyone was in their rooms for the night, she cracked her door open. She peeked through, then snuck out. She quietly closed the door behind her and tiptoed across the hallway to the supply closet. Again, she looked around to make sure nobody was there, then squeezed into the closet.
With her heart pounding too fast, Juliet leaned against the wall to steady herself. As she tried to regulate her anxiety, she looked around the small room. The usuals were there—Leya and Alessandra, Nik and Brett—but Katya was there, too, the kitsune girl Brett often talked about. Her surprise must have been written all over her face, because Brett snickered.
“Don’t look so surprised,” Brett said.
“It’s okay, Jules,” Nik said, giving her a reassuring nod. “She’s with us.”
“I asked her to help with security, and when she figured out why, she volunteered to help,” Brett said, playing with the corners of the paper he held.
“And I’m working on tracking down Oberon’s location,” Katya volunteered, not bothering to look up from her screen. The light glowed eerily off her face.
“How exactly did you figure out about these meetings?” Juliet asked, trying to steady the tremble in her voice. She went next to Nik, sliding down the wall until she was seated.
Katya shrugged. “Everyone’s talking about it. It was just a good guess.”
Juliet leaned toward Nik. “I thought we weren’t inviting anyone new with everything going on.” Like the general’s threat.
“What? Nik can bring a chick but I can’t?”
She really hoped he was joking.
Nik grabbed Juliet’s hand and squeezed it. “Brett thinks he’s funny, though we all keep telling him he’s not.”
Brett rolled his eyes and shook his head.
Nik gave her hand another squeeze. “I was about to run to my room to get this map that I took from the General's desk. It could point us in the right direction. I’ll be right back, okay?” Juliet nodded, not trusting her voice. “Okay, you guys play nice.” Nik’s stern gaze drilled holes into Brett. “Am I good?” Juliet realized he was directing the question at Katya.
“One sec...” Her hurried tapping continued. Juliet didn’t think anyone could type that fast. “Yep. All clear.”
Nik nodded, then left.
Juliet would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous to speak with Brett without Nik or Kol there. He was just so cocky and blunt, and it intimidated her more than she liked to admit. Brett must have known. He laughed under his breath a few times, speaking to Katya occasionally, but he didn't say anything more to Juliet. Leya and Alessandra were across the room having their own conversation, and Juliet thought about joining them, but she had no idea what she’d say. So she sat in silence, waiting anxiously for Nik to return.
When the doorknob finally rattled, Juliet let out the breath she was holding. But then there was a knock. Her eyes bulged, and her hands began to shake. Nik wouldn't be knocking.
Katya’s eyes widened as she stared at the screen, then she melted into the wall, throwing an apologetic glance at the rest in there.
Juliet frantically looked around the closet to see if there was somewhere to hide, but nothing was big enough. And even if they could hide, they were still sitting ducks. She looked over at the others and they mirrored the same look of panic she had.
The door opened and in marched Major Peters.
“Well, well, what do we have here?” He stared at Juliet with a mocking grin. He didn't even try to hide it. “Let’s go. The four of you, follow me.”
The one and only silver lining was that Nik wasn't there to get caught with them. He’d just gotten out of one of Dracul's punishments, and didn’t need to relive any of it. She only hoped the others knew to keep their mouths shut about it. Although, Dracul had a way of making people talk, sometimes with just one look, if rumors were to be believed.
Juliet felt like she was about to walk the plank. Dracul warned her and she got caught. He didn't care who her father was, and she had absolutely no leverage.
Juliet’s hands shook and it became difficult to breathe. This was not good... especially for the ice she had to keep hidden.
They got to the general's door and Major Peters opened, reveal a dark room—no one was there. The major entered and turned the lights on, then gestured for them to enter and line up in front of the desk.
“Wait here. I suggest you don't sit down.”
Meany. The soldier left, shutting the door behind him.
“What should we—?” Brett started, but Juliet shushed him. Who knew if there was some kind of recording device in there to spy on them? Not to mention she didn't think she had the courage to speak.
The door swung open and Juliet had to force herself to look. It was Malachai. He seemed just as nervous as Juliet, his skin flushed, his posture rigid. He wouldn't be able push much against the director or his position would be at risk, but she hoped his presence would at least help.
“I came as soon as I heard the major had found you all. Whatever any of you do, do not confess to or agree with anything he accuses you of. No matter how scary he might act or sound, none of you are obligated to participate in an interrogation without your parents or lawyers present.” Malachai gave Juliet’s shoulder a squeeze as he stood tall behind her.
The door opened again, this time delivering the general and his grinning soldier.
“Lieutenant General Quinn. I must admit, I'm not surprised. My only wonder is how you found out so quickly. The only logical answer here is that someone got away to send you the warning.” General Dracul looked expectantly at Malachai.
“I went to check on my daughter and when I didn't find her in her room, I came straight here, sir.”
“Or, you knew she was orchestrating these secretive gatherings all along,” the general said.
“No, sir. Neither of those statements are factual.”
“Ah, I beg to differ. But right now, I have more pressing things to address. I would appreciate it if you took a step back and kept your thoughts to yourself. Technically, you weren't invited to this meeting, but I’ll let it slide. I’d want to be present if it were my child getting penalized. Then again, my son wouldn’t put himself in a situation like this.” With a flick of the general’s hand, Malachai took a step back.
“So what I have is a prissy mer, a mousy harpy, a phoenix who has held my son back for years, and another phoenix who I recently sent a warning to. Am I missing something... or someone? What about my assistant? Have any of you three seen Private Candida tonight?” He looked at them expectantly.
Ju
liet would never tell, but she wasn’t so sure she could count on the others. Thankfully, they stayed silent—which would probably get them in more trouble. Still, Juliet was proud that nobody wanted to rat out Nik.
“I hope you're all being honest. If I find out he knew about this, you won’t like what I do to him.” General Dracul stared at Juliet, and she had to stop herself from rubbing her arms. “You other three, go to your rooms. You’ll report back here first thing tomorrow. Enjoy your last night of freedom.” He stroked his chin as he stared down at Juliet.
Brett, Leya, and Alessandra were gone several moments before he spoke again. “Do you know what irritates me the most about this situation?” He paused, but this time she knew not to respond. “The fact that I had the decency to give you a warning. I could have punished you right then. But I gave you the benefit of the doubt. Now the joke’s on me, and I don’t like to be the butt of any joke. So here’s what’s going to happen.”
This was it, the moment Juliet was dreading. General Dracul walked around his desk, then leaned against the front.
“Judging by your records and stats, you’re more than qualified to receive the same type of reprimand that any of my Privates would receive. So I'm going to give you the same punishment Private Candida had—consider it a gift for your budding relationship.”
Malachai stepped forward. “Sir, please.”
The general shot her dad a sharp glare. “And why waste time? Let’s begin now. Under normal circumstances, I’d let one of my majors get the ball rolling. But this is a special case, isn't it? So I’ll do it. Let’s go.” He led the way out of his office.
Juliet dared to look at her father. Fear shone through his eyes, and the dread that had been building hit a crescendo.
She felt like a prisoner, like she’d just committed a crime and the judge had passed her sentence. She shouldn't feel this way, not in the school that promised to protect her.
“You're not even going to ask me why?” Juliet said at the retreating form of the general. She wanted to sound strong and brave, but her voice came out meek and fragile instead.
General Dracul stopped in his tracks and spun to face her.
“Juliet,” Malachai said with a warning in his voice.
The general held out his hand to silence Juliet’s father. “No, I would love to hear this. I didn't ask because I don't care, but since Miss Quin thinks it’s so important, I’d like to hear what she has to say.”
Juliet took a deep breath, but kept her gaze on the floor. “We were attacked, then had our director thrown away like he was garbage. Then you marched in and—”
“Juliet,” Malachai tried again.
But the general lifted his hand again. “Continue,” he pressed.
Juliet swallowed. This would probably get her in more trouble, but she’d had enough. The words burned in her throat, longing to be freed. “Then you marched in and expected us to skip the part where we get over our trauma. And you replace it with combat. It was too much, for everyone. Some of us just needed a reprieve. If that’s what I'm being punished for, then fine. I’ll take it.” She was proud of herself, despite the hole she’d dug for herself.
The corner’s of Lord Dracul’s mouth twitched. “You're being punished for disobeying and betraying your director after receiving a formal warning. What happened before, during, or after is of none of my concern.” He spun, motioning for Juliet and her father to join him and the major, who hardly seemed to leave the general’s side.
Juliet pulled on her stubborn will to try to convince herself that she’d be okay, despite the fear trying to overtake her. She just hoped he didn't make her do anything with her powers.
They arrived at the Avian Training Room. It was odd seeing so bright and yet so empty.
General Dracul clapped once, letting it echo through the room. “The others will be joining you at six a.m. sharp, and you four will spend the day doing drills. But you, Miss Quinn, will begin drills in just a moment. Major Peters will stay with you until you complete every single set on this list.” Out of nowhere, Dracul flashed a printed paper with a long list on it and handed it to Juliet.
She glanced at the list, her eyes bulging. “I’ll be here all night! How do you expect me to do all this without any rest?”
“Where is that fierce Quinn spirit? It’s written all over your record. And you obviously didn’t think sleep was very important when you met after hours with your foolish group of friends. You’ll get it done, I’m certain, one way or another.” He gave her a curt sneer, then turned his head to look her father in the eyes.
Juliet hated seeing the general disrespect her father like that. It made her want to set her fire loose. She knew she couldn't, but that didn't mean she wasn’t at least on the verge of it. If Lord Dracul said anything more, Juliet swore she would explode. But she refused to give him what he wanted: a reaction. So as the general spun on his fancy heels and left, Juliet didn't say a word.
She wanted to scream.
But Major Peters was still there, and he wouldn’t let her forget it.
“Are you going to stand there all night, or would you like to start now?”
Juliet sniffed, but she wouldn’t let her temper get the best of her. More than ever, she wished she had her headphones with her. It would be easier to ignore him with her #GirlBoss playlist blasting in her ears.
Malachai cleared his throat. “Major, my offer still stands. Harm one hair on my daughter’s head, and these drills you’re feeding her will look like child’s play.” He sent Juliet an apologetic grimace, but she understood. It wouldn’t do for both of them to be exhausted tomorrow, though she wasn’t sure how well he’d be able to sleep.
She gave him a firm nod, then looked again at the list in her hands. What would be easiest? Laps. That shouldn’t be too bad.
Somehow, they were worse, and they took way longer than she’d expected.
Half way through the list, she thought she break down in tears. But she didn't. She wouldn't. No matter how much pain she was in, no matter how tired she was, and no matter how numb she was, she refused to let it show.
Dracul wanted to know where the Quinn spirit was? Well, he would get it.
***
Two and a half hours.
That was all the sleep Juliet got before she had to wake up and do it all over again. She thought her limbs would fall off. She barely had the energy to get out of bed. But if she was late, more drills would be added to her list. She was not letting that happen.
She dragged herself out of bed early enough to get a small breakfast before she had to see to the rest of her “detention.” She even threw her hair up into a high ponytail and put on her best workout clothes on. She might be tired, sore, and numb, but she wouldn’t let them see that.
As she walked into the training room, she nearly laughed at the sight of Major Peters. The bags under his eyes were deep and dark, and it looked like he didn't have enough time to run a comb through his usually gelled-back hair. She mentally gave herself a pat on the back for at least looking like she had it together. His uniform was meticulously pressed, but he probably had them ready ahead of time. He stifled a yawn, the whistle nearly falling out of his mouth.
When he caught sight of Juliet, Major Peters squinted his already droopy eyes. She kept her mouth closed as her lips lifted into a grin. Only when she raised her eyebrows did she look away. She gave a nod to her fellow detainees and lunged into a stretch.
Major Peters blew his whistle and pointed to the door, his way of telling them that their first order of business was going to be laps around the Dome. Lucky for her, it was exactly what she wanted to start with.
She gave Major Peters one last look before she took the lead. She hoped the rest of the day would be exactly like that—silent and right to the drill.
By the looks of it, she wasn't the only one who couldn't wait for the day to be over. Good luck Major Peters.
Chapter 40: Oberon
Oberon stretched his tired wings,
then tucked them close to his body. His heart pounded in his chest like a racing drum. His claws gripped the cold snow beneath him, and nearby, Ren was catching his breath. The kitsune shifted back to human form, his black hair long and unkempt. Oberon smiled. His Japanese-American friend was in dire need of a haircut.
Pulling the large bag off his shoulders, Ren withdrew his personal dehumidifier and turned on the heat.
Oberon shifted to his human form, too, stepping close to the dehumidifier. It wasn’t the best method to survival in the freezing Canadian Rockies, but it was the most economical.
“Nothing?” Ren asked, running a hand through his messy hair. It shot in multiple directions, reminding Oberon of some random anime character.
Oberon shook his head, then looked around at the untouched snow-covered surroundings. “Nothing. Not even the slightest scent on the wind.”
Ren removed a tablet from his bag, powering it on and accessing a map that had altogether too many red X’s on it. Ren made another criss-cross on the name Mount Ovington.
“We’ve been at this for over two weeks, Oberon,” Ren said. “We’ve checked every mountain between Mount Joffre and here. I’m calling it. Either Delphine’s succeeded in executing the world’s cruelest practical joke, or you’ve forgotten what your own kind smells like.”
Ren was still looking at the tablet while Oberon scooped up a handful of snow and packed it together. After the snowball had been formed, Oberon threw it with perfect accuracy, smacking Ren right in the cheek.
“Ow!” cried Ren, nearly dropping the tablet in the snow. With a free hand, he rubbed the snow away, revealing a red welt surrounding his cheekbone. “What was that for?”
“Delphine’s never wrong,” Oberon said nonchalantly. Then, taking on a darker tone, he said, “I don’t know how it works for kitsunes, but I could never forget the scent of gryphons.”
Ren looked like he was about to reply, but must have thought better of it and went back to looking at the map on his tablet.