He finally relented. “Okay. But make sure you text me once you’re with Adam and Trina so I know you got there safely.”
“I will.”
He leaned down and kissed the top of my head. “All right. I guess I’ll go home and start hunting,” he murmured.
“Let me know if you find anything while I’m still with Adam and Trina.”
“Sure.” He drew back and nodded, squeezing my hand tightly in his. “Even if I don’t find anything, I’ll keep trying to figure out our next move. I’m not giving up on this shit now that I know about it.”
“I know,” I said softly, giving him a faint smile.
“Seriously, Laney. I promise.” He stared down at me, eyes filled with blazing intensity. “Whatever the fuck is going on in this town… we’re gonna get to the bottom of it.”
10
Laney
I was halfway out of Royal Hall when my phone buzzed again. It was the group chat.
Adam: Waited at the top of the path but you guys weren’t there. Figured you might’ve already headed to the building, so I came down and you guys aren’t here either lol. Anyway, now that I’m here, I’ll just wait for you outside.
I shot back a quick message: Sorry, on my way now! Got caught up in the library.
Adam: That’s ok. Are you with T?
Me: No, I skipped the last 2 periods to do some stuff, so I don’t know where she is.
Adam: Ugh, she’s not seeing or answering any of these texts :/ I wonder if she forgot.
Me: Her phone probably died. I’ll wait for her at the top of the path and let you know when she shows up.
Adam: Ok cool! See you guys soon. PS. Hurry up, it’s creepy as fuck being alone down here.
I hurried down to the top of the main path that led to the lake and waited by the sign there. Students were milling about all over the area, but I couldn’t see Trina anywhere.
Some girls from the rowing club spotted me and stopped to chat to me about something funny I missed at one of the recent morning practices. I hadn’t shown up to any of the sessions because of last Tuesday’s assembly incident.
None of the girls mentioned the video at all, and they were all friendly, but I could tell by their overly-sympathetic tones that it was still on their minds. At least they were being nice about it, though.
Once they were gone, I turned around and scanned the area again. There was still no sign of Trina.
I pulled out my phone and texted Adam again. Can’t see her anywhere, and she’s ten minutes late at this point. Should I just come and meet you down there?
Adam: Sure. Know how to get here?
Me: Nope, lol.
Adam: Ok, don’t worry, it’s easy. Just head down the lake path until you see a yellow ribbon wrapped around a birch. That’s the marker for another path. Turn left onto that, and then keep following it. Only takes about 3 minutes.
I followed his directions and found the yellow marker easily. There was no one on the other much-narrower path. It was flanked by towering trees and the ground was blanketed with damp leaves and twigs that smelled of petrichor from a recent downpour.
Even though I couldn’t see or hear anyone else, and I was sure no one had followed me, I picked up a large stick to carry with me. Better safe than sorry.
I reached the end of the path a few minutes later. It terminated in a large semi-circular clearing in the woods. A half-finished building lay in the center. It was similar to the other abandoned building near the lake; the one Chris Hewittson showed me. Tall and imposing with gray stonework banded with carved rosettes and fleur-de-lis patterns.
On one side, the roof was finished—dark shingles speckled with pinecones and leaves from the nearby trees. To the right of that was a set of gray stone steps, presumably leading to different entrances on each story.
As I drew closer, I heard a masculine cry, followed by a familiar voice. “Stop! Get the fuck off me!”
I took off running. “Adam?” I called out, heading for the steps.
There was another shout, louder this time, followed by a thumping sound.
My feet flew over the uneven ground as fast as they could, and when I reached the steps, I took them two at a time. Halfway up, there was a doorway to my left, leading into what was presumably going to be a classroom before the RFA board abandoned the plans for the new buildings.
Dark wooden panels lined the large room, and all of the windows were gone, either damaged by the elements or destroyed by students who used the building for parties. The floorboards were dusty and littered with dried leaves that had blown inside over time, and there was a faint smell of pine, musty earth, and woodsmoke.
I whipped my head around with narrowed eyes, searching for Adam in the dim room. I finally caught sight of him cowering in the left corner. His eyes were scrunched up, and his mouth was twisted in a pained grimace. One hand was resting on the back of his head.
“Adam!” I hurried over to him. “What happened? Are you okay?”
His head shot upward. “Careful. They might still be here,” he croaked.
I whirled around and scanned the room again. “It’s just us,” I said, turning back to Adam.
He lifted a shaky arm and pointed toward another door on the other side of the room; one I hadn’t even noticed until now. “I think they went through there,” he muttered.
I crouched next to him and put a hand on his back, rubbing in slow, gentle circles. “What happened?” I asked, eyes wide.
He sucked in a series of shallow breaths and winced as he touched the back of his head again. “I was standing outside waiting for you and Trina to show up,” he finally said. “Then I heard someone in the building. I thought it was you guys. Figured you might’ve decided to take one of the back paths through the other side of the woods to freak me out.” He paused to let out a groan as he switched into a seated position on the dark, dusty floor. “I sneaked in here to try to freak you out instead, but I didn’t see you or anyone else. Then I heard footsteps behind me, and before I could turn around, someone hit me over the back of the head.”
I winced at the thought. “Do you know what they used?” I asked as I peered at his head. There was no blood, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t injured. He could have a concussion or even a fracture in his skull.
He exhaled deeply. “It felt like a stick. Maybe a bottle. I don’t know,” he said. “Anyway, it hurt, but it didn’t hurt that much. Not like a full-on smash to the head. I think it was mostly the shock that got me. Do you know what I mean?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I get it.”
“After they hit me, I tripped over something and hit my arm on that stuff over there,” he went on, pointing to some wooden boards stacked up near the window. “That’s where I got this.” He lifted his arm to show me an angry red gash on his right wrist and forearm.
“Ouch.” I winced. “What happened then?”
“They grabbed me by the back of my shirt, pulled me up and shoved me against this wall.”
“That must’ve been the thump I heard,” I said softly.
He nodded weakly. “I guess so. Anyway, while they had me pinned to the wall, they pulled something out of their pocket and dropped it right next to me. It’s there,” he said, pointing to a dark red envelope on the floor. He was practically sitting on it, so I hadn’t seen it till now.
“And then?”
“They ran off, and you came in about five seconds later.”
I nodded slowly and kept rubbing his back in soothing circles. “If they grabbed you and shoved you back against the wall, that means you saw them, right?”
“Not really. They were wearing a black ski mask,” he said. “And it all happened so fast. It was like a blur. I didn’t notice what color their eyes were, or how tall they were, or anything like that.”
I gritted my teeth. “Damn.”
Adam closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Actually… I did see one thing. They had long dark hair. I saw it sticking out of the bottom of the
ski mask.”
“So it was a girl?”
“Yeah, or a guy with long hair. I honestly don’t know,” he muttered. “Like I said, it happened really fast.”
“I understand,” I said, nodding slowly. “Can I take a look at your head?”
“Sure.” He leaned closer to me and let me tentatively run my hands over the back of his head. He grimaced and let out a faint grunt when I reached a certain spot. “That’s it. That’s where they got me.”
I frowned, carefully feeling around the area. “There’s no lump,” I said. “I think that’s a good sign.”
“Probably. What about my back?” he asked. “Is there anything there?”
I lifted his shirt up and scanned his back. “It’s a bit red, but there’s no blood, and it doesn’t look like there’ll be any bad bruising.”
“Oh. Good.”
“The worst thing is probably your arm,” I said, pointing to the large scratch. “But I think I should take you to the school nurse anyway, just in case.”
He shook his head. “I think I’ll be okay,” he said. “I just want to sit for a while, if that’s all right with you. My legs feel weak as fuck.”
“It’s from the shock,” I replied. “Are you sure you don’t feel sick?”
“Yeah. Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure I’m not concussed. It just aches a lot,” he said, wincing again as he shifted slightly. “I can’t believe someone just fucking attacked me like that.”
I swallowed hard. “Me neither. I’m so sorry I didn’t get here sooner.”
He patted my hand. “No, I’m glad you weren’t here. They might’ve gone for you instead.”
“I know, but two against one would’ve been a lot less scary,” I said, guilt pricking at my guts. “Or three against one, if Trina showed up.”
“Where the hell is she, anyway?” Adam asked, brows dipping in a frown.
“No idea.”
Right on cue, my phone buzzed in my pocket. It was Trina in the group chat.
So sorry, I only just saw these messages! I can’t make it to our thing today. I had to go home halfway during last period because I felt sick as fuck. Super tired for some reason, and I can’t stop throwing up. Anyway, can we reschedule, or are you guys already there?
“Well, that explains that,” I murmured, slipping my phone back in my pocket after sending Trina a brief ‘sorry you’re sick’ text.
“Yeah.” Adam sighed and looked down at the envelope his attacker had left on the ground. “What does that thing say, anyway?”
I grabbed it and tore it open. A small note printed on white paper was tucked inside. When I read it, the hairs on the nape of my neck stood up, and my skin felt like a thousand insects were crawling beneath it.
Tell Laney to drop the investigation or else.
“What the fuck?” Adam said, brows shooting up. He was reading the note over my shoulder. “What does that mean? Is it about Lindsay?”
I shook my head, heart pounding. “I don’t think so,” I said in a hollow voice.
“What do you think it means, then?” he asked. Before I could reply, he raised his chin, eyes scrunching up again. “Wait, what’s that?”
I followed his gaze to see another envelope lying near the opposite wall. This one wasn’t dark red. It was black.
He started to get up, but I gently pushed him back down. “I’ll get it,” I said. “You need to rest.”
I started walking over to the other side of the dim room. When I was halfway across, a loud splintering sound cut through the air, and before I could react, the floorboards gave way beneath my feet.
A piercing scream rose in my throat as I plummeted downward, mixing with Adam’s frenzied shouts. “Laney! What the fuck?”
My arms shot up reflexively, and I managed to grab one of the floorboards on the edge of the hole with one hand. It took all the strength I had in my upper body to keep holding on. “Adam!” I shrieked as pain shot through my hand from all of the splinters digging into my skin. “Help!”
“I’m coming!”
I didn’t dare to look down as my legs flailed in the darkness beneath me. I had no idea how deep this hole was, and I didn’t want to find out.
“I’ve got you.” Another familiar voice called to me, and a pair of strong hands reached for my arm and pulled me upward.
My legs felt like jelly as I stood by the edge of the hole a moment later, safely tucked in Hunter’s powerful arms. “What are you doing here?” I managed to choke out.
“You didn’t text me to say you got here safely, and I was already worried anyway, so I decided to come down here,” he said, stroking my hair. “Lucky I did, right? Ran in and grabbed you just in time.”
I nodded, chin trembling. “Thank you,” I said in a ragged whisper. “The floor… it just collapsed under me.”
“The wood must’ve rotted. Or termites might’ve eaten it.”
“I don’t think so,” Adam cut in. “Look at this.”
Hunter lifted his chin to look at his brother. “What is it?”
“Just come over here. You’ll see.”
Hunter held my hand as we carefully walked over the undamaged floorboards and around to where Adam was crouched.
“Look,” he muttered, pointing to the edge of the hole. “The boards aren’t splintered at all here, and they definitely haven’t rotted.”
“Shit, you’re right.” Hunter sank down next to him, forehead creasing. “They’ve been cut.”
My eyes widened. “What?”
He looked up at me. “It looks like someone came in here and went at this floor with some sort of power-saw,” he said. He stood up and paced around the edge of the hole, checking out every one of the snapped boards. “Looks like they cut a big circle in the boards, but they didn’t cut all the way through. Just enough so that it would snap and cave in as soon as someone put their weight on it.”
“How the fuck did we miss that?” Adam asked, face paling.
“They probably covered the cut parts with dead leaves,” Hunter said, motioning toward all the debris on the floor. “So you two didn’t notice it when you came in. But as soon as Laney broke through, most of the leaves fell in with the snapped boards, and now it’s fucking obvious.”
“So whoever did this… they wanted us to know it wasn’t an accident,” I said, hands shaking at my sides.
Hunter looked at me again. “Yeah. Looks that way.”
Adam pushed himself to his feet with a grimace and stepped across the safe part of the floorboards, heading around the left side of the hole. He crouched to pick up the envelope that I was on my way to get before I fell through the floor.
He limped back over and held it out in front of him, dark eyes flashing with confusion. “It’s for you,” he said.
My stomach lurched. “How do you know that without opening it?”
“It has your name on it.” He turned it over to show me my name printed in large white letters. “Seriously, Laney… what the fuck is going on here?”
I didn’t reply. I didn’t even know what to say. Swallowing thickly, I ripped the envelope open to find another note. Good luck reading this one, bitch :)
The short message was accompanied by a crude drawing of a stick figure falling through a giant hole in the floor.
“Jesus,” Hunter muttered. “It was just a lure to make sure you’d cross the room and fall through the floor.”
Adam nodded. “They must’ve known she’d decide to go and get it after what happened to me,” he said.
“What?” Hunter’s brows shot up. “What happened?”
I sighed and gave Hunter a brief rundown of what had occurred before he showed up just in time to help me out of the hole—the attack on Adam, the note they threw at him when they pushed him up against the wall, and the fact that it was probably a girl.
His jaw clenched as he looked at the first note. “This is fucked up. They could’ve seriously hurt you both.” He looked up at me. “That fall could’ve even killed you.�
��
I shined a light from my phone over the hole and peered into it. “It looks like there’s a basement level a few feet down, and there’s an old mattress and a bunch of couch cushions on the floor down there. Probably from the parties people have had here over the years,” I said. I looked back at the guys. “Falling down there probably wouldn’t have killed me, but I definitely could’ve broken a few bones. So I think it was just meant to be a warning to make me take the first note seriously.”
“Pretty fucked-up warning.” Hunter pulled me over to him again, arms tightening around my waist.
I knew exactly what he was thinking, because I was thinking it too.
The Network got the Medusa girls to do this, hoping it would scare me enough to ensure my silence about the true nature of their secret club. That would explain why Adam saw long hair sticking out of the ski mask when he was attacked earlier.
“It’s going to be okay,” Hunter murmured against my ear, stroking my back. “I’m not letting you out of my sight anymore. If they wanna try to get at you, they’re gonna have to go through me first.”
Adam’s eyes narrowed as he watched us. “What the fuck is happening here?” he said. “You guys know something, don’t you?”
“It’s a long story,” Hunter replied.
“Tell me,” Adam insisted. “What the hell does that first note mean? And why are you two suddenly friends again?”
Hunter and I exchanged glances, and he gave me a brief nod. “I think he deserves to know at this point,” he murmured.
I quickly filled Adam in on our investigation into the Medusas and the Network. I didn’t tell him that his father was probably one of them, though. That seemed like too much for now. He’d already gone through enough today with the terror of the earlier sneak attack.
“Holy shit. Why didn’t you tell me about any of this sooner?” he asked when I was done, eyes wide. “Don’t you trust me?”
“It’s not that we don’t trust you,” I said, lifting my palms in a placating gesture. “We were keeping it to ourselves just in case, because the more people who know, the more chance there is of them getting hurt.”
Shattered Kingdom: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Royal Falls Elite Book 2) Page 11