***
Olivia pulls into the parking lot and puts the Jeep in park. She looks over at me anxiously. “Are you ready for this?”
The way my hands are clenching the door handle should be answer enough, but Olivia waits for me to respond. Molly’s little hand on my shoulder helps more than she realizes. Her own excitement to actually be outside of the house is hard to ignore. Finally, I say, “I guess I have to be.”
“That’s the spirit,” Evie says mockingly.
I shoot her a glare, which she ignores.
“It’s going to be fine,” Olivia says. “Everything is going to be fine.”
I think we’ve all been telling ourselves that since we woke up this morning. Evie is the first to get out. The smile on her face as she slips out of the backseat seems odd until I see Matt and Hayden walking toward us. Evie bounces into Matt’s arms and plants a kiss right on his lips. I’m not sure what to think about that yet, so I keep my comments to myself.
Hayden ignores his brother and Evie, and pulls Olivia’s door open. His gaze lingers on her a moment before turning to me. “Ready?”
I wish people would stop asking me that. I’m saved from answering when Molly launches herself over the backseat and squishes in next to me. “I’m ready,” she says. “Let’s go!”
“Molly,” Olivia reminds gently, “you can’t touch Mason, remember? No one is supposed to see you.”
Molly snaps her hands away from me and disappears from their view. “Sorry,” she mumbles.
Really, I’m the one who should be sorry. It’s difficult to stop myself from sharing power with her. I don’t even realize I’m doing it. It freaks me out that I can’t hold onto Molly today. I’m terrified of losing her. I know the Sentinels are watching us all very closely. We haven’t seen any overt signs of them, but I know they’re out there somewhere.
So are the Caretaker Officers, though. Somehow, Robin’s parents were able to orchestrate getting our usual truant officer reassigned so one of their own could take his place. I still don’t trust Robin’s parents at all, but it is reassuring to know we’re being guarded.
“Okay,” Olivia says, “Molly, hop down after me and hold onto my hand. We’re going to take Mason to the office to get his schedule first, and then off to our first class. You have your backpack?”
“Uh-huh, and all the fun stuff Evie packed for me. I won’t be bored at all,” Molly says to me, since Olivia can’t hear her. I relay the message and Olivia nods. She gets out a minute later. I watch Molly hop down and grab her hand immediately. She’s still too excited for the danger to sink in.
I almost start scooting across the seat to get out behind Olivia before I realize I can get out my own door for once. It’s a weird feeling. As I pull back on the handle, my eyes scan the crowd of students. No one is even looking in my direction, but the air around me feels heavy. I push the door open all the way and step down onto the asphalt. It feels different, even though I know it’s not.
Olivia and Molly come around the back of the Jeep to wait for me. Hayden isn’t far behind. I guess Evie and Matt already ditched us. The encouraging smile Olivia offers finally gets me moving. I swing the door shut and walk toward her. When I step up to Olivia, she grabs my hand. She and Hayden start talking about a homework assignment as if everything is completely normal. This used to be the kind of thing that drove me crazy. It’s unusually calming today.
After getting my schedule from the office, I take a moment to stare at my name printed on an official document. It’s oddly frightening.
“So, what’s the F stand for?” Hayden asks, clearly reading over my shoulder.
I cringe. Why did the Montgomery’s have to use my real name? “Frederick,” I mumble.
Hayden’s mouth twitches. “Frederick? Really?”
Olivia elbows him in the side. “It means leader.”
“My mom, um, Caretaker mom, said they chose it because I was going to be a leader for my people. I guess I never understood what she meant until recently,” I say.
Hayden’s expression turns serious. “Sounds like she knew who you really were from the beginning,” Hayden says.
I nod, but look down at my shoes. I wonder what else she knew. I don’t know if I will ever recover my full memory of the first five years of my life. I remember enough to know that my Caretaker family didn’t tell me what I really was, but I’ve realized over the last few weeks that they were still teaching me.
I had forgotten so much of what happened before the Sentinels found me there. I’m sure there was more they taught me than I realize even now. I don’t remember anyone actively teaching me about my power in my first home, but sometimes I remember the feeling of having it in my hands.
It makes me wonder what else using my power might help me remember.
“Mason!” Robin shrieks as she barrels down the hallway. She crashes into me and throws her arms around my waist. I don’t miss the reactions from Olivia or Hayden.
The spark of irritation and jealousy from Olivia isn’t that surprising, although there seems to be a harsher edge to her expression than I’ve seen before. Hayden’s reaction is even more confusing. His obvious dislike pushes him back a step. I wonder, briefly, what happened between them, but Robin blasts that thought out of my head as she starts speed talking.
“I’m so glad to see you! I was totally freaked out when Olivia disappeared from school. I mean, my first guess was that she went after you—you have no idea how furious I was about that—and then when no one heard from her for so long, I nearly lost it because I thought you had both been killed. It didn’t help that Hayden was missing too, because I knew that meant he was with Olivia, which I could not believe she trusted him with something like that after everything we talked about and what my grandma said about him and the book. I’m just so glad he didn’t turn to be a Sentinel or psycho or whatever, even though he’s still one of the last people I’d ever trust …”
“Believe me,” Hayden cuts in, “the feeling’s mutual.”
Robin glares at him and opens her mouth, but I hold a hand up, not ready to listen to another one of her nonstop monologues. She snaps her lips closed expectantly, but I don’t say anything right away. I think some of my answers about the tension between everyone just got answered. I’ll have to dig into that more a little later, but for now… Robin.
“Take a breath, Robin. I’m fine. Everyone is fine.”
“For now,” she says, her eyes darting around the hallway.
Olivia steps up next to me and curls her hand around my arm. “Exactly. We don’t know who might be watching or listening, so how about you take it down a notch, okay?”
Robin’s features tense, but she doesn’t respond to Olivia. Instead, she focuses on me again. Rolling her eyes, Olivia steps over to Hayden and they start talking about something. Robin ignores them both. “My point is, I’m glad you’re safe.”
“Thanks.”
I feel a little lost stepping into whatever bad blood seems to now exist between Robin and the two people who saved my life, but a trio of girls walking down the hallway distracts me. I don’t notice them because their pretty, even though they are. I notice because they’re staring at me as they walk. One of them smiles, but I’m too frozen to do anything. Why are they staring at me?
They turn the corner, and a moment later, Robin’s palm smacks into my arm. “Ow, what was that for?” I demand.
Robin’s eyes narrow. “Why didn’t you tell me you could make people see you? That was kind of important!”
“I wasn’t always able to do it. I only figured it out before I left.”
“So, you could have told me, but didn’t.” She folds her arms across her chest and I can tell that she’s really upset about this by the way her normally pale checks flush with anger. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Only Olivia’s family knew,” I say, dodging the real answer.
Robin refuses to let up. “Why?”
The truth sticks in my throat. I kno
w telling Robin that no one trusted her enough to let her in on the secret won’t turn out well. It doesn’t take a genius to realize she’s pissed at Olivia for not telling her that she was going after me and trusted Hayden instead. I’m still not sure exactly what her deal is with Hayden, because it seems to have deeper roots than just the rescue, but Robin clearly didn’t expect me to hide something from her.
It’s difficult to admit that I don’t trust her, because I did for so long. Part of me still does. I just don’t know anymore. I can’t take risks I don’t know the repercussions of right now.
Finally, I settle on the closest thing to the truth I can manage. “I didn’t want your parents to find out, and I was afraid they’d figure it out if you knew. I had no idea how far they would go to get answers about you, and I figured you’d be safer if you didn’t know.”
The hostility melts from Robin’s posture at my words. A pinch of guilt stings me because I know that’s not entirely true, but I didn’t want to cause Robin any more pain than she was already dealing with. Doubting whether or not I could trust her to keep a secret like that just tipped the scales.
“Oh, okay,” Robin says. “I guess that makes sense.”
She starts to say something else, but Olivia interrupts by putting her hand on my shoulder. “The bell’s going to ring in a minute. I’m going to run to the restroom.”
Her eyes flick behind her just briefly. I realize right away that she’s indicating Molly, but doesn’t want to mention her. I’m not sure why, but I catch sight of Hayden’s warning glance before I can say anything. The subtle shake of his head looks like nothing more than a subconscious adjustment. I realize then that Robin hasn’t noticed Molly is here, and apparently the others want to keep it that way.
It’s sobering to realize just how much Hayden and Olivia don’t trust Robin. I struggle to figure out whether that is mainly due to the Parker’s warning, or if there’s more to it. Either way, I swallow my words, and turn back to Robin slowly.
“So,” Robin says, seemingly oblivious to everything that just ran through my head, “what’s the plan?”
For a moment, I just stare at her. She knows the plan. I think of myself standing here in the school, completely visible despite the fact that it is freaking me out. This is the plan. What is she talking about? Confused, I say, “We’re just going to act like everything is normal and watch our backs for Sentinels.”
Robin’s eyebrows furrow. “What? No, not that plan. I mean the plan to take me with you when you go home. Please tell me you learned something from the other Caretakers while you were gone. I can’t stay here much longer.”
Shaking my head, I try to gather my thoughts, but it’s then that I notice how awkwardly Robin is standing. Her hunched over posture is foreign, and she’s holding one arm close to her body in order to protect it. I look closer and see a hint of blue peeking out from the top of her sweater. She tries to stop me when I reach toward her, but I have to see.
The splotchy bruises start just above her collar bone and spread down past where I can see. I realize Hayden is now standing right next to me and I look over at him. His expression is hard as he stares at the bruises. Despite not liking Robin, he is obviously disturbed at the sight. Robin shoves my hand away when she notices Hayden next to us and looks down at the floor.
“What happened?” I ask.
Robin shrugs. “I was punished for letting Olivia go after you.”
“But Mason would have died if she didn’t!” Hayden argues. “They know that.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she says. “I was supposed to keep her from leading the Sentinels to you, and I failed.”
Hayden looks baffled. Honestly, I feel the same way. Her parents’ attitude makes absolutely no sense, unless they just enjoy hurting Robin. Strangely, though, that’s not what’s bothering me the most. Worry, deep and frightening, worms its way into my core as I consider what Robin is really saying.
Olivia trusted Robin to help her while I was away. She was supposed to teach her about being an Escort and help her find answers about the earth mother and sky father from the legend. Robin did help her, but all that time, she was intent on following her parents’ orders as well. Olivia told me she didn’t trust Robin to help her come save me because she was afraid she’d try to stop her. She was right.
It doesn’t make sense, though. “Robin, I don’t get it,” I say. “Why would you do what they say when it would put me in danger?”
“I agreed with them,” she argues. “I was trying to protect you.”
“By letting him die,” Hayden snarls.
Robin rounds on him with a vicious look. Hayden rolls his eyes, but steps back to appease her. She turns to me. “It wasn’t about obeying my parents. They’re going to beat me either way. I honestly thought Olivia was going to put you in more danger if she went after you, and I couldn’t let her do that. You have to survive until your birthday, Mason. You’re too important.”
“So, you would have stopped her if you’d had the chance?” I ask.
“You don’t understand,” Robin says, her voice pleading. “That creepy scarred Sentinel had been hanging around here watching Olivia. I knew the second Olivia took off, he’d be right behind her—which it sounds like he was!”
Hayden crosses his arms over his chest. “You’re wrong. The scarred Sentinel attacked Mason before we ever got there. He had already figured out where Mason was.”
Robin turns back to me. Her eyes are wide and she is on the verge of crying. “I was trying to protect you, Mason. You have to believe me. I thought she was going to get you killed and I couldn’t let that happen. You have to go home. You have to survive until your birthday and take me away from my parents. Please believe me, Mason. I was trying to save you.”
I feel cold as I pull Robin into a hug. She wipes away tears as I hold her, but my mind isn’t on the fact that she is crying right now. I look at Hayden over Robin’s shoulder and I see my own fear echoed in his eyes. All Robin’s talk about saving me… it was erased by one phrase.
You have to survive until your birthday and take me away from my parents.
There is no doubt in my mind that the same phrase is running through Hayden’s mind right now. Robin isn’t interested in saving me. She’s out to save herself.
Chapter 27
A Baby
(Mason)
By three o’clock, I am convinced this day is never going to end. I’m over this whole being visible thing. It’s weird, and to be honest, feels really invasive. Carmen, the girl sitting next to me, started going to the same school as Olivia when her family moved here in first grade. It has always been her daily goal to make at least one girl cry every day.
Not cringing when she introduced herself to me at the beginning of class was a challenge. Her fake smile got on my nerves instantly, but I found myself stuck pretending I had no clue she was a vindictive sociopath. Now she won’t quit looking over at me and trying to get my attention. I prop my head on my hand and pretend to be falling asleep.
I must do a pretty good job of it, because I jolt back up when the bell finally rings. I snatch my bag up off the floor and shove everything inside of it. I am at Olivia’s side two seconds later, safely out of Carmen’s reach.
“Seriously, what happened to people around here after I left? I don’t remember them being so weird, or staring so much. It’s been creeping me out all day.”
Olivia laughs and kisses me. “They’re not staring because they’ve changed or become any stranger than usual. They’re staring because you are fresh meat, and every girl in school is dying to get their hands on you.”
Olivia follows that up with another kiss, this one less playful and more enticing. When she tries to pull back, I don’t let her go right away. Olivia lets her fingers trail down my face to my chest. “Don’t worry,” she says, “I won’t let Sentinels or skanky girls get anywhere near you. You’re mine.”
I laugh and kiss her again. “Yes I am.”
My
lips brush against Olivia’s softly. She responds immediately, rising onto her toes to deepen the kiss. I pull back just a little, teasing her, waiting for her to wrinkle her nose at me.
“Ugh,” Molly groans, “can we go yet? I’ve been bored since lunch! It wasn’t fun eating outside with Hayden while you guys got to eat in the cafeteria with Robin. It was cold outside.”
Olivia can’t hear her, so when I laugh, she thinks I am laughing at her. I chuckle again and say, “Sorry, not you. Molly is getting impatient.”
Sighing, Olivia shoulders her backpack. “I’m sure Hayden and Robin are waiting for us, too. You head out first and distract Robin while I get Molly into the Jeep.”
Molly clamps onto Olivia’s hand, more than ready to head out, but I stop them both for just a moment. “What are we going to do about Molly when it comes to Robin? Not telling her or her parents about Molly was smart, but it’s going to be hard to hide Molly from her all the time.”
I cock my head to one side as this morning in the hall comes back into my mind for the first time today. I look over at Olivia with a frown. “You know, I didn’t think too much about it at the time because Robin showed up so suddenly and our conversation put me on edge, but Molly was there and Robin didn’t even say anything about her.” I rub my forehead as I think. “I mean, I know Molly was hiding behind you the whole time, but I’m surprised Robin didn’t see her.”
Olivia’s eyebrows rise. Her eyes bounce over to Molly, who is standing very still for some reason. When Olivia looks back at me, her expression seems perfectly normal. She shrugs. “It’s probably just because Robin was completely fixated on you. Besides, after what she said about getting away from her parents, I doubt she’d notice an explosion set off under her feet if she was discussing escape plans. She’s really worrying me, Mason.”
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