“Lucy,” he said, yawning. “What’s this all about?”
“I had a dream about James. In a field. Getting banished or something.” I couldn’t look at him. I just had to get through it. “The thing is, I’ve been having some weird dreams lately, about James. But I think this one’s real.”
“Why would you think that?” He sat down on the couch beside me and slung one arm over my shoulders.
I relaxed my tense muscles, my heart softening. “James tried to warn me about something after graduation. Then he told me to meet him at sunset, but he didn’t show. Told me to make up an excuse so you guys wouldn’t worry. Now this dream. I called him like twenty times in a row. Something’s really wrong.”
“It’s one-thirty in the morning. What exactly do you want me to do about it?” Dad’s brow scrunched.
“I don’t know, go be a Dad and rescue him? Fix things? Isn’t that what you guys do?” I exhaled in a huff, running my hands through my own crazy hair.
“While I’d like to think so,” he said as he laughed like I was still five years old and seeing monsters in my closet, “I don’t even know if there’s even a problem here. And if there is, I have no clue where to start.”
“That much I do know,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him. “James is at the chapel.”
“The chapel? Why would he be at the chapel?” His whole face furrowed up in the patented McAllen worried-bulldog look.
“I don’t know.” I gulped down an extra ounce of courage. In one long breath I said, “All I know is there were torches, six evil guys in robes who banished him, and he ran to the chapel. Does any of that make sense to you?”
Dad gawked at me, eyes wide like a mega-watt light bulb suddenly switched on. “Okay, maybe that sounds a little bit plausible. But I’d have to make a few calls.”
“Good. Make them,” Relief sank into my bones. “I did my job. Now you do yours. If you find James and everything’s fine, no harm done, right?”
“Right, Lucy girl. Now back to bed with you.” He ruffled my hair, then pulled out his phone and started dialing.
“Okay.” I trudged back to the darkness of my room. Muscles I hadn’t even realized I’d clenched started to relaxed.
Yawning, I slipped into bed and pulled up the covers. I tried to listen to every word he said, but I could barely keep my eyes open.
I drifted right back to sleep knowing Dad was on the case now.
Chapter 7
JAMES
Rushing water roared in my ears. Darkness covered my eyes like thick smoke, filling my nostrils, clogging each breath in and out.
“Help!” A shrill scream ripped through the black fog. Maria’s scream.
Even though I couldn’t see, I ran toward the cry. Toward the water. She stood at the edge of the river, teetering over the edge. This time, I could catch her if I only pumped my legs fast enough.
“Help!” she shrieked again, her hot breath somehow on my face.
I lunged for that breath. Ready to drown in the river, too, if I couldn’t save her. My fingertips grazed her soft hand.
Splat. She hit the water.
I’d dive in after her. I leaned back on my heels, arms overhead, and jumped. Dove straight into darkness.
Bam. A door slammed and I bolted upright.
I was back in the chapel library. It was only a dream. Stupid to think I could ever reach her. She was gone.
Rubbing my eyes, I unraveled myself from my hoodie blanket and backpack pillow, wiping my mouth.
From my dark hiding place under the tower ladder, the library seemed eerily quiet. And devoid of Guardians. My arm hairs bristled.
Noises clamored down the hall, voices argued. All was not right in the Guardian sanctuary. Something must’ve happened while I slept. Nexis must’ve found me.
With a bang, the library door burst open. Footsteps stomped across the floor. I sprang to my feet and balled my fists, blood boiling in my veins.
Sneaking into the shadows of the turret, I coiled on the balls of my feet. Ready to pound on those two goons who had let Maria drown.
“Where is he?” A familiar voice boomed in the silence. “Where is my son?”
“Dad, is that you?” I asked as I emerged from my hiding spot. “What’re you doing here? How’d you even know I was here? How’d you even get in?”
“I’ll tell you about that later. Lucy sent me,” he growled under his breath. “She had some crazy dream about you getting banished. Woke me up.”
“No way.” Surely my eyeballs had popped out of my skull and were rolling around on the ground somewhere. “How could she possibly know?”
“Don’t tell me this is some kind of insanely elaborate senior prank.” Dad loomed over me like an angry linebacker.
“Afraid not.” I shrugged, shoving my hands into my pockets. Like my entire world wasn’t coming apart at the seams. “Two lunkheads dragged me to the practice field to face the Nexis Council. Where they banished me.”
“The same guys camped out in the quad? So you’re telling me it’s all true?” His jaw went slack.
“Yes, but there’s more.” I sucked in the biggest breath of my life and exhaled. “The craziest part is that maybe Lucy really is the Seer after all.”
Dad paused, wrinkled his eyebrows, and took two steps toward me. “What’re you saying?”
I gulped, staring down at my sneakers. Looking anywhere but at Dad when I said, “Apparently I’m not your real son.”
“What?” Dad roared. Grabbed me by the collar. “That’s not funny.”
“I agree.” I stepped back and pulled the crumpled photocopy out of my pocket. The only evidence Abby hadn’t confiscated. “Found this a few months ago. I guess Nexis did, too.”
He took the birth certificate from my hands and smoothed out the creases. Squinting, he adjusted his reading glasses.
“This can’t be right, son,” he said, head bobbling. “I signed your birth certificate I know I did.”
I held my breath and stared at him. The truth lurked on the tip of my tongue. I’m not your son. You’re not my father. All the angry protests that curdled my stomach and burned my throat. But I’d already said it once and it tore me up inside. I couldn’t say it again.
“Don’t.” Dad held up his hand. Looked me straight in the eye. “Don’t even think about it. I don’t know who this guy is. I don’t care what this piece of paper says. I raised you. You’re my son and I love you. And that’s that. End of discussion.” He flung both arms around me, squeezing me hard.
“Okay, Dad,” I said around the lump lodged in my throat.
“Just give me a minute to wrap my head around this.” Then he walked off to the other side of the room and paced back and forth. Back and forth.
I rocked on my heels, watching him swing from one side of the library to the other like a pendulum. Not sure what to say.
Hushed whispers hissed from the hallway. My head swiveled to the door. Abby peeked her head in, mouthed sorry, and slowly closed it.
Thanks, I mouthed back as the door clicked shut.
“Good. They’re gone.” Just like that, Dad walked back my way. “So you’re here, under Guardian Sanctuary, I presume. What Intel did you trade to get it?”
“Sacred stone locations,” I whispered. Those three terrible words resonated between us.
Dad whistled, the beginnings of a smile on his face. “I’m impressed. How on earth did you get those?”
My mouth curled. “I broke into St. Lucy’s Church in Harlem.”
“Well done. That’s my boy.” He clapped his hands, grinning now. “But surely you didn’t give them everything. What’s your backup intel?”
“How’d you know about that?” I asked.
“Because you’re my son, and I raised you to fight back.” Reaching over, he patted me on the back. “Don’t ever forget that. You are my son. Got it?”
“Got it.” I nodded, mashing my lips together, swallowed back the nagging objections to the contrary. I glanced b
ack at the turret, at my go bag. “I managed to steal a diary account from St. Lucia. It tells how Nexis tried to use her to track down the sacred stones.”
Dad gaped at me, jaw dangling. “You’ve got St. Lucia’s original diary?”
I shook my head. “No, it’s only a copy from a Nexis record. But there’s more. St. Lucia had visions, reoccurring visions, that in two thousand years a Seer with the same name would end the Nexis reign of terror.”
“My grandmother told me that story a long time ago,” he said, his eyes glazing over in a faraway look. “I never thought that prophecy could be about my own daughter.”
I opened my mouth. Shut it again. Watched him as a strange expression clouded his face.
“How could I be so stupid?” he shouted and stormed off, headed straight for the turret.
“Wait.” I followed him, hot on his heels. He was hiding something. I could feel it. As soon as we reached the tower, darkness enveloped us.
“Dad, I don’t know what’s going on.” I swallowed back the acid taste in my mouth and crouched on the floor. “But maybe I’m not the only one with secrets here.”
He slid down next to me, but I could barely see him in the darkness. “I should’ve told you sooner. I let them draw me into their web of lies. Now you’re the one paying the price.” He raked both hands through his thinning hair.
“What’re are you talking about?” I stared at the outline of his face, my eyes adjusting to the shadows.
“You can’t tell your sisters. Not yet.” He leaned in, forehead almost touching mine. “I’m a Guardian,” he whispered. “I come from a long line of Guardians. I’ve been a Guardian all my life.”
“Eee…uhh, huh?” I croaked. My brain couldn’t fathom the possibility. “You can’t be serious.”
With one finger Dad drew a line across his mouth. “You can’t tell Lucy or Paige. Especially not your mother. You promise me?”
I blinked in slow motion. Bobbed my head up and down. “Of course, I promise. But why?”
“Because,” he cleared his throat, “the truth could get them in a lot of trouble. Especially your mother…” he trailed off, glancing my way. “Well you know Nexis. They might—”
“Kill her?” Both hands flew to my face as my mind exploded. “Like they killed Maria? Tonight.” The cold stench of the grave hung in the air.
“Maria’s dead?” He looked at me with the same horror that rankled my insides.
“Nexis sentenced her to death, so we ran. And she fell into the Hudson.” Darkness spun me around and I couldn’t breathe. I squeezed my eyes shut against the pain.
Dad’s warm hand landed on my neck, rubbing my shoulders, but it didn’t help. Couldn’t reach me. Maria was dead, and it was all my fault.
“Hold up. I’m missing something.” The anger bubbled in my stomach. I glared at him. “Why in the world would you send me to Montrose? Let me join Nexis? If you knew they were capable of this.” I waved my arm.
He winced like I’d stung him. “It was the Guardians’ plan. Once you graduated, they wanted to turn you into a double agent like me. But I never wanted that for you.”
I could only stare at him. There were no words.
That faraway returned, the makings of a smile twitching his mouth. “I wanted you to join the Guardians from the start. Follow in my footsteps.” Then his face drooped. “I’m tired, so sick and tired, of these games,” he said. “These stupid societies that control every aspect of our lives. Moving us around like chess pieces to be sacrificed.”
“So why keep up the charade?” was all I could manage.
“Ever since your mother joined Nexis, I’ve been trying to find a way to get out. Or take them down trying,” he said lowering his voice.
He leaned back against the shelf. The old wood groaned against our weight, books wobbling.
“I’ve been collecting evidence for years. I thought once you graduated we could pool our resources. Maybe turn your mom, too. But now it seems so hopeless…” he said, words fading away in a whisper.
“We can still dig up dirt on these guys from the inside.” I couldn’t help the grin that curved up my lips. “It’s just going to take a bit longer. And I’ll have to make my own connections.”
He turned and faced me. “In Europe.”
“In Europe.” I nodded. “But Lucy…”
“I’ll take care of her.” He sat up straighter. “I’ve got just the thing, tucked away in my grandma’s jewelry box. You remember. She was the last McAllen Seer.”
“How’s Great-Grandma Lucinda’s jewelry box going to help Lucy?” I asked.
Dad’s eyes lit up. “Granny had a ring set with stones from the sacred amethyst. It’s a family heirloom. I’m sure it would protect Lucy.”
“I wish I’d known that sooner.” I slammed one fist on the ground. “I broke into the Nexis Chamber, the Broadway repository, and St. Lucy’s Church looking for the amethyst. Which only got me banished—and Maria killed.” I clenched and unclenched my fists, thinking up all the ways I’d bring Nexis down.
“I’m sorry son,” he said, voice softening. He leveled his gaze at me. “You risked a lot to help your sister. What happened to Maria is awful. But it wasn’t your fault.”
I glowered at him, grinding my teeth into oblivion, but nothing could stop my gut from churning as her face flashed into my mind.
When I didn’t answer, he laid his hand over mine. “Pull yourself together, son. Don’t let anger cloud your judgment. We’ve got to think our way out, and we’re running out of time.”
“I guess you’re right,” I said, breathing in deep. The anger simmered to a low boil. “I’ve done all I can do. Now’s the time to use your connections.”
He nodded as his jaw jutted out. “Getting the European Guardians to give my Nexis-banished son asylum will be like squeezing water from a rock. But we’ve got key intel to negotiate with.”
“Look, Dad, if they want more proof I’m on their side, I’m willing to join the Guardian army,” I said, swallowing hard. “I’ve already told them that, but I have one condition. Lucy can’t enroll next semester. Promise me that.”
He nodded, eyes on the door. “We’re on the same page there, son. Lucy won’t step foot on Montrose soil till she’s ready. But if she is the next Seer, she’ll need training. Can we agree on that?” He extended his hand to me.
“Okay, fine.” I gave him a firm handshake. “I can agree on that—after she turns sixteen.”
“It’s a deal.” He pumped my arm up and down. “Let’s talk about your army enlistment. I’d rather you enroll in officer training school. You’ll get more dirt on them that way.”
“I don’t know,” I said, glaring at him. “I wanna be in the trenches. Give the Nexis scum exactly what they deserve.”
“James, I know you’re mad at Nexis right now.” He rose to his full height, two inches taller than me. “ But the front line isn’t the best place for you. Not if you want to protect Lucy.”
“We’ll talk about it,” I said, standing to my feet, too.
“That’s all I’m asking,” he said.
“Thanks, Dad. For everything. I’m glad Lucy woke you up. I’m glad you’re here.” I caught him in my sights until he met my gaze. “Take care of them. Above all else. I’m serious.”
It wasn’t a question—it was a demand. I stared him down. Waited a second. His head bobbed once. That was all I needed.
“It’s only a few hours till dawn. You get some sleep. I better begin negotiations.” His face contorted in a grimace. I didn’t envy the job he had ahead of him.
“Good luck.” I reached over and locked him in a bear hug. Even if he wasn’t my biological father, Dad still had my back.
I wanted to ask him the question I couldn’t ask him, if he could ever forgive Mom. But he was already walking toward the door—ready to do battle on my behalf.
As I settled down again on my makeshift bed, I asked myself the same question. Could I ever forgive her? My muscles stiff
ened. The question bounced back at me as if it hit an invisible force field. No. I couldn’t forgive her. Not right now.
Just like I’d never forgive Nexis for putting my family in this position. The anger burned like napalm, a fire that might never be quenched. Somehow I’d make them pay. Expose the Nexis Society for what it truly was—pure evil.
For now, I had a new part to play. Guardian lackey by day, secret Guardian of the Seer by night. The next time I saw my sister, however many years from now, we’d have a way out. One day, we’d finally break free and live our own lives for a change. Wouldn’t that be nice?
With that thought, I drifted off to sleep. Maybe for the last time for a long time on American soil.
Chapter 8
LUCY
Bright light seeped through the flesh of my eyelids. I didn’t want to get up, not yet. I burrowed deeper under the pillowy-soft hotel sheets.
Why was I so tired anyway? Something had happened last night, something strange. I could almost remember, then the memory floated away on a cloud. Out of reach.
My body twitched, jerking me awake. And I remembered…the dream. Rushing in to wake Dad, making him go out into the city at two a.m. to find my brother. Had all of that really happened, or was it just another dream?
I slid into my slippers, hopped out of bed, and padded out into the main suite.
Mom and Dad were already up, gesturing wildly at each other. A whisper-argument in pantomime. Mom’s coffee sloshed over the mug in her hand onto the white tiles. This couldn’t be good.
“Guys, what’re you doing?” I asked as a yawn escaped. “Leave some coffee for the rest of us.”
“Oh, right. Sorry, Lucy.” Mom grabbed a paper towel and threw it in the air. It fluttered to the floor, where she stomped up the brown liquid with her foot. Like the rest of us common-folk.
“What’s going on here?” I blinked at her and poured myself a nice big cup of coffee with lots of cream.
My mind might not be fully awake yet, but my body picked up Mom’s not-so-subtle clues. And I’d probably need all the fortification I could get today. “Is everything all right with James?”
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