Saia frowns along with me now. “I’m not sure. Most of the visitors we get are mainly Spiritualists. Even the ones with other talents often don’t bother developing them. But from what I understand about Perception, I would guess that not only would obvious emotions and thought patterns be amplified, the deepest, most genuine of those would be shared as well.”
My shoulders slump in defeat. Doesn’t that just figure? I wanted so badly to be able to pass my attraction to Braden off as flighty teenage lust made ten times worse by the link. What if what Saia’s saying is right? What if my desire to be around him may come from something deeper than hormones? Pain starts building behind my eyes, and I reach up to try and rub it away.
“Libby?” Saia asks, reminding me that she’s still here, “are you all right? Do you need to leave already?”
I look back up and shake my head. “No, I’m fine.”
“Something I said upset you,” she says sadly.
“No,” I say, “well, yes, I mean, but it’s not your fault. I just don’t know what to do about Braden.”
She looks at me, curious. “I didn’t realize there was anything you had to do about him. Is there a problem between the two of you? He hasn’t mentioned anything to me. All he ever has to say about you are very nice things.” She squeezes my hand gently, her smile hopeful that this will make me feel better.
“That’s kind of the problem.”
“What do you mean?” She stops and I can see the understanding build in her eyes. “Oh, he has feelings for you, but you’re with Milo. I apologize for forgetting about Milo. Some here are very unkind to Braden, but I have never held his career choices against him. I care only that he is a good, kind person. It pleased me so much to finally see him happy that I forgot about your situation.”
Why couldn’t she have said Braden was a prick, someone she only tolerated because his grandfather was such a good friend to the Ciphers? Telling me he’s wonderful certainly doesn’t help. Saia notices my deepening melancholy, but before she can start apologizing again I interrupt. “Saia, please. It’s not your fault. Don’t be sorry. This is my mess, not yours.”
“I definitely see why Braden's affection would be a problem for you. Would you mind if I asked how you felt about Braden?”
I really don’t know Saia that well, but I desperately need someone to talk to, and I know I can trust her. “I hated Braden when we first met, but the more I’m around him … the more I want to be around him.”
Saia laughs. “I think that’s how a lot of people feel about Braden, especially here.”
Her comparison makes me smile. I forgot who I was talking to for a moment. “It’s more than that, though. Braden says he’s in love with me. Every time I’m around him, I can feel everything he’s feeling. I don’t know if that’s influencing me, making me want him more just because he wants me so much. Regardless, I’m with Milo and I would never want to hurt him.”
“Of course you won’t.” She looks at me with conviction that what she just said is true. Not many people in this world can manage that. “Libby, just because Braden is your Companion doesn’t mean you have to fall in love with him. Plenty of spiritual Companions don’t become romantically involved. In many cases they develop a very deep and rewarding friendship. I can understand how your situation is made worse by the Companion link, but I think you would still be faced with this decision even without it. The only advice I can offer you is the same as I would give to anyone. Give yourself some time to figure out how you really feel about both young men, and then let your heart decide.”
“What do you mean both young men? I already know how I feel about Milo,” I argue.
Saia smiles. “Do you?”
Gently her hand takes mine. I have imagined my mom making such a gesture many times, but have never actually experienced it. I feel an unexpected closeness to Saia I wasn’t prepared for. Suddenly, I feel the prick of tears behind my eyes and fight to keep them away.
“Libby, I am in no way trying to sway you in either direction, but I have heard a great deal about the beginnings of yours and Milo’s relationship.”
“From who?”
“From Milo, mainly. There were many questions asked about how he found you on his last visit.”
He didn’t tell me any of that.
“My point is, when you met Milo you were isolated from everyone. He befriended you when you had no one else, forging a strong connection with you. There may be times when that connection is perceived to be stronger than it is, or it may also be the kind of connection that cannot be broken by anything. I can only suggest you be sure of which it is for you. Trust your heart.”
I can’t exactly explain why, but my old doubts struggle to break to the surface at Saia’s words.
“I know this may sound strange since you are the Destroyer, but there is no destiny or fate,” Saia says. “There is purpose, of course, but each of us has to choose to either fulfill that purpose or abandon it. That is true even for you, when it comes to being the Destroyer and being in love.”
Nothing has been resolved. Things have actually managed to turn bleaker on the Braden front, but somehow I still feel better. I want to hug Saia and pretend for a few seconds that I had grew up with a mother like her. Instead, I smile gratefully and say, “Thanks, Saia.”
Taking a deep breath, I shake off thoughts of Braden. “I’m sorry, I know you’re waiting to hear more about the plan to get you all out of here. Braden told me he explained our basic idea, but I know you had some questions still, just like the rest of us.”
She nods. “Yes, I’m most concerned about the Inquests you’ll be performing. Won’t the Spiritualists realize what’s happening as soon as you start? I’m not sure you’ll be able to get through everyone before they alert the Guardians. The Spiritualists aren’t allowed to enter the spirit world themselves because the Guardians are afraid of them growing attached to one of us, but they are so powerful I’m sure they can find a way to stop you from finishing.”
“I know. I’m worried about that, too. Casey is trying to teach us how to shield you all. The Spiritualists won’t know what Milo and I are doing because of our talents, but they’ll feel the Ciphers changing. We’re hoping a large shield will be able to help hide what’s going on. Mr. Walters is looking into whether or not I can perform more than one Inquest at a time, too. If I can, then it shouldn’t be a problem, but if not, I’m trying to teach Milo how to perform an Inquest so he can help me, hopefully. That may cut the time in half if he can.”
“I wish I could help you, but I don’t know very much about Inquests,” she says.
“Well, that’s going to start changing. We’re going to start teaching everyone here about the talents. Braden and Lance are working on an escape route out of the Guardian compound, but I don’t want you all left defenseless if something goes wrong. We’re going to train you as much as we can before the escape.”
Saia brightens at the prospect. She’s already been told that part of the plan, but I can only imagine how much she and the other Ciphers must be ready to start learning about talents. Hopefully, soon enough, they will actually get to use them, too. At least that’s the theory. I’m terrified that we’ll try our hardest to teach them everything we can beforehand and they won’t be able to use a bit of it. So much of talent training simply takes lots of practice. Theory doesn’t always help. I’m also still concerned about what talents they’ll actually get. Milo has six, but I know that’s not a guarantee every other Cipher will be the same. What if the rest of them all end up with one talent, something offensively neutral?
They’re going to need so much more than that. At the least, they really need Spiritualism to get them out of the spirit world and Concealment to get them out of the compound. If they’re only going to get a few talents, I’m going to hope it’s those ones. Although, given my luck, I should hope for the most useless talents and maybe they’ll get Concealment to spite me. That’s how things usually work for me.
; “How long do you think it will take to set everything up?” Saia asks. Her excitement is barely hidden under a layer of politeness.
“I’m not sure, Saia. It’s mainly going to depend on figuring out an escape route, but we’ve also got to find safe houses for each area, people to get you to the safe house, gather supplies for you for when you get there, and a dozen other things. We’re doing our best to get things done quickly, but you and the rest of the Ciphers are going to have to be patient. Those renegades who grabbed Casey, things like that can’t happen again. If the Spiritualists get any hint of what we’re planning, everything will be ruined.”
“Nothing like that will happen again, Libby. I can guarantee that. Those young men are being watched very closely right now,” Saia promises.
I’ll have to trust in her to keep them in line. I don’t like relying on someone else to monitor them, because I don’t know what’s going on here most of the time, but it will have to work.
“Did you get the information I asked for about the missing Ciphers?” I ask. Missing, they aren’t missing, really. We both know that they’re all dead. I can’t make myself say it, though.
“Yes,” Saia says. “We don’t have anything to write on here, so you’ll just have to let me report everything.”
I tell her that will be fine and she starts relating everything she was able to learn. I’m impressed that she can remember so much, and so easily, but the rest of me only grows more frustrated. The five missing Ciphers have nothing in common. They were all being held in different compounds, had different backgrounds, physical characteristics, nationalities, everything. It seems as if they were chosen completely at random. I struggle for a long time to find some hidden link in the information, even after I leave the spirit world and crawl into my bed exhausted. There isn’t any. I think the likeliest thing is that compounds were ordered to start killing Ciphers, and these are the compounds that were successful.
The thing that really keeps me up is that, according to Braden, there are eleven Guardian compounds worldwide that are currently holding Ciphers. That means there are still six other compounds yet to begin carrying out their orders. And that is most likely only the first wave of murders.
Chapter 1
9
Options
I am going to fail high school. Good thing a high school diploma isn’t a requirement for being the Destroyer. Or maybe that isn’t a good thing. I don’t even know. I’m so tired. The last month has been beyond brutal. During classes is the only time I get to sleep anymore. There’s only one more month left of school, which would usually be something for me to celebrate. Not this year. I know summer means things will get even worse. Who would have ever guessed I would miss high school? Everyone else seems to be handling school and plotting an insurrection just fine, but they aren’t subjected to additional combat and physical training sessions every afternoon, advanced lessons in non-combat talents so I can turn them into offensive skills every evening, and nightly trips into the spirit world to train the Ciphers and develop my own abilities.
My breaking point gets closer every day.
A quiet knock on the classroom door snaps me out of my semi-coma. I look up to find Braden standing at the front of the class speaking with my English teacher. She turns away with a sour expression on her face. For the first time since stepping foot in her class, Mrs. Swanson brings herself to look at me. Actually speaking to me is too much, though. Her head jerks toward Braden before turning away. The model of a school Guardian, Braden’s face is perfectly professional as he waits for me to leave my desk and follow him into the hall.
As soon as we’re far enough away from the door, he slips into the guy who can’t stop worrying about me. He stuffs his hands in his pockets, a signal I’ve learned means he’s trying to keep himself from touching me. “How are you doing?” he asks.
I yawn without trying to hide it. “I really hope you pulled me out of class so I can go crash somewhere and take a nap. I’m exhausted, Braden.”
Despite still being in the school, he moves a little closer to me as we walk. “You can sleep on the jet, I promise.”
“The jet? Where are we going?” My weariness suddenly seems much less important.
“Texas. One of the sympathetic Inquisitors in Dallas just found another Cipher. We have to get there fast, before the Guardians find out.”
“Great, my go-bag is in Milo’s trunk. I told everyone else to have theirs ready weeks ago.” I say. Braden interrupts me for I can continue.
“The others aren’t coming, Libby. I had a hard enough time getting you out of class. There was no way I could get the rest of the team out. It would have looked incredibly suspicious. The principal was pretty leery of letting me pull you out as it was,” Braden says. He’s quiet for a moment. I can sense the anxiety building around him. I’m not going to like this.
Rubbing my temples, I ask, “How did you get me out of class? More questions?”
“Not exactly. I knew I was probably going to have to grab you out of school at some point, so last week I convinced my Captain that I needed to have one-on-one time with you where I can evaluate your talents. It was the only thing I could think of. He was more than happy to write the order, but he wants a report each time I pull you out. I’m going to have to tell him something about what you can do.” He pushes the outer door open for me, and I walk through. “I’m sorry, but it was the only way I could make this work.”
Another secret to keep from Milo. My already iffy stomach drops a little more. If Milo knows Braden is turning in reports on me, no matter the reason, he’ll go ballistic. Braden is practically drowning in worry.
“Braden, it’s fine,” I say, breathing easier when his emotional tidal wave starts to recede. “We’ll figure out what we should put into the report later. We can either try to scare the crap out of him or play down what I can do. You can tell me what you think is best after we get this Cipher. I don’t want to worry about it right now.”
Stopping next to his car, Braden opens my door after checking the parking lot, not for anyone particular, just habit. I climb into the impressive Aston Martin and sink into the plush interior. The supple leather makes me vaguely sad that my mom confiscated my Audi after my Inquest. I hated the car, but it was bliss to ride in. I open my eyes to find Braden grinning at me. “What?”
“You like the car?” he asks.
“I like the seats. Don’t be offended if I fall asleep on you.”
“I won’t,” he says with a laugh, “just so long as you don’t drool.”
I curl up in the seat and close my eyes. “I’m not making any promises.”
He laughs and pulls out of the parking space.
I’m almost asleep when I remember my bag. We’re not planning on being gone long, but if anything goes wrong I want to be prepared. I sit up and grab Braden’s arm. “Wait, Braden, I need to get my bag out of Milo’s car. I need to let the others know where I am, too. Milo drives me home every day, remember?”
Somehow Braden turns me grabbing his arm into him holding my hand. He squeezes me reassuringly before letting go. “I already got your bag and texted everyone else about where we’re going from my burner phone. Don’t worry about it.”
I’d really like to see the texts he got back from Lance and Milo especially. I have no doubt they were unpleasant. Then another thought strikes me. “Wait, you have my bag? How’d you get it out of Milo’s trunk?”
Embarrassment fills the car. “I almost didn’t make it into the Guardians because of my juvenile record. I hardly ever got caught, but a few breaking and entering and grand theft auto charges did manage to stick to me.”
“You stole cars?” I ask in amazement. I can’t imagine it. The breaking into places, that one I’ve already experienced firsthand, but stealing cars?
“Not all the time … but occasionally. I never sold them or anything. I did it more for the challenge of doing it, and for the speed.”
“The speed?”
He grins. “Surely I’m not the only Guardian you’ve met that likes to go fast.”
And I thought this was going to be a peaceful ride. I groan and slump down in my seat. Driving with Lance or Milo is scary enough. I can only imagine how horrifying Braden will be. His talents are fully unlocked. I don’t even want to think about what that means for his driving habits.
“Just wake me when we get there,” I grumble before using my Naturalism to drop me into a deep sleep.
A very deep sleep, apparently.
I was actually talking about the jet when I told him to wake me when we got there, but the next time my eyes open, it’s on the tarmac of a Dallas airstrip. The deep sense of peace and comfort I feel when I wake confuses me at first. I never sleep this well. Only when I try to push myself up and find my hand resting on a familiar pair of slacks do I understand. I look up to find Braden watching me as I lie on his lap.
“What, there weren’t enough seats in this thing for me to have a row to myself?” I ask. I try to slip some irritation into my voice, but it just doesn’t happen. Sleeping so peacefully has put me in too good a mood. I can’t even keep myself from smiling.
He returns my smile. “You looked pretty happy staying with me. I didn’t see any reason to move you. You said you were tired, so I didn’t wake you. Did you sleep all right? You look much better than when I pulled you out of class.”
How bad did I look this morning? I scoot over to my own seat and force myself to be serious.
“I slept fine,” I say quickly. “Can we get going?”
“Of course. The car’s waiting on the tarmac. It just pulled up.”
I sit up, not fast enough to avoid Braden’s helping me and keeping a hold of me for a few seconds longer than he needs to. I grab my bag and we’re off the jet and standing in the already overpowering warmth of Texas air a few minutes later. Locals probably think it’s still a little cool here, but I soak in every precious ray. I never minded the cold until the night I broke my block. I feel as if I’ve been shivering for three months straight. Braden gives the driver the address and unfortunately pushes me into the car. The driver must be a transplant to Texas because he thinks it’s hot and is blasting the air conditioner. I react to the sudden temperature change immediately.
Secret of Betrayal: Book Two of The Destroyer Trilogy Page 19