He nods and reaches over to the bedside table finding me some pain killers and a glass of water. He helps me sit up and I do my best not to cringe as my body screams in protest. Rylan hands me the water and tablets and I throw them back, my throat stinging as the lumpy tablets make their way down.
I look around and notice someone is missing, panic starts fluttering inside me. “Where’s Kaylee?” I ask, praying she is ok.
“Shower,” he responds. “She’s alright, just a few bumps and bruises.”
“Oh good. I was so worried, they took her away from me and I couldn’t help her,” I say, a tear escaping my eye at the memory.
“It’s ok,” he soothes, climbing onto the bed and wrapping me in his strong arms. “You’re both safe now.”
I take a deep breath, knowing Rylan is still worrying about me and make a vow to myself that from now on. I will be strong. I will not break down. I will not reduce him to the pain of seeing my tears. Never again.
I glance around the room and find Jacinta’s questioning eyes on me. I pat the bed beside me and watch as excitement lights up her face, she bounds across the room. A huge grin creeps across my face as she lands in the empty space beside me. “Tell me all about it. I bet you were badass.” Rylan scoffs beside me and I realise, this is definitely a story I don’t want to miss.
Twenty minutes later I am in absolute awe of my best friend. “Wow, I thought I was the only one who could get away with talking to him like that.”
“Believe me, you are,” Rylan cuts in. “In any other situation, I would have laid her ass out. Which reminds me,” he says, glancing up at Trey and Daniel. “You two and I, need to have a little talk.”
The boys cringe as Jacinta laughs from beside me. “Eh,” she says with a shrug of her shoulders. “I did what I had to do.”
I glance over at the guys who have been listening intently to Jacinta’s story, throwing in their own little comments and remarks along the way. I grab hold of Jacinta’s hand and give it a squeeze. “Thanks, guys. I really didn’t expect you all to risks your lives for me like that, coming after me and into the Fairy Kingdom is honestly the most stupid and dangerous thing any of you have ever done and I kind of hoped you wouldn’t. I couldn’t bare it if anything had happened to any of you and for that, I’ll never be able to repay you guys.”
“There’s nothing to repay, we would have done it a million times over,” Trey says.
I send them all a grateful smile. “I second that,” Daniel comments. “But let’s not forget that it’s not over yet,” he grunts.
“Huh? Why not?” I ask.
“Your ah… ‘Boyfriend’ over there, kind of killed their Queen,” he says, surprising me with his reluctance to still acknowledge Rylan as my boyfriend.
Trey scoffs. “Kind of? He got her right between the eyes. There was no ‘kind of’ about it.”
“WHAT?” Jacinta and I both screech, our gazes heavily locked on Rylan.
He cringes under our scrutiny but nods in confirmation.
“Shit,” I say. “What are we still doing here? They’ll be searching everywhere for us, they won’t stop until they have every last drop of our blood. Especially yours,” I say to Rylan.
“Trust me, I know. As soon as Kaylee is good, we’re leaving.”
Kaylee chooses that precise moment to exit out of the bathroom, looking as fresh as a daisy, minus the few bruises that frame her face. Though, I’m pretty sure we have matching ones on our hips and ribs. My heart swells seeing her before me, alive and ok. I attempt to hop up from the bed but the pain is just too much. Rylan lifts me from beside him and places me down on my feet, keeping a hand at my elbow for support. I send him a grateful smile and assure him I’m ok. I move across the room on shaky legs and throw my arms around Kaylee. “I’m so glad you’re ok,” I cry, giving her a gentle squeeze, hoping her bruising isn’t nearly as bad as mine.
“Me,” she scoffs, holding me tighter. “It’s you I was worried about. I heard the whole thing, I could have sworn you were dead. God, I don’t even know how you’re here right now,” she says, practically sobbing.
“Come on,” I say, letting her go and grabbing her hand. “We’ll explain in the car, we’ve got to get back to The Academy.”
“What?” she stutters, ripping her hand from mine. I turn to face her and see the worry etched into every crevice of her face. I look over to Rylan for a little help but he looks just as clueless as I. She backs herself against the wall. “I can’t go back there,” she says, shaking her head in fear.
“It’s been years Kaylee,” Rylan soothes stepping towards her. “I’m sure it will be fine.”
She glances around the room, each and every set of eyes on her. Jacinta moves forward and I know she has got this in the bag. If anyone can bend someone to their will, it would be my best friend.
“Kaylee,” she starts. “It’s too dangerous for us here, we have to get back to the Academy, back to safety.”
She shakes her head a little more vigorously. “I can’t,” she says, then focuses her attention solely on Rylan. “Please, forgive me,” she begs as her right pointer finger begins to descend on her left wrist.
“STOP HER,” Jacinta screeches from across the room, instinct taking over, I leap for Kaylee, using every last ounce of strength I possess, I reach out and snatch her wrist firmly into my grasp. I tackle her to the ground, pinning her arms behind her back as I desperately try to make sense of what is happening.
I glance up to Rylan to confirm my thoughts but he stands motionless, in shock before me. My gaze swivels around to meet Jacinta’s, who now has a protective Trey standing in front of her. “What is this?” I ask her.
“She’s a Fairy,” she responds equally confused.
“No. That’s not possible. She is Rylan’s sister,” I demand from above the person in question.
“I don’t know,” Jacinta replies looking flustered.
Kaylee bucks from under me. “Get off me,” she growls.
Rylan rushes forward and pulls both me and Kaylee to our feet, being incredibly gentle with us both in the process, but making sure to always keep a hand on Kaylee. He grabs a chair and sits her in front of him. “What’s the meaning of all this?” he demands, in his instructor's voice. The one voice that has anyone on the receiving end shaking in fear.
She takes a deep breath and raises her eyes to meet his. Looking as resigned as ever, she sighs. “I’m part fey,” she explains.
“No, we have the same parents. If your part fey, then so am I and I know for damn sure I am no fairy. I don’t believe you for one second,” he seethes, rage pouring through him. I come up beside him, curling my hand around his forearm, giving him my full support. He grabs my hand and entwines our fingers and I watch in amazement as he visibly relaxes.
Kaylee looks down at her lap. “We have the same mother, not the same father. Mine is a manipulative Fairy Knight who seduced mum then took off. The Guard found out and that’s the reason I was kicked out of school. I had nowhere to go, I was out on my ass. I didn’t know a damn person or how to even survive in the real world. I was only 17 so I did the only thing left for me to do which was to join the Fey.”
Rylan takes a shaky breath. “Why did you never tell me any of this?”
“Rylan,” she sighs. “I always knew you were going to turn into the man you are now, even as a child, you were always so determined, so passionate about The Guards cause. You used to run around pretending Mum and I were vampires and you’d show us how easily you could take us out. Hell, you once chased this ladies dog in the park, pretending it was a werewolf. You tackled that poor Retriever to the ground,” she smiles at the fond memory. “I couldn’t take the chance that you would have looked at me differently, like the way you’re looking at me now.”
Rylan stands looking down at his sister with pain in his eyes then suddenly jerks away, pulling on my hand to follow. “Come on,” he commands.
“Wait,” I say, holding my ground. “Something’
s not adding up,” I say, glancing back down at Kaylee who plasters a cringe on her face. Yep, she is definitely hiding something.
“What are you talking about?” Rylan asks me, eyebrows pinched together in confusion.
“It just doesn’t make sense. If she is one of them, how come she was taken too? How come she is now covered in bruises and ended up unconscious?”
The whole room immediately focuses their attention on Kaylee. A silent tear escapes her eye, slides down her face and splashes on her lap. “I wasn’t taken,” she says.
Jacinta scoffs from across the room. “Ah, yeah you were. I saw the whole thing.”
“I was being tested,” she explains so quietly I have to strain to hear her. “The Fey knew I had a relationship with Bianca and they wanted her. I was the one who gave them the information on her ranking and popularity within The Guard. I set up the meeting at the mall and as soon as I got her alone, they acted. They only kept me down there for show.”
Rylan clenches his fists, which as his hand is still in mine, is actually quite uncomfortable. “How could you do that?” he rages. “They almost killed her.”
“I’m sorry,” she says, lifting her gaze to meet mine. “Had I denied them, I would have been labelled a traitor and killed on the spot. I had no other option.”
“Right,” I say, nodding my head. “My life for yours. Sure. Seems fair,” I grunt.
She cringes once again. “I truly am sorry, Bianca.”
Rylan shakes his head, deciding he has heard enough betrayal for one day. “Let’s get out of here.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” I whisper as I begin following my friends out the door.
“Wait,” Kaylee says. “There’s more.”
I turn on my heel and fix the woman with a hard glare.
No one says a word as we wait for her to come out with it. “Their plan was to kidnap Bianca and have The Guard slaughtered when they came after her, however, being the careful planners they are, they have a plan B.”
“And that is?”
She takes a nervous breath. “The Fairies are in league with the Vampires. They will come together to invade The Guard, they will massacre anything and anyone who will get in their way and now that Rylan has murdered their Queen, there is no doubt in my mind that this plan will be put in motion a lot sooner than originally planned.”
I hear Trey and Daniel both cursing under their breath. “How do I know I can trust you?” Rylan demands her.
“I am going to be killed on sight when the Fey finds me. It was my plan that ultimately lead to our Queens death, therefor. It’s on my shoulders,” she says then fixes Rylan with a look. “Giving you this information is the least I can do for you, after everything I have put you through, hopefully, you can use this information to be prepared and save your people.”
Rylan turns and heads for the door in urgency, the boys following behind. “Where are they attacking?” I ask, halting Rylan’s movements as he listens in for an answer.
“The Academy. They plan to take down The Academy.”
“We got to move,” Rylan orders.
“We have to take her with us.” Jacinta suddenly says.
“What? Are you nuts?” Daniel replies, saying what everyone was thinking.
Jacinta looks back at Kaylee then turns to Rylan. “She is part-fey, she can feel their presence. I think, if she is with us, she will be able to warn us when they decide to make their move.”
“I like it,” Trey says. “Besides, they are going to kill her anyway, we may as well get some useful information first.”
“Hmm,” Rylan grunts. “Grab her,” he orders Daniel, who immediately strides over to her and flings her over his shoulder. She squeals in protest and bangs against his back. We all follow them out to the car and I cringe as Daniel tosses her into the boot of the SUV.
We all pile into the big car, Rylan hardly waits for all our doors to close before he is peeling out of the parking lot. I sit up front with Rylan and glance over to him. His jaw is clenched in anger, I reach over the centre console and place my hand in his, he glances over with pain in his eyes. “I’m so sorry,” he says, quietly, only for me to hear. “This is my fault. If I’d never taken you to meet her, this would never have happened.”
I squeeze his hand in reassurance. “No, I was the one who was so persistent you find your sister. I was the one who jumped at the opportunity to meet her. I was the one with a big mouth who told her all about the mid-terms and I was the one who wanted to have a girl’s day at the mall,” I say. “You didn’t do anything wrong, this is all on me and me alone. You’ve been nothing short of amazing, sweeping in and saving my life when I had all but given up. You’re my hero and I am so desperately in love with you, it hurts.
He cuts his attention from the road and looks deep into my eyes. He reaches across and runs his knuckles down the side of my face. “I love you so much, Bianca. I’ll never let anything like this happen to you again,” he vows.
“I know” I respond, gently removing my hand from his and subtly placing it on his thigh. He glances over at me in curiosity and I lick my lips seductively. “I need thank you properly for swooping in and saving my life,” I whisper, slowly sliding my hand up his thigh.
He raises his eyebrow at me as a cheeky grin takes over his face. “Oh? And how do you plan on doing that?” he questions, his eyes sparking in mirth.
I send him a wicked grin as I turn to face the back seat. “Jacinta?” I call. “Whatever happened to all our shopping?”
“I don’t know,” she responds in confusion, unsure why I’d possibly be worried about my shopping at a time like this. “Why?”
“Oh, you know,” I smirk. “I bought that little red outfit, I’d really like to try it on.”
She grins at me, knowing exactly what ‘little red outfit’ I want to try on and why.
Rylan groans beside me, clearly remembering the image of me holding up the little red lacy items, or maybe he is picturing me in them. He squeezes my hand which sits dangerously high on his thigh. He makes a note of focusing solely on the road in front of him rather than the sultry wink I send in his direction.
Twenty minutes later Rylan screeches into the Academy parking lot, no sign of the playful Rylan anywhere in sight. It’s all business now. I hop out of the car and meet him around the back. He takes both my hands in his and gives me a quick kiss on the lips. “I have no idea what’s going to happen when we get in there while we wait for backup to arrive but there will be a lot of questions thrown your way, a lot at me for taking students off school grounds and allowing them into such a dangerous situation there may even be some about why I went after you. If it comes to a point where you have no choice but to tell the truth of our relationship, then do it. We’ll sort it out later, we will make this work, ok,” he says, pulling me into him once again.
I give him the smallest nod of understanding, completely freaked out over what could come of this, but all I know is we have to get in there and warn The Guard about our impending doom.
“Let’s go,” he says reaching into the boot of the SUV and helping Kaylee to her feet with her hands bound behind her back.
Trey, Daniel, and Jacinta all swarm around us as Rylan leads Kaylee towards Ms. Peterson office. Student’s gawk at us as we pass, obviously knowing I was not long ago held prisoner in the Fairy Kingdom and if they’re not looking at me, then it would be the woman who looks a lot like Rylan and is currently being escorted around by her binds.
Rylan barges his way into Ms. Peterson’s office, she jumps in shock as she registers the crowd who has suddenly gathered around.
“Oh My God,” she cries getting up from her seat and throwing her arms around me. If I wasn’t in so much shock I’d probably find this quite awkward. “Bianca, dear, I’m so happy you’re ok, I’ve been worried sick.”
“Ok…,” I say, pulling her off me and ducking out of her grasp.
She takes a further look around, her eyes narrowing in on Kaylee and
the expression on Rylan’s face. She takes a seat, indicating for the rest of us to join, which of course, none of us do. There is simply no time.
“What’s going on?” she demands using her serious principal voice.
Rylan fixes her with a look that demands her full attention. “We need a meeting with The Guard and every member of the Front Lines needs to be called in. We’re going to war.”
Chapter 20
5 hours.
5 hours is what it took for The Guard to arrive at the Academy and even less time for every member of the front lines to arrive (well every member in the state). We sit in the great hall surrounded by The Guard, who sit right up front, The council members behind followed by the front line then all the faculty and senior students at the back. There must be at least three hundred people crammed into this very room, with at least another hundred expected to arrive within the next few hours.
Ms. Peterson stands at the podium getting the rooms attention as some technician fiddles with her microphone so she can be heard over the crowd. “We thank you all for making the effort to be her on such short notice,” she starts. “Now, I will not waste any of your time and get straight to the reason such meeting has been called. I would like to introduce my Head of Combat, Rylan Neill.”
Rylan stands immediately as I watch from the side with Jacinta, Trey, and Daniel. Rylan doesn’t muck around with ridiculous introductions and gets straight into it. “Saturday afternoon, I chaperoned the weekend shopping trip. Some of you may recall my top-ranking student Bianca Moore. She attended the shopping trip with her friend Jacinta Cooper. The girls met up with a friend and spent the day together. At roughly 1 pm, Jacinta excused herself from the trio, in her absence, Kaylee and Bianca were approached by two Fairy Knights. The girls were abducted and taken to the Fairy Kingdom, where they were held prisoners and tortured,” he stops for a short while as the room is filled with gasps and outraged cries, once the room has settled down he gets right back to it.
“Due to the severity of the situation, a private rescue mission was launched,” he says, skipping over the part of who was involved in the rescue mission. “The Fairy Kingdom was infiltrated and the girls were rescued. It has since come to our attention that the Fey had hoped the complete front line would infiltrate the Fairy Kingdom, where they would then proceed to slaughter every last one of us,” more outraged cries are heard around the room.
Decimate: The Guard Troligy (Book 2) (The Guard Trilogy) Page 18