“You’re not going traipsing around while there’s a reward for your head. That’s reckless behavior.”
“Newsflash for you: I am reckless!” I stomp away before I do something I’ll regret later.
To prove my point, I slide the glass door open and step outside. I shouldn’t be doing that. Anyone on the beach can see me. Only, there’s no one around. I lean against the back of a patio chair, noticing I’m shaking nonstop.
I was short-tempered before I turned into an Idol, but this uncontrollable fury is new. It’s clouding my mind. A loud snap catches me by surprise. Shit. I broke off a piece of the chair with my bare hands.
“Holy cannoli. Did you take steroids or something?”
I turn around, finding Morpheus standing near the sliding door with a small smile on his face. Without hesitation, I run into his arms, almost sending us both to the floor when I crash into him.
“Easy there, girlie.” He laughs against my hair.
Curling my fingers around his shirt, I take a whiff of his heady scent. At once, I feel much more centered and in control. He runs his fingers through my hair, making me melt even more. I lean back and stare at his face.
“How did you get here?”
“I called Mr. X, and he gave me the address. My mother dropped me off.”
“And was he okay with her knowing this address?”
“I vouched for her. Besides, my mother is an ally. She’s going to fight to bring the Neo Gods down.”
“I knew I liked her for a reason.”
He smiles, showing me his adorable dimples. “You mean another reason besides bringing me into the world?”
I hit his arm playfully. “Yes, another reason.” With a sigh, I run my fingers through his curls. “I missed you.”
“It’s only been a day.” He chuckles.
“I know. But I did anyway.”
Still amused, he rubs his thumb over my cheek. “You’re cute.” His mouth comes closer to mine. “I missed you too,” he whispers before kissing me in the most tender way possible.
I sink completely into his embrace, trying to mold myself to him. I could kiss him forever, but he’s the one who eases off first. “What made you so angry just now? Was it one of those boneheads? Tell me if I need to teach Phoenix or Rufio a lesson.”
“We didn’t do anything.” Phoenix steps out on the patio, glowering in Morpheus’s direction.
“I’d rather hear it from Daisy,” Morpheus replies.
“We’ve done nothing to Daisy that warrants complaint. On the contrary.” Rufio levels me with one of his trademark intense stares, and my body reacts immediately. A blush creeps up my face, giving me away.
“Hmm.” Morpheus narrows his eyes at me. “Is that so?”
I step back. “Enough with the innuendo. What did you find out in Hawk City?”
The mirth vanishes from his face in an instant, and darkness gathers in his gaze. He rubs his chin, turning his attention to the sea. “We should talk inside.”
One by one, we return to the cozy living room. Xavier is in the open kitchen with his ear glued to the phone. Rosie is on the couch with her feet up on the coffee table, distracted by her device as well. She lifts her head when Morpheus slides the door shut.
“Feeling better now?” she asks me.
“A little. But I’m afraid I’m going to get mad all over again.” I look at Morpheus.
He takes a deep breath. “There’s no sense in beating around the bush, so I’m going straight to it. It turns out Andromeda is not a traitor after all.”
“What do you mean? She ambushed Daisy and me,” Rosie retorts.
“Are you saying she’s not a Neo God agent?” I ask.
“She is, but she also works for the Knights.”
“I’ll be damned. She’s a double agent,” Phoenix pipes up.
“Yep. She was recruited by the Neo Gods when she was very young and didn’t know any better. Like Rufio and Bryce, she has some kind of mark that keeps her leashed to her… recruiter.”
The way Morpheus emphasizes the word makes me suspect there’s more to the story.
“The mark can’t be removed?” Rufio asks.
“Not by Daisy.”
“Why not? I was able to remove the block from Bryce’s mind.” I cross my arms in front of my chest. “Are you saying the Neo God who put that mark on her is stronger than me?”
“Oh, someone’s feathers are ruffled.” Phoenix laughs.
I spare him a scathing glance before turning my attention to Morpheus again. “Well?”
“Yes, I’d say he’s much stronger than you.”
“Stronger than a seventeen?” Rufio’s eyebrows shoot to the heavens. “Eighteen, then?”
Shaking his head, Morpheus laughs without humor. “No. He’s a demigod.”
“What?” Xavier approaches, looking so distraught that his tan skin is pale.
“Fuck. How can we hope to win against the Neo Gods when they have a demigod in their ranks?” Rufio complains.
“They aren’t the only ones who have a demigod on their side. I learned something else during my prolonged stay in Hawk City,” Morpheus replies. “The demigod who’s been tormenting Andromeda is my half brother. I’m a demigod too.”
Absolute silence descends. We could hear a pin drop. Phoenix and Rufio are gawking at Morpheus with their mouths wide open. Rosie has visibly recoiled from him on the couch, and she eyes him with suspicion.
“Who is your father?” Xavier asks in a raised voice. His eyes wide and a little panicked.
“Erebus.”
“You’re the son of darkness,” he mumbles, passing a hand over his face. “Son of a bitch.”
“Yep. Nathaniel knew I was his brother right away, but it wasn’t until we were both transported to the island of horrors to face the punishment of the island god that I discovered the truth.” Morpheus turns to Rufio and Phoenix. “It was my fault we ended up on the island that day. The island god is Chaos, my grandfather.”
Shit. Shit. Shit. Chaos is the primordial god. If he wants me dead, what can I do?
A loud roar outside sends my heart straight up to my throat. I turn to watch the sky become dark and menacing in a matter of seconds. Lightning slashes the gray clouds, and in the brief flash of light, I see the face of the terrifying god. Chaos.
13
Bryce
“How many times do I have to tell you not to move?” Ellen barks at me.
“When you stop digging into my arm with that pincer of yours.” I glower back at her.
“There are still lightning-glass shards embedded in your muscle. I have to remove everything, or the poison will keep spreading.” She pulls out a minuscule piece, then sets it on the tray next to the couch.
Mom’s secret hideout turned out to be underneath the school grounds. That’s how she was able to return to the building and rescue the Fringe students. She claims she’s the only person alive who knows about the location. The knowledge is passed down from principal to principal, but she burned the book with the information long ago. Meaning my father’s friend won’t acquire the intel.
“Okay, last one,” Ellen announces.
Toby comes near and inspects the tray. “How do you know that’s the last piece?”
“I’ve got X-ray vision, kid. Don’t you remember?”
He twists his face into a grimace while he rubs the arm Renata broke. The girl who had been part of Drusilla’s posse and dead set on torturing Daisy drops her gaze to the floor.
“I’m really sorry about all the awful things I did to you, Toby.”
He keeps staring at her in silence for the longest time. His ginger eyebrows furrow as if he’s concentrating hard.
“Okay,” he says finally.
“Really? You’re going to forgive her just like that?” I ask.
“She is sorry. I read it in her mind.”
Renata whips her face up, looking at Toby bug-eyed. “You can read thoughts?”
“Well, kind of. I
can’t read the exact thoughts of Idols, just their intentions. Like I could tell you weren’t bullshitting me. With Norms and Fringes, I can actually hear entire sentences. It’s freaky as hell.”
“Shit, that’s a dangerous gift, kid,” Ellen chimes in.
“And mega useful to my mother,” I add bitterly.
When I healed Toby, he went from Norm to Fringe. As the time passed, his powers increased. Now he’s a level ten Idol. I wonder if he’ll get even stronger and what that will do to his psyche. A sense of unease lingers inside of me. Still reeling from the aftermath of our showdown with my father in Hawk City, I was quick to agree to help my mother create an army of new Idols. Now, I’m not so sure that’s a good idea. We don’t know yet if there are any side effects to those I change.
“How is Bryce?” Mom enters the common room Ellen used as a treatment area.
“He’ll live. I already dabbed every entry wound with the antidote for the poison.”
I watch her closely. There’s not even an ounce of emotion in her eyes. As cold as ever. I could have died today, but I’m pretty sure she’d mourn the loss of her weapon more than that of her son. I shouldn’t care, but I’m no longer the dispassionate person I was before. Daisy has woken my heart to love, and now I know I’ve been denied that my entire life.
“How long until he’s completely healed?” she continues her interrogation.
“My advice is to rest for at least forty-eight hours.”
“That’s too long. We don’t have that much time. I’d like Bryce to work on the new recruits as soon as possible.”
Ellen stares at my mother as if she’s gone crazy. “Asking him to use his gift so soon is not advisable, Jodie. It’s foolish.”
Mom turns to me. “You’ve seen what the Neo Gods are capable of, Bryce. You know what they did to Rufio. It’s only going to get worse. They’re mobilizing their forces as we speak. They’ll attack the weak without mercy to draw Daisy out of hiding. We need the numbers.”
“We don’t even know if I’ll be able to make more Idols,” I retort, hating that I’m falling for her fearmonger speech.
“One more reason to attempt it as soon as possible.”
“Fine. Let’s do it now.” I get up, but immediately the room begins to spin. Shit. I guess I do need more time to heal.
Ellen holds my arm, stabilizing me. “Sit your ass back down. Maybe you can try tomorrow.”
I throw my head back, resting it against the couch. “Do you know what the Knights are planning to do?”
Toby’s cell phone pings, diverting my attention to him. He must be texting Rosie. I should call Daisy. On the way here, I was only able to text Rufio. I was in too much agony. Plus, I knew that if she heard my pain-laced voice, she’d want to come to Gifted Academy right away.
“Where’s my jacket? I need my phone.” I look around, finding it draped over a chair nearby.
Mom walks over and retrieves the device from its pocket. Instead of bringing it to me, she swipes her finger across the screen.
“Hey, what are you doing?” I ask.
She doesn’t answer, but Toby does it for her. “She’s reading your messages.”
“That’s an invasion of privacy!” I lift my arm and try to use telekinesis to zap the phone out of her hand, but the attempt is too weak. Curse lightning-glass poisoning.
“Just give him the phone, Jodie,” Ellen pipes up, but my mother ignores the nurse.
Suddenly, the phone does fly out of her hands into mine, surprising Mom and me. I know I didn’t make that happen. I’m completely tapped out.
Mom shoots the nurse a murderous glare. “You’d better stay out of my business, Ellen.”
“It wasn’t me,” she declares.
I glance at Toby. “You have telekinesis too?”
“I didn’t do that either.” He turns to Renata, who is looking guilty as hell.
My eyebrows arch. “You did that?”
“Yeah. My telekinesis is on the weaker side, so I rarely use it.”
Shit. This girl is turning out to be quite the box of surprises. Maybe her biggest sin was being too weak to stand up against Drusilla.
Mom turns her ire on her. “How dare you use your powers against me? I won’t tolerate that kind of behavior. I’m the top dog here. You either follow my lead or you’re out.”
I snort. “That will go over well with your new recruits. Respect has to be earned. Snooping on someone’s phone is not the way to do it.”
“I have to be on top of everything!” she snaps. “Too much is at stake, and not everyone has the drive to see it through until the end no matter the cost.”
I don’t know what strikes me the most, the manic glint in her eyes or her statement. She sounds unhinged, nothing like the cold and collected woman I used to know. What’s going on here?
“Everyone needs to chill, okay?” Ellen gets in between us. “Losing our heads won’t accomplish anything.”
I’m still annoyed when I glance down to see what message Mom was looking at. It’s from Rufio, saying that Morpheus just got to the safe house. Nothing from Daisy yet. I can’t believe she didn’t call. That’s not like her.
“I need to get out of here,” I say.
“If you’re too weak to work, you’re too weak to go out. You’re staying put,” Mom retorts.
“Am I your fucking prisoner now?” I stand on shaky legs, but at least I don’t fall back down.
“Of course not. But we’re right in the middle of enemy territory. It’s not safe to head out in your weakened state.”
“How long are we supposed to stay here?” Renata asks.
“We’ll know more as soon as I hear back from Gunther.” Mom glances at her phone. “He should have called by now. I don’t like this.”
“I’m pretty sure he’s busy trying to fix the mess we left behind in Hawk City,” I say. “I’m interested in knowing where my father and his associates are. They have to pay for what they did to Rufio and Daisy.”
“What did your father do to Rufio?” Renata glances at me with interest.
Ah hell, please don’t tell me she was also a member of Rufio’s fan club.
“What he did is not important right now,” Mom dismisses the girl in her blunt way. “It would be helpful if you knew the location of the Neo Gods’ secret hideout.”
“Your husband was careful, but I’m sure it’s on higher ground. Possibly inside of a mountain.”
“Damn it. That could be anywhere.” Mom pinches her chin. “We need more men on the street. I have to make some calls.” She veers for the door.
“What are we supposed to do in the meantime?” Toby asks her. “And how long can we stay down here? How about food, water, medical supplies?”
“You can practice your gift on the Fringes. I want to know if they can be trusted. I’m not turning anyone who doesn’t want to fight for our cause into an Idol. As for supplies, we have enough to last a week. I don’t plan to stay here that long. This place wasn’t meant to run an entire operation or accommodate more than a handful of people. Gunther was supposed to assist with a better location.”
“I can’t stay here until you figure stuff out, Jodie,” Ellen pipes up. “I have a life outside of the academy that I need to get back to.”
“I’d prefer if you stayed during working hours, at least. Especially considering Bryce’s condition.”
Ellen narrows her gaze, no doubt not buying my mother’s change of tune. A few minutes ago, she wanted me to start working on the Fringes who are currently waiting in the bigger room next to ours. They can’t be comfortable there. There are at least thirty of them, mostly lower levels whose families don’t live in Saturn’s Bay. The vast majority who escaped took off from campus.
“Sure, that sounds fair.”
“That’s settled, then.” She whirls around and walks out.
“What’s going on with your mother?” Ellen asks. “She’s acting weirder than usual.”
“She’s sour because Daisy didn
’t come back to school.”
“She had the right idea.” Toby pulls up a chair and drops into it like he’s carrying all the weight of the world on his shoulders. “I wish I had gone with her and Rosie.”
I yank my hair back in frustration. “Ugh! I hate that I’m stuck here.”
“Maybe I can sneak you and Toby out, so you can see your girlfriends,” Ellen suggests.
Toby sits straighter in his chair. “Would you do that?”
“Sure. Spending one night out of this place isn’t going to change anything.”
“Can I come too?” Renata asks, and immediately, I reject the idea. She might have helped me, and Toby vouched for her sincerity, but I’m not ready to trust her or even be friends. I won’t forget so easily that she tried to kill Daisy by giving her Silver-voltage.
“No offense, but I don’t think either Daisy or Rosie want to see you around.”
“Oh.” She drops her chin. “I understand.”
I sense Ellen’s hard stare burning a hole through my face. “What?” I snap. “Do you want me to simply forget everything?”
“No, but you could have been kinder. We could use more of it.”
“It’s easy for you to say. Miss Regretful there didn’t attempt to murder your girlfriend by giving her Silver-voltage.”
Ellen’s face twists into a grimace. Thanks to Phoenix’s big mouth, we know her girlfriend is a Norm. She turns to Renata. “Is that true?”
Renata’s eyes become wider right before she breaks down into an ugly cry. “I did. There’s no excuse for that. I followed along with Drusilla’s plan, even knowing what she wanted to do was vile. I was blinded by senseless hate.”
“What made you change your mind?” Toby asks.
“It didn’t happen right away. But I began to question everything when Drusilla went mad and turned against me.”
I can’t tell if she’s truly sorry, or if now that her friends are gone, she’s looking for another group to blindly follow. She could have joined the Neo Gods instead. I can’t think about it now. Tiredness hits me all of a sudden. I sink against the leather couch and close my eyes.
“That’s what happens when you let people walk all over you. Drusilla treated you like dirt,” I say.
Broken Knights: A Paranormal High School Bully Romance (Gifted Academy Book 4) Page 9