Betrayed (36 page)

“Did you ask Grampa what was going on?”

“You bet I did, but he said it was…Cardinal business.” She rol ed her eyes. “Bran said the same thing when I asked him later except he snapped at me. You claim you know nothing, too, yet you’re treating him like…like the island kids did after Dad was kil ed. No, this is worse because he loves you. I want my brother back.” A slight tremor shook her voice. “I want al of them back.”

I rubbed my eyes, raising my shield to block her cresting frustration and pain, and her thoughts.

She was scared. With Gavyn in a coma, Bran was al she had. Guilt stole through me even though I had no reason to feel bad.

Taking a deep breath, I exhaled slowly. I couldn’t tel her about the List without Bran’s consent.

“Look. I admit Bran and I had a blow up on Friday, but I didn’t start it. I went to your place to tel him dinner was ready, but he blew me off. I mean, he was real y mean.”

Celeste scrunched her face. “Something happened on Friday to put him in such a bad mood.” And push me away. “I’l ask Grampa.”

“Please, make up with Bran. No matter how bad things get, he’l always have you. That’s what he told Gavyn last time they fought. Before they went to Seattle.” Celeste’s attention drifted to someone behind me again, and I turned to look. It was the artsy guy from last week. “I’ve got to go,” she added.

“Find out what’s going on and tel me.”

“I wil . Take this.” I offered her an invitation card. “Let me know how many friends you’re bringing to the party.”

Scowling, she looked at the card then my face. “You’re stil having the party?”

“Yes.” No one had told her about the medium, just that it was a welcome-to-the-val ey party for her and Bran.

Grabbing the card, she took off. I secured my backpack over my shoulder with a snap of my hand and stomped after her and her new friend.

Inside the school, misery shrouded me, lack of sleep adding to my irritation. Someone cal ed my name, but I wasn’t in the mood to chat and didn’t bother to respond. Near my locker, some guy bumped me as he passed, and my backpack slipped down my arm.

“Hey, watch it,” Sykes voice reached me from behind, and I turned. He rescued my backpack, carried it in one hand and draped his arm over my shoulder.

“Why the gloomy face, Red? Party plans not going wel ?” His gaze touched the box of invitations in my hand. “Feel free to use me. I can pass out invites and screen people. In fact, several of my friends want to come, but I told those losers you’re friends want to come, but I told those losers you’re the boss.”

For once, Sykes’ stress-free smile and sunny personality was what I needed. I leaned against him and sighed. “I’l do that.”

“Which one, use me or screen people?” I was already using him for comfort. We reached my locker, and I turned to face him. “This is my first party and I could use pointers, so I guess that means use you?”

Grin broadening, he spread his arms. “Then I’m yours, anytime, anywhere.” He winked at two girls a few lockers away who whispered and giggled at his antics.

What a flirt. I scrunched my face and opened my locker. “Can you be in charge of drinks? I know we’l need punch or something.”

“Definitely something.” He grinned, hazel eyes twinkling.

“No alcohol,” I warned. “I promised Grampa.”

“Of course not.” His eyes widened as he faked an innocent look.

Not buying the act, I shook my head. “We’l shop tomorrow or Wednesday after school.

Together.”

“Oh no, drinks wil be my contribution to the party.” He tagged one of my curls. “What’s your plan on music?”

“We’l shop together,” I repeated. “As for music, I plan to ask Remy to loan me his entertainment system.”

“Consider it done—his contribution.” Sykes leaned against the next locker and checked out girls as they passed. His inability to focus could be annoying at times.

“I’l ask him later.” I shoved the books into my locker, irritated though I had no reason to be. Sykes wasn’t my boyfriend; he could ogle whoever he wanted. My main concern now was Bran and what the Cardinals told him on Friday. Somehow I knew it had something to do with me.

I slammed my locker and drew Sykes’

attention back to me. “Did you hear what I said?” He smirked smugly. “Yeah, Red. I’m good at multi-tasking. There’s no need to ask Remy. He’l do it. Check with the girls about food. They’ve thrown a few parties and know stuff. See you later.” He tugged another curl of my hair and swaggered off. “Oh, and you owe me a trim,” he added over his shoulder.

Sighing, I headed in the opposite direction. I had a feeling my Guardian buddies would hijack my party but didn’t care. Whatever food, drinks, or music they suggested would be okay with me.

“Pizza,” Amelia suggested during lunch.

“Weenies and veggie dips,” McKenzie added.

“I hate weenies…too salty.” Amelia made a face and pushed her glasses back in place. She glanced at her cousin. “What do you think, Kylie?” The petite Goth shrugged with indifference.

“Sounds okay. I stil don’t know if I’l make it.”

“Fine,” I snapped. Cade shot me an uneasy look, the invitation card I slid toward Kylie in his hand. I lifted the box with the remaining cards. “See you guys later.”

McKenzie grabbed my wrist before I stood.

“I’l come over to help. Just say when.”

“Me too,” Nikki added.

“Me three,” Amelia added, pointedly looking at Kylie. Kylie glared back.

Once again, I tried to stand, but McKenzie’s grip tightened. “Don’t go yet. What’s going on with you two? You have a fight or something?” Her gaze vol eyed between me and Kylie.

Amelia nodded. “Yeah, you’ve been acting crazy weird. Not you, Lil. Kylie.”

Kylie took a deep breath, exhaled sharply, and got up. She hurried toward the cafeteria doors.

Cade jumped up, too. “I’l talk to her.”

“Don’t make her come if she doesn’t want to,” I reminded him.

“No, we’l be there. She’s just a little, you know, scared.” Cade hurried away.

The others exchanged curious glances while I ground my teeth.

“Scared of what?” McKenzie asked.

I shrugged. “I have no idea. See you guys tomorrow. I’l let you know what I’ve decided about food.”

“What do you think is going on?” I heard Amelia ask as I walked away. Celeste’s original idea seemed like the only solution—make both Kylie and Cade forget what they saw that night. Before the entire school heard that she was scared…of me.

Stopping by the geek table on my way to Kim’s, I slipped three invitations next to Christian, my Kim’s, I slipped three invitations next to Christian, my source for everything physics. I owed him a status bump. “I’m having a party on Friday night. Here are the invitations for you and your friends.” His shocked expression was comical. “Uh, thanks, Lil.”

“You’re welcome.” My good deed of the day done, I smiled and left.

Kim watched me with narrowed eyes and jumped on me as soon as I sat. “You didn’t just invite those pimple-faced boys to your party.” I was in no mood for her cattiness. “My party, my rules.”

“A disaster waiting to happen,” she retorted, making a face liked she’d swal owed something rotten. “At least tel me you’ve made an appointment with a caterer to bring food.”

“I have.” That eliminated more put downs, but as I placed the box with the invitations in the middle of the table, I wondered if she might be right. Maybe I needed to contact a local restaurant to bring food.

“Take as many as you can. I’ve already set aside the ones for some Guardians students. I’l deliver them later this evening.” I waited until they emptied the box then turned to Remy. “Can you help me with the music?”

He shrugged. “Sure.”

“Told you so,” Sykes quipped.

I wrinkled my nose at him. “About the reason for this party, Aunt J…Cardinal Janel e suggested we talk to the house cleaners in case one of them signed for the package.”

Silence fol owed.

“You told her our plan?” Izzy asked in disbelief. “Everyone is guilty until proven innocent.” The others nodded.

“That’s ridiculous. Aunt Janel e would never betray me, and anyone who suspects my grandfather is nuts.”

“Those closest to you are usual y the ones you watch for,” Kim said in a sing-song voice while examining her perfectly manicured nails.

“Or as Michael Corleone said, ‘keep your friends close, but your enemies closer,’” Sykes added.

“Sun Tzu said that,” Celeste corrected, appearing beside me. She sat and placed her tray down. “Or was it Niccolò Machiavel i.” She beckoned her friends, the artsy guy and another girl, to sit.

Kim glared at them, kil ing any hopes they might have for joining us. The two moved to a different table. I glanced at Celeste and groaned.

Her cheeks were pink and her murderous eyes leveled at Kim. She wasn’t going to let this pass.

“Why did you do that?” she snapped.

Kim studied Celeste like she would something that crawled from under a rock. She cocked one shaped eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“Why did you shoo my friends away?”

Kim shrugged. “Because I can.”

I covered my face.

“
We
decide who sits at our table,” Kim added.

Celeste rol ed her eyes. “That’s stupid.”

“Says the half-and-half fresh off Coronis Isle,” Kim retorted. “Trust me, freshie. You want to keep humans’ at an arm’s length. It’s bad enough we have to put up with Lil’s ragtag group of friends. And FYI,” she leaned closer and pointed at Celeste, “you sit with the other Civilians. We discuss important
Cardinal business
during lunch.” After this morning, I was sure the words

‘Cardinal business’ were like a red flag to Celeste.

Before I could warn her not to say another word, she was in Kim’s face.

“Like what?” she snapped. “How to be the baddest
biotch
around here?”

Kim’s eyes narrowed. The guys grinned. Izzy muttered, “I like her.”

I just wanted to slip away but couldn’t without intervening. “We were discussing a package Valafar sent me. We think someone took it. Maybe you could help, too, Celeste.”

She didn’t even glance my way, but I caught the tail end of the words she telepathed Kim…
you
think you are?

Don’t mess with me, freshie,
Kim retorted.
I
will sweep this floor with you and send you on a one
way ticket to Tartarus.

I dare you to try. I’m the daughter of a Lazari.

I’ll get inside your head so fast, make you dance
naked on this table and destroy your reputation like
that!
Celeste snapped her fingers.

Empty threats, but Kim didn’t know that. A flicker of uncertainty crossed her pretty face, giving me the chance to grab Celeste’s arm.
Let’s go,
I told me the chance to grab Celeste’s arm.
Let’s go,
I told her.

She has no right to talk to me like that,
Celeste snapped.
Who crowned her the queen B?

The answer to that was obvious. Kim crowned herself, of course. I pushed the tray into Celeste’s hand.
Please. Just go and sit with your
friends.

She took the tray, threw Kim a kil er look as if to say, this is not over, and al owed me to walk with her to the table, where her friends sat.

“We’l talk later,” I said and left, hurrying past Kim’s table without slowing.

Kim and Celeste were too much alike, if one looked beyond their fashion styles. Both were fearless and spoke their minds without pausing to see who might get offended. It never crossed my mind that they’d start off like this. On the other hand, it was time someone knocked Kim off her high horse.

I dumped the empty card box on my way to the entrance. Bran wasn’t parked at the front of the school, not that I expected him. My gaze went to Remy’s car, parked at its usual spot. Kim and Izzy teleported to and from school using it as their entry point, like Superman’s telephone booth, but I never tried it before. Glancing around, I hurried across the street and unlocked the door, slipped inside, and teleported to Bran’s place.

Sounds coming from his room indicated he was home. Not sure how he’d react, I hesitated, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. Maybe surprising him wasn’t a good idea. The last time I was in his room flashed in my head.

Heartbeat unsteady, I approached his door and knocked. No answer. Frowning, I tried again. No response.

“Bran?” I cal ed out and gently pushed the door open.

The room was empty, which didn’t make sense. A psi sweep indicated he was no longer in the house. Change that to val ey. He must have teleported when I arrived, which meant he deliberately avoided me.

Disappointed, I went home, warmed a can of soup, and ate it. Alone.

***

As students poured out of the building in groups, the noise level grew decibels higher than usual, or maybe it was just my state of mind. I stayed inside the main hal and studied Bran through the large glass windows. My heart fluttered at the sight of him. Arms and legs crossed while leaning against the jeep, he occasional y glanced at his watch.

Today he wore aviator sunglasses, which made him look even hotter. But they also meant I wouldn’t be able to see his eyes. I hated that.

He’d changed into a white T-shirt and blue jeans under his black trench coat, instead of his usual dark colors. Maybe he was going somewhere special this evening. Without me. Once again, I wanted to communicate with him telepathical y but couldn’t because his stupid shield was up.

I wanted us to talk. Needed him to tel me about the fight between him and Grampa, what contracts he wanted from the List and why. Maybe even convince him to let me help his brother and ease his family’s suffering. What was the point of having powers when you couldn’t help those you love? There must be something I could do to make Bran open up.

“Pssst?” someone hissed behind me.

I jumped and turned. Izzy. “Sheesh, don’t sneak up on me like that.”

“Hiding?”

Annoyed, I made a face. “From who?”

“Him.” She pointed at Bran. “You’re in here staring at him on the sly, and from the looks of things, he’s getting irritated. You have a fight?” I cringed. “Why would you say that?”