Betrayed (42 page)

She grabbed my arm. “No, today after school is fine. I’l have Cade drop me off.”

“Fine. See you then.” I took off without looking back.

Not wanting another storm, I used school to distract me from my worries about Bran and the List.

Whether or not we’d identify the medium and the guide became secondary. If Kylie demanded an explanation, I’d zap her and make her forget the whole thing then take care of Cade later.

Mrs. D asked me to stay behind after her class. She studied my face, her brow furrowed. “How are you doing, sweetie?”

I shrugged. “Fine.”

“Good. Do you think you’re up to talking to my students? Tonight or tomorrow wil be good.” Didn’t she know about Bran’s wings? I had no interest in talking to students. Besides, we might go hunting tonight and tomorrow was the party. I sighed.

Her expression was expectant, making guilt streak through me.

“Tomorrow night.” I’d use the party as an excuse to make my presentation short.

She squeezed my arm. “Good. Things may look bleak now, but everything wil be okay. I promise.”

“Thanks, Mrs. D.”

Mean old Sorenson could learn a thing or two from her. The old goat started on me the minute I walked into physics class. This time I wasn’t his only target. He picked and chose who to humiliate—

Ginny, a mousey girl with zero self-confidence, Tim who was smart but had a terrible stuttering problem, the not-so-smart fat jock Randy everyone cal ed stupid behind his back. The list was endless. The more he tormented them the more unbearable the class became. The other students just laughed.

I had a choice to either let him continue to humiliate us or put an end to it and suffer the consequences. The Council discouraged messing with humans’ free wil unless it was in order to save a soul. From reading his mind before, Sorenson’s story wasn’t pretty. Maybe I’d spin it so it seemed like I saved him from himself.

“Come on, Ms. Falcon. Even you should be able to answer that.” His voice was fil ed with malice as he walked toward me. He got the usual snickers and giggles from the other students.

“I don’t know the answer, Mr. Sorenson,” I answered with defiance.

He opened his mouth to say something else, but I got him first.

Stop being a bully, Mitch Sorenson. Stop
picking on students who are weak and helpless. Be
nice and helpful like a teacher should. They are
NOT the ones who bullied you and made fun of you
when you were in high school. They’re not
responsible for your marital problems. Tell Tracy
the truth about your gambling addiction, and
maybe she won’t divorce you like she’s been
threatening. Maybe then you can raise your sons
together like you want.

Mr. Sorenson stopped before he reached my desk. His eyes grew sad, and his lips curled down at the corners. Oh no, maybe I went too far.

No, no, no. You don’t want to break down in
front of your students, not when you just had an
epiphany. All you have to do is stay positive, be
nice to students and tell Tracy the truth.

He lifted his head, his eyes lighting up like someone who just experienced a revelation. Instead of continuing toward me, he turned and looked toward the board.

For the rest of the class, he was actual y pleasant. My guilt for zapping him lessened. He nurtured students instead of torturing them. In my defense, that should count for something.

When class ended, I put my books away and ran to the front of the school, where Bran waited.

***

“I’m sorry for everything, guys,” I told the Guardians when we arrived at Remy’s. They already had their weapons. Remy snuck into the weapons room at HQ, reduced the weapons and hunting clothes to miniature sizes, and brought them out without getting busted.

“No time for apologies,” Izzy said.

“Get the Kris Dagger, so we can get out of here,” Bran added.

I teleported to the hal way outside the I teleported to the hal way outside the weapons room. The door was open, which didn’t make sense. It automatical y shut when we left, which meant someone was inside. A Cardinal perhaps.

Heart pounding, I peeked inside, but there was no one. I angled my head for sounds in the changing rooms. No sounds. Strange.

I hurried to my closet for the Kris Dagger’s special belt, opened the lapels of my winter coat so the dagger slid into place then zipped up. Turning to leave, I froze.

Mrs. D. stood behind me. I hadn’t heard her come in.

“What’s going on?” I asked, heart pounding.

Civilians weren’t al owed in the weapons room.

“I thought I heard strange sounds coming from here,” she said, eyes narrowed. “What are you doing in here in the middle of the day?”

Explanations ran through my head but none were plausible.

“I planned on training with the dagger during lunch, but changed my mind.” I walked toward her, praying she wouldn’t ask me to open my coat.

She studied me. “Why? Thirty minutes for lunch is hardly enough time to eat, let alone practice.”

“That’s why I changed my mind. Not enough time,” I mumbled and tried to pass her, but her hand shot out and grabbed my arm, her bracelets jingling.

“Show me what’s under your coat, Lil,” she ordered.

What was her problem? She was treating me like a thief. My eyebrows rose, spine prickling with apprehension.

“What are you doing?” I screeched and tried to move away from her when she felt under my coat.

“You took the Kris Dagger, didn’t you?” Her hands closed around the sheathed dagger. “Why?

Where are you taking it?”

My mouth opened and closed. I couldn’t think up a response. How dare she search me? I moved jerkily away from her, my heart pounding.

“I asked her to bring it to me,” Master Haziel snapped from the doorway. “Unhand her, Azure.

Come along, Lil.”

Swal owing, I fol owed. She fol owed us. If she thought I’d talk to her students after the way she just treated me, she’d better think again.

I hurried after Haziel, pinging Bran.
I don’t
know if I can make it. Mrs. D busted me.

There was silence then Bran spoke.
We can’t
wait. I arranged entrance spots and rides, but we
have to be there on time.

Please, wait,
I begged.
Give me a few
minutes and I’ll be there.

If Leather Face heard me, he didn’t show it.

With short but quicker strides, he hurried toward the Academy. I tried to get his attention a few times, but he shushed me. I never visited the school during the day and was surprised to see students in the library and in the classrooms working on their abilities. A few watched us.

I pinged Bran again to make sure they hadn’t left.

Two minutes then we’re leaving,
he warned me.

Why did I have to run into Mrs. D and Haziel? I looked at my watch. I had one minute-fifty seconds.

Inside the pit, Haziel closed the door and indicated I fol ow him to the booth, where he paced.

“What’s going on, Lil?”

“I real y need to go, Master Haziel.” He pointed at the sofa I used last week when I got hurt. “Sit! You’re not going anywhere with the Kris Dagger without an explanation.”

I unzipped my coat and undid the belt. “Fine, then I’l leave it behind.”

He pinned me with his dark gaze. “Sit. Down.” Something in his voice told me to do as he bid or there’d be hel to pay. I lowered myself on the seat and sat on the edge, tension coiling deep inside me.

“Why do you need the Kris Dagger in the middle of the day? Are you going hunting?” He leaned against the back of the chair in front of mine and crossed his arms, his lips pinched in disapproval.

I glanced at my watch. A minute-thirty. “I’m going out to lunch with the Guardians and we never leave the val ey without weapons. This
is
my dagger.

I feel safer when I have it with me.” He nodded. “Did you inform the CP you’re leaving the val ey?”

There was no time to explain about the guide spying for Valafar.

“We never had to before. I real y must go,

“We never had to before. I real y must go, Master Haziel,” I begged him.

He pushed against the chair and straightened his scrawny body. He paced back and forth, hands behind his back. “Guardians talk, Lil. Civilians, Cardinals, it is a smal enclave we live in here. Some of us know what’s been happening. The Cardinals tried to keep it quiet, but with the storm and everything, we know. Does this have anything to do with the List and Cardinal Llyr’s wings?” Time was up. My ping went unanswered. Al I could do now was cover for my friends. “No. We were going to eat, and that’s it. Now I have to settle for soup,” I griped.

Haziel smiled. “Nothing’s wrong with soup. I, myself, enjoy potato soup. It’s a delicacy we don’t have in Xenith.”

Why was he discussing some stupid soup?

He just derailed my plans. Disappointed, I glared.

“Master Haziel….”

“What was Azure doing in the weapons room?”

“I don’t know.” My voice rose. “I turned around, and there she was. Can I leave now?” I asked rudely.

Haziel peered at me. “You know you can talk to me about anything that bothers you, Lil. I’m always here for you.”

The offer was unexpected, and the thought of discussing anything with him was…weird. “Thank you.”

“Go on. Get out of here. Return the dagger before you leave.”

I hurried out of the pit. When I glanced back, he stood by the door watching me, a glint in his eyes I couldn’t explain. He could be so creepy at times, yet I knew I could trust him. Ignoring his orders, I left the Academy, teleported home, and hid the dagger inside one of my drawers. I tried not to think about the others as I ate. They’d be okay. They must.

Using our truck, I drove to school after lunch.

***

I performed a psi scan as I left the school building at two-thirty-five. Bran and the others were not in the val ey. Should I begin to worry about them?

Grampa and the Cardinals were seated around our dining room table when I arrived home.

They turned to look at me, and I swal owed. They’d been using our home as a meeting place since we learned about the guide, but today their eyes seemed to judge me.

Grampa’s were narrowed. Cardinal Seth’s seemed to say, “You’re in big trouble, young lady.” Cardinal Moira’s smile held secrets only she knew, but hers were cooler, too. Cardinal Hsia’s sparkled, and she fidgeted as though she wanted to speak up.

I didn’t bother with Aunt Janel e. I stil couldn’t look at her without remembering the presents.

Were they here because of the storm? Bran said it passed without anyone getting hurt. If this was about the Kris Dagger, they’d better think again before lecturing me. The dagger was mine. I should be able to bring it home if I wanted without them breathing down my neck. Or maybe this was about Bran, whose wing problems they chose not to share with me for months.

Clutching

my

backpack,

I

nodded.

“Cardinals.”

They nodded back.

Without another word, I started for my room.

“
Luminitsa
,” Aunt Janel e cal ed out.

I turned and gave her a tiny smile. “Yes?” She frowned. “Join us, please.”

I opened my mouth to tel her I had homework, but from their expressions, it wasn’t a request.

Licking lips suddenly gone dry, I walked to a chair, pul ed it out, and sat.

“Do you happen to know where Cardinal Llyr and the others are?” Aunt Janel e asked.

Giving them a defiant look, I shook my head.

“They went out to lunch. I was supposed to go with them but got delayed by Mrs. D and Master Haziel.

Can I leave now? I’m expecting Kylie.” I started to get up.

“Sit down, young lady,” Grampa snapped.

I glowered and slouched on my chair.

“Your friends are not back,” Cardinal Seth snapped. “They didn’t consult the security team about leaving the val ey. Now we’re hearing reports about businesses owned by Damien Corporation shutting down al over the country.”

“The world,” Cardinal Hsia corrected.

“Employees in their London office found their hard drives fried. They claimed a power surge led to the computers self-combusting. No arrests made.

Another one of their buildings col apsed in Amsterdam. The security guards said the fire alarm Amsterdam. The security guards said the fire alarm went off first, so they left the building. They’re blaming it on unsound structure. In the Paris office, the water damage was so extensive water flowed out the windows. Al those happened at night because of the time difference.” She studied me, smiling though I doubted her amusement. “Fire also broke out in their New York headquarters. No one was hurt, but it destroyed the entire executive floor.

Their L.A. and Seattle branches had extensive water damages after a fire started. No casualties. To round it off, several of their ships capsized during sudden strong winds, but al the crew were accounted for. In al the cases, someone warned them to get out several hours before the incidents.” In other words, Izzy traveled back in time before the remaining four caused the damages. I missed al the fun.

“I don’t know why you’re smiling. This is not funny, Lil,” Grampa said in a frosty voice. “Are they doing this?”

I shrugged, not worried anymore about my friends’ absence. I wasn’t tattling on them though.

“Maybe demons are turning on each other. After al , the mortal combat is in two days.”

“Are they searching for the List?” Aunt Janel e snapped.

I cocked my brow. “I don’t know, but I have a question of my own.” I glanced at their faces. They looked intimidating, but I refused to cower.

“If this is about the situation with Bran—” Grampa started.

“No, it isn’t,” I said sharply. “What’s done is done. Al we can do is move on. That’s what you always tel me, right?” I glared at Grampa.

He pinned me down with his own. “That’s right.”