I didn’t want to look at him right now, but I couldn’t help it. Maybe the dark theater would hide my almost-certainly flushed face.
I could barely see him, until a stage light flared, highlighting the left side of his silhouette. That solid jawline, his Adam’s apple bouncing up and down, a glint of gold in one sideburn. His eyes were dark, unreadable, the rest of his face covered in shadows.
It seemed like forever that we sat like that. Staring at each other. I couldn’t be the first one to speak. Not after what I’d just seen. Wasn’t he the Interpreter? Shouldn’t it be his job to tell me what the heck that was?
“I can’t stand this anymore.” His eyebrows scrunching into a V. “You have to tell me what you’re thinking.”
“Me?” My hand flew to my chest. “I thought it was your job to interpret these things.”
“Oh.” A ghost of a smile flickered on his lips, and his gaze dropped to his lap. “I guess you saw it too, then.”
“Yep. That’s about the size of it.” I creaked back in my seat, bumping his arm that I’d forgotten was there.
“Was that the first time you’ve seen it?” he asked, not looking up.
“Yes,” I whispered as the realization hit. “It wasn’t the first time you saw it. Was it?”
He shook his head.
A tiny spark of something fluttered in my chest. But I swallowed hard. Crushing it like a stone. I wasn’t ready for this. Yet it was here, sitting right next to me.
“When was the first time you saw that vision?” I whispered.
“Awhile ago.” He didn’t glance up.
Fireflies stung my throat, but I swallowed them back. “How long?”
“Maybe a year ago,” he breathed.
I slumped down in my chair, its velvet scratching my neck. I wanted to curl into a ball and not talk about this. Not deal with this, ever. Or at least until I was more grown-up than almost-seventeen.
The play went on in front of us, filled with music and laughter and light. But the silence between us stretched for eons.
Finally, he cleared his throat. “This isn’t exactly a first date kind of discussion.”
“I think we both know this is more than a first date.” I swallowed too, lowering my voice. “Even if some of us are too scared to admit it.”
His head jerked up and swung my way. He turned the most haunting look on me. My fingers itched to take his face in my hands and plant a kiss on those unsteady lips. Just to reassure him. But I couldn’t. This was all happening too fast. Too soon. I’d barely begun to think of Will and me as Us, let alone anything beyond that.
“Okay.” His mouth finally decided to smile. “I can live with that. For now. But one day I’ll tell you what it all means. When you’re ready.”
With that he brushed his lips against my temple. I melted into his soft touch, my ribs digging into the armrest between us.
The stage lights dimmed, and the crowd stood to its feet, cheering a loud roar that matched everything I felt inside. All the hope and exhilaration I dared to think about as my mind flirted with the possibilities tied up in that vision. Mixed with a choking fear of a future I never asked for or even imagined.
Maybe it was all true and we’d be together long enough to see my brother again. But if it was true, that meant some dark and sinister things lay in wait for us. Things that made my bones shiver.
Chapter 22
Shadows elongated across the quad as I huddled next to Will on the cobblestone path to the caf. The evening sun was setting in the distance, painting the sky in dusky pastels. The smell of spring trees wafted on the cold breeze, but I saw only jagged edges. Every muscle in my body tensed, just waiting for someone to sneak around the corner and grab me.
In fact, all of Montrose Academy looked different ever since our date. It felt like I had a bullseye on my back—and I had no escape.
Will slung his arm around my shoulder as we ducked into the caf. Mindlessly, I grabbed some food, shoved it on my tray, and followed him to a vacant table. Staring straight ahead, I tried not to look at anyone. But I knew they were watching me. The Watchers were everywhere.
Clang. I flinched and whirled around. Someone a table over dropped a spoon.
“Sheesh,” I gasped. Anxiety fizzled through me, crackling every nerve.
“Are you okay?” he asked, eyebrows cinched. “You’ve been a nervous wreck ever since we got back.”
“Is it really that obvious?” I cringed on the inside.
He tapped my knee—which was bouncing like crazy.
“Oh.” I tried to stop my pogo-leg. “I’ve never been great at hiding things.”
“No kidding.” His lips curled in a smile that spread up his face. “I’ve got something that’ll make you feel better. Or at least take your mind off of things.”
“Wooo, intriguing. Let’s get out of here.” My face probably mirrored his, and my muscles unclenched.
Will wore the barest hint of a smile on his olive-toned face as he took my hand and led me out of the cafeteria. Those rough fingers laced through mine, sending a shiver up my spine. My heart danced as I followed him, finally light and free for a change. Until I saw where we were headed. Toward the tower. A lump slid down my throat.
“What’re we doing here?” I asked, trudging up the steps behind him.
“Do you trust me?” He held open the heavy door for me and led me under the spiral staircase.
I stared at him. Hard. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, a strange, almost-haloed light glowed around the boy standing in front of me. Dim at first, growing brighter with every second. Like someone turned a lightbulb on inside him. Was it me?
“Yes,” I whispered. My stomach flip-flopped and I sucked in a breath, gnawing on my lip. There were no words.
His grin deepened as he led me straight to the secret entrance. “I found something I wanted to show you. Keep an open mind, okay?” He opened the hidden door to the real Nexis headquarters.
I tiptoed behind him. The narrow room looked different now. Light from the setting sun poured through the stone-encased window slats.
“Sit there and close your eyes.” Will pointed to the leather couch. “And no peeking.”
“Fine.” I clasped my hands together, shutting my eyes tight.
Swish. Ruffle. Scrape. Noises echoed from the other side of the room.
He laid something oblong in my lap. “Okay, open them.”
It was a laptop, open to a picture of the ancient book we found on our date. “Is this the evidence you scanned on Saturday?”
He plopped onto the couch beside me, knee bumping mine. Leaning over, he pointed at some words on the screen. “You see that bit? It says the Nexis Seer book will be here at Montrose, for the next Grand Council meeting. That’s next week.”
“Spring break?” My heart fluttered in my chest as I stared at him. “That sounds dangerous, Will. Like, really dangerous.”
“I’ll do anything to protect you,” he murmured, voice lowering. His eyes turned dark, haunted almost. “Especially now that I know the Guardians won’t.”
My breath hitched in my throat. “What do you mean?” My voice wavered.
Pushing the laptop to the side, he took both of my hands in his and leveled the full weight of those platinum eyes on me. “The only reason I backed down last semester was because I thought the Guardians were going to protect you. I was sure they’d make you a member so Nexis couldn’t touch you.”
“I thought so, too,” I whispered, my cheeks flaming and my eyes darting away from him. “How could I be so stupid?”
“You’re not stupid.” With one finger, he tilted my chin up until I met his gaze again. “I thought they could take better care of you than I could on my own.”
“Instead, they kicked me to the curb.” Tears pooled behind my eyes, but I held them in check.
“I just don’t understand it.” Running one hand through his hair, he shook his head. His face went slack, and he glanced away. “With this intel, we can
negotiate our way into the Guardian ranks. Just like your brother did.”
“My brother?” I croaked, hope flooding into my heart once again. “He did do that, didn’t he?”
He lowered his eyes to our knees, side-by-side. “Maybe we can find him someday. Team up, you know? You’re not the only one who misses him. He was kinda like my mentor.”
“Really? I like that.” I breathed out the barest of whispers. “But it still seems a little too dangerous.”
“Going against Nexis is always dangerous. But sometimes it’s worth it.” He gulped and leveled his gaze at me. “I’ll do anything for you. I’ll choose you over Nexis. Always.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?” I felt the truth of his words, rattling deep down in my bones, breaking open the iron cage around my heart.
“Are you really that surprised? Don’t you know how much I care about you? You’ve got me wrapped around this little finger here.” He lifted my index finger to his lips and kissed it.
Tingles buzzed down my arm as I stared into his eyes. That beautiful face was so close to mine, close enough to kiss. But that’d be the easy way out, especially when I knew he deserved more this time.
“It’s only been a few months, but I feel it, too. And it scares me.” My voice trembled as I finally admitted the truth.
“I get it.” The muscle in his jaw twitched like crazy. “It’s been a lot more than a couple months for me. When we almost kissed in the kitchen back in September. That’s when I really started to fall for you.” The truth was written in his eyes.
And I couldn’t deny it anymore.
Energy billowed up in my chest, tugging at the pieces of my heart. Those words were threads of hope, sewing up the giant gashes I thought might never heal. Yet here he was, sitting right beside me. Mending what once was broken.
“Yeah, I know. And I want to catch up to you.” I curled into his side. “I’m getting closer every day.”
One, two, three breaths hitched in his chest. I wrapped my arms around him to let him know I meant it. All at once, his muscles relaxed. He enveloped me in his arms, squeezing me tight.
“You have no idea how much I want to believe that’s true.” His Adam’s apple scraped sandpaper against my temple.
“Believe it.” I smoothed my hands down his biceps, turning him to face me. “Now tell me this plan of yours.”
“Right, the plan.” He blinked at me and rubbed his hands together like an excited little boy. “I know the Guardians want intel on the Nexis Seer book, so I’m hoping we can use their plan against them.”
“Oooh, I like it.” My lips curled up in a smile. “Go on, give me details. Don’t leave a girl in suspense.”
His face lit up as he reached for my hand and squeezed. “If we can break into the Nexis chamber just one more time, we can scan pages from the book and trade the intel for membership. Let’s just hope we don’t end up in the Guardian army like James did.”
“What did you say?” The anger jolted me like an electric current, balling my hands into fists at my side all over again. “James is fighting? In the Guardian army?”
Will’s face clouded over. “What? You didn’t know that?”
“I can believe it.” I shook my head, trying to make sense of the words that were coming out of his mouth. “How is that even possible? He’s only nineteen.”
“The Coopers didn’t tell you?” His forehead wrinkled. “They drafted James right after graduation. Probably part of his Guardian deal.”
“You’re joking, right?” The rage ebbed and flowed in my veins, seething with a life of its own. “The Coopers drafted my brother into the Guardian army and no one ever told me?”
Will held up his hands. “Hey babe, I’m sorry. I thought you already knew this. I didn’t mean to—”
I cut him off. “I’m not mad at you. I can’t believe I ever trusted that guy, or his family. They knew how much it tore me up, not knowing where James was. And yet they knew all along.”
“You deserve better than that.” Will slid one arm around my back and squeezed my shoulder. “Once we join, we’ll turn everything around. I’ll teach you how to make your Seer status work for you.”
“No need to wait.” I ground my teeth together. “Let’s start right now.”
Backing up, he looked me in the eye. “Maybe we’d better hang out here a while. Calm down a bit.”
“I don’t think so.” I shook my head, anger seething through my veins and burning me up inside. “Don’t you see how they’ve messed with my life, tainted everything? Including our relationship.”
“Well, when you put it that way.” His jaw hardened. “Let’s go.”
“Now we’re talking.” I let him lead me out of the tower, straight into enemy territory.
***
My anger fizzled in and out as I stalked across the quad, Will at my side. Nighttime swept in, lacing the sky with blues and deep purples. The moon peeked out behind the chapel’s Gothic arches. The only lights came from the chapel library window. The Guardians were in there all right, probably having their weekly meeting. As usual.
“You’re really going in with me?” I stopped at the chapel stairs, turning to Will. A silver moonglow highlighted the sculpted lines and curves of his profile.
“Of course I’m going with you. I can’t let you face them alone. What kind of man would that make me?” He puffed out his chest, mouth lifting in that mischievous crescent smile I was beginning to love.
The fact that Will would go into that den of liars with me—stand up to the people who spread such awful rumors about him. It choked me up inside.
“The kind that breaks up with his girlfriend because he can’t stand up for himself?” I mumbled, but not low enough. Chewing furiously on my bottom lip, I peeked up at him.
“Exactly.” His jaw twitched ever-so-slightly. “And we’re better than that. Now let’s do this.”
Together, we marched up the stone steps, through the antique door and into the chapel foyer. The giant stone arch greeted me, framing the beauty of the sanctuary ahead. I paused in my tracks. After all that’d happened, all that was about to go down, my heart still soared every time I entered this stained-glass sanctuary. It whispered from the depths of a simpler time, when my world was far less complicated.
But we couldn’t linger here. I sucked in a breath, squeezed Will’s hand tighter, and led the way down the dark hallway. Voices flitted from behind the closed door and reverberated in hushed murmurs, crescendoing until I gripped the doorknob.
“Here we go,” I whispered to Will as he halted beside me.
Twisting the handle, I slammed open the door and stormed into the room with Will right on my heels. But something was wrong.
“What happened here?” I gasped.
It looked like a tornado had blown through the once-pristine library. Cedar shelves were toppled over, leaning at odd angles against each other as if part of a giant domino trick. Books, the precious antique books, were strewn everywhere—their pages littering the room in piles. Yellowed, fallen leaves ripped from their homes. They could never be put right again.
All the Guardians were there, milling through the fallen stacks. Looking dazed. Everyone in the room turned to look at me. They all glared at Will.
“Lucy.” Laura tiptoed through the debris, eyes narrowing at Will. “What are you doing here? With him?”
“You—” Bryan yelled across the room at Will, fire in his eyes. “Look what your insane group did. All this history, gone. Ripped to shreds. You’re going to pay for this.”
“Whoa, man. Just calm down.” Tony stood right behind him, and Lenny jumped out from the turret to help reign in their fearless leader.
Bryan stomped around the overturned chairs and crunched up pages, but the circuitous path took all the spark from his empty threat. Brooke tumbled out from between two stacks, and they all circled up in a huddle around the door. Staring us down.
In a flash, Bryan lunged at Will. In the blink of an eye, I
stepped in between them, blocking Bryan’s path. His jaw dropped as he came inches from my face. Something burned in his blue eyes, surprise mixed with the tiniest hint of fear. Tony and Lenny pulled him back a few feet, but I could still see that look in his eyes.
“Someone tell me what’s going on.” My words came out higher and breathier than they should’ve. Great, now he’d think it was all about him. When really my heart was breaking at the shattered state of my beloved former oasis.
“That’s a good question. Why don’t we ask your boyfriend here?” He spat out the words like they were infected.
I’d never seen Bryan this mad before. Shadows swirled behind him. Puffs of dark smoke slithered their tendrils around him. I blinked and turned to Will. And saw something even stranger.
Wraith-like tendrils snaked toward Will, then suddenly bounced back like they’d hit an invisible force field. A dim, silvery light surrounded him. Dim enough so I had to squint to see it. Even though it was faint, it was still there. Making me wonder who was really good, and who was really bad now. Maybe it wasn’t as simple as I’d always thought.
“Boyfriend? You’re dating Will now?” Brooke’s voice cracked as she stepped out from behind her brother. Her face said it all. A mixture of amazement and horror washed over her features.
The rest of the Guardians stared at me with the same look. Bryan crossed his arms in front of his chest, a smug smile on his lips.
“That was the plan wasn’t it, Bryan?” I took one step closer, narrowing my eyes at him. “I just didn’t exactly follow your little Guardian guidelines.”
Now the Guardians turned to look at Bryan. “It wasn’t my call.”
“What now?” Lenny glanced from Bryan, to me, and back again. “You’re saying the council made you break up with Lucy so she could spy on Nexis? By getting close to Will? Dude, I can’t believe you went along with that garbage.”
Bryan threw up his hands. “What else was I supposed to do?”
“I don’t know, stand up to them. Tell them their plan is bogus.” Lenny’s voice grew louder. His cheeks were about as red as his hair.
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