by AR Colbert
“Look here, I will take that disgusting used sock out of your mouth on one condition: you will not use your glamour on me. The second I hear the sound of the siren’s call out of you, I will flick my wrist and use Rossel’s pretty little dagger here to carve that voice box right out of your throat. Am I making myself clear?”
A look of pure shock flashed across his face, and he gave a little nod—barely moving against the knife I had on his skin.
“Good. Don’t make me regret this act of mercy.” I gagged a little as the crusty sock crunched under my fingers. But I made good on my word and yanked it from Osborne’s mouth.
He snarled as a thanks.
“Where are your manners?” I pushed the knife a little harder into his skin. “I can get the sock again if you’d like.”
Osborne didn’t say a word, but his eyes could have torched me.
“Easy there, killer. You don’t want to push me. Now listen up. You are going to stop chasing me. You will not hunt me down anymore, or I can promise you, the hunter will become the hunted. I’ve got Rossel tied up inside. He got testy with me, and I guarantee you he won’t do it again, either.
“I will not tolerate you two—and whoever you work for—inconveniencing me anymore. So run back to whoever is in charge of this mess, and let him know I’m done playing his game. Tell Rossel, too. It’s over.”
“You know…” Osborne’s eye twitched as he spoke. “I didn’t actually care about what happened to you before. I was just doing my job. But now? Now I hope they rip you apart.”
“I’d like to see them try.” I pulled the knife back from his neck and twirled the blade in my hand. It was showy—not really my style. But something powerful had come over me. I felt invincible. And somehow, Osborne felt it too. He knew not to mess with me. My inner Athena was showing.
“What happened to you?” he asked.
“I learned the truth.”
“Yeah? And what’s that?” he sneered.
“Ask Rossel. He can tell you all about what he saw me do in his vision.”
A muscle ticked in Osborne’s jaw. I could tell he wasn’t sure whether or not to believe me, but he knew there would be repercussions if what I said was true. Rossel was one of the greatest seers of all time. His visions were highly regarded as the truth in the Keeper world. Whether or not Rossel told him about me being the Deliverer, the seed of doubt had been planted in Osborne’s mind. He looked to the side, trying to appear unimpressed.
“You’ll find out soon enough.” I shrugged. “And sorry, by the way, if you lose out on your reward for letting me get away.” I dropped my voice to a whisper and grinned. “And I will be getting away.”
I tucked Rossel’s blade into my waistband, no longer concerned about Osborne attacking me. I could practically see his fear radiating off of him now—he wouldn’t dare make a move on me again until he talked to Rossel.
“The whole system is changing soon. I’m turning the world on its head. In fact, I highly suggest you work on getting on my good side.”
Osborne scoffed and I quirked a brow at him. “Or don’t. Makes no difference to me.” I took two steps away from him before turning back over my shoulder. “Oh, and Osborne? Don’t let me see your face again unless you’re coming to grovel at my feet. I won’t be so gracious next time.”
I didn’t look back again. My pace was steady and confident through the alley and back out onto the street. But as soon as I rounded the corner, a sweat broke out across my brow and hands shook.
That was not Everly Gordon speaking back there. I would never have the guts to talk to Osborne that way. Something had come over me. It was terrifying, and yet, I wanted more. I remembered the fierceness of the girl in Rossel’s painting, and for the first time since I laid eyes on it, I believed it could actually be me.
I ran, fueled by adrenaline, until I found a crowded cafe several blocks away from the warehouse. Only after I was inside, safely hidden by the other bodies in the room, did I pull out my phone. I dialed the first person who came to my mind—the only person I wanted to see.
“Tate. It’s me. Are you still in town?”
CHAPTER 12
Tate bombarded me with questions the entire drive back to my apartment. His expressions had run the gamut from initial disbelief, to rage, to respect. And as we pulled up in front of my building, he held a half-smirk that wouldn’t fade.
“What’s so funny?” I asked as we climbed out of his car.
“Nothing.” He chuckled. “You’re just full of surprises.”
I’d sent messages to Sean and the girls during our drive, asking them to meet us back at the apartment. Devon was there as well, everyone waiting in our small living room when Tate and I walked in.
“Everly—are you okay?” Dom scanned me the moment I crossed through the door, searching for any injuries. She frowned when she saw my wrists, but they were already healing. I would be fine. Then her frown morphed into an open-mouthed gape as she met my eyes and saw a flash of what I was thinking.
Tate laughed again. “She’s fine, but I’m not so sure about the other guys. Buckle up, you guys are in for a crazy story.”
I told them about how I’d run into Osborne at the park, but I didn’t mention Al. For some reason, it still felt as though our relationship needed to remain a secret. Which meant I didn’t mention my previous life as Athena, either. It all sounded a little too grandiose to be entirely believable, and it really didn’t matter. What mattered was that Rossel was looking to get rid of me. And he knew about the tablet—though how much he understood of the prophecy itself was still a mystery.
I told them about how I’d somehow stopped time, too. I described Rossel’s attempt to stab me, and then my threat to stab Osborne. It was all too much for Sean, who paced the floor as I spoke, running both hands through his hair. He looked like he might yell—or possibly jump right out of the window and hunt Osborne down himself. But I assured them that Osborne wouldn’t be a threat to me anymore. I truly believed that. Rossel, on the other hand, I imagined I would see again soon.
In fact, I counted on it.
“How much of this did you already know?” Sean rounded suddenly on Tate, the accusation clear in his tone.
“None of it. Rossel asked me to hunt Everly. He warned me that she was fractured, and she was dangerous. He said he needed a skilled hunter to counter her, and to take her soul the moment her powers emerged—before she could do any real damage. The orders came from higher up, and that’s all I know.”
Dom kept a scrupulous eye on Tate as he spoke, and I wondered what else she was gathering from his mind. But she didn’t push him any further.
“Hang on,” Gayla said. “I’m not surprised that Rossel knew about the tablet and the prophecy. After all, he painted a giant portrait of you, Ev. We really should have put that together a long time ago. What I am more interested in is this time-stopping ability you have. That’s not typical.”
They all turned to face me, as though waiting for me to explain myself. I just shrugged. “I don’t have much control over it. In fact, I didn’t even think I was responsible for it the first couple of times it happened.”
“It’s happened before?” Dom leaned forward on her knees.
“Yes.” I told them about how everything seemed to slow down before Clayton ran me over in the parking lot. And how I froze mid-air just before my real powers emerged at the loading docks when I was running from Osborne. Tate frowned, disappointed that this was the first he’d heard of it even though he was there that day.
“But I can’t make it stop on my own. It only seems to happen when my life is in danger.”
“Fascinating.” Dom leaned back again, nodding slowly.
“Do you think I can learn to control it?” I asked. “I mean, surely there are others like me? Could they teach me, maybe when we go to Atlantis?”
Sean shook his head. “I’ve never heard of an Atlantean being able to stop time before.”
“I’ve never heard o
f anyone being able to stop time before,” Gayla added.
Surely that couldn’t be true. I looked at the other faces in the room. Gayla was grinning and Devon looked a little confused. The rest were all examining me like I was something from another planet.
“There is a folktale.” Dom frowned. “You’ve heard of the god Chronos? He wasn’t real, as far as the Keeper history books go. But there are plenty of stories of him that have floated down through the years. Many refer to him as Father Time.”
“But he was an Olympian in the stories,” Gayla said.
“I know. But they’re only stories. If it was true, I suppose he could’ve been Atlantean just as easily. The mortals who passed the stories along wouldn’t have known the difference.”
Huh. So I might’ve been both Athena and Father Time in my past lives? I’d have to ask Al about that the next time I saw him. This was all getting too weird.
The others were still staring at me, and I was growing more uncomfortable by the minute, so I stood and changed the subject. “Who knows about the time thing… I’m still not entirely convinced it’s anything more than a fluke. But what I’m really concerned about is Driskell. I definitely said too much to Rossel. I got caught up in the moment, and basically confirmed that we had him. I’m worried that Rossel will try to retaliate. I can’t let him hurt Driskell, and I don’t want him creeping around Millie’s place, either. I vowed to keep Driskell safe, so I think it’s time we move him.”
“You’re probably right,” Sean said. “But where can we take him to keep him safe?”
“Millie suggested Porta Maris. Unless you think of a better idea, I’d say we should go with that. I can take him there.” Devon looked like he’d already made up his mind.
I nodded. “I’ll go, too.”
“But we can’t follow you there,” Dom said.
“I can.” Sean stood. “We’ve got to head into Atlantis, anyway. Right?” He grinned at me.
“Indeed. That tablet isn’t going to piece itself back together.”
“Are you sure you’re ready for that?” Tate asked. His eyes had darkened slightly into a deep warm hue of gold. “I don’t want you to put yourself into danger. I hate that I can’t go with you.”
“I’ll have Sean. And I think I accidentally moved the game forward, whether I’m ready for it or not. Our jig is up with Rossel. He knows that we know about the prophecy. Now it’s just a race to who can find the missing pieces first.”
“I’ll see if I can slow Rossel down here,” Gayla said. “I’m supposed to meet him for another training session tonight.”
“I doubt you’ll be training with him anymore,” Dom said. “Not now that he knows you’re on Team Everly.”
“I’m sorry if I messed up your apprenticeship.” I put a hand on Gayla’s shoulder.
She grinned wider. “I can only pray that you did. I’ve never wanted to be a seer for the king. And I’ll be happy if I never see Rossel again. But first, of course, I’m going to at least try to discover what he’s up to. And like I said, I’ll do whatever I can to throw a wrench into his plans.”
“And I’ll look for another piece of the tablet while I’m in Agartha,” Tate added. I’d forgotten that he was preparing to leave us. Dom shifted uncomfortably, and I wondered again what she knew that she wasn’t telling me. Could Tate be trusted to handle a piece of the prophecy? Or would he try to destroy it, the way his ancestors had tried to do for centuries before?
I supposed there wasn’t anything I could do about it at this point. He knew it existed. He’d either find it or he wouldn’t. I just had to believe that he would do the right thing.
He stepped toward me, and it was only then that I realized I had been staring at him. It was like he knew just what I was thinking. He reached out and moved a piece of hair from my face, his fingers making my skin come alive where they brushed against my cheek. “You can trust me.”
I nodded, unsure of what else to say.
“Ahem.” Sean cleared his throat loudly, shaking me from my stupor. Darn Tate and his perfect face.
“Right,” I said, shoving my hands into my pockets. “Gayla and Dom can stop Rossel if possible. Tate can look for a missing piece of the tablet in Agartha, and Sean and I can look in Atlantis. But first, we need to get Driskell to safety.”
Everyone nodded, all on the same page. It was go time.
CHAPTER 13
I said goodbye to Tate and the girls, then headed back to Millie’s house with my Atlantean friends. It still sounded strange in my ears to admit that I was a descendant of Atlantis. But seeing as how I could breathe underwater and stop time with my mind, it had to be true.
I scanned the streets carefully as we pulled up in front of Millie’s place. Al had mentioned “bad looking dudes” hanging around, and I wasn’t sure how much fight I had left in me after the encounter with Rossel and Osborne earlier. But I didn’t see anyone. Perhaps my message to Osborne had gotten through to Rossel and his crew after all. Though I wouldn’t hold my breath.
“Millie?” No one greeted us at the door. Jeeves and Pierre must have gone to the market or something. It was unusual for both to be gone at the same time. I called my aunt’s name one more time.
“Something isn’t right,” Devon whispered.
Sean marched past us through the foyer and up the stairs. “Let’s go see.” Something shifted in him, and he appeared bigger, stronger before my very eyes. This was guardian Sean, and he wasn’t happy.
Devon and I followed him up the stairs. My heart raced faster with every step we took, dread pumping through my veins. Devon was correct. Something felt really wrong.
The door to Millie’s study was closed. I gave a soft knock. “Millie? Are you in there?” No response.
Sean was at the end of the hall, peering into Driskell’s room. He glanced back to us with a frown and shook his head. Then he held up his hands for us to step back and prowled over to the door. He moved Devon and me to the sides of the doorway, placing us flat against the wall.
Then he twisted the knob and immediately dropped to the floor as the door swung open. It was a good thing he did, because Millie’s heavy iron bookend came flying straight to where Sean’s head should have been. It sank into the drywall across the hall, marring the wall.
The color drained from Devon’s face, leaving his dark skin an ashy gray as his suspicions were confirmed. Millie was in danger. He disappeared in the next instant, teleporting inside the office to his soulmate’s side.
I peeked around the corner to find several books hovering in the air off of Millie’s bookcase, and one by one they went flying toward Devon.
“Telekinetics,” Sean said. “Stay out here, I’ll take care of them.”
He ran into the room—a flash of speed before my eyes, and batted down the books in mid air. He lifted the sofa in the center of the room and tossed it back into the corner like it was made of Styrofoam. It flew through the air toward two Olympians, who I’d just noticed off in the shadows. One was a short man who let out an angry roar at the furniture. The other was a tall, wispy looking woman with sharp cheekbones and a ferocious glare. She raised a hand and the couch stopped in the air, then reversed its path back toward Sean.
“Look out!” I shouted, and my feet were moving before I could think better of it. I dove to protect Sean, but he swept me behind him with one arm and took the brunt of the impact of the couch for the both of us. It simply bounced off of his hard body, and it struck me how valuable having a guardian like this really was. I’d taken Sean for granted.
Trusting that he could handle the Olympians on his own, I turned to examine the others. Devon was working furiously to untie the ropes binding Millie and Driskell to her heavy oak desk. Millie’s eyes were wide, but Driskell didn’t look afraid. He’d been expecting this, I realized. He believed his time was short. But I’d made him a promise and I wasn’t going to back out on it now.
I rushed over to help Devon. “We’ve gotta get out of here. Do you t
hink you can take us all at once?” I asked.
“Probably.” He scowled over his shoulder. “But we need to do something about these guys first.”
I followed his gaze to where Sean was still putting up a really impressive fight. The Olympians both appeared to be telekinetic—they could lift and throw objects in the room with their minds. But their brain power was no match for Sean’s strength. He swatted their efforts down like bugs, stalking closer to them with every attack they sent his way.
I thought Sean would take them out for sure until his feet lifted off the ground. The Olympians were working together, their hands lifting in tandem as Sean rose higher and higher from the ground. “Put me down!” he shouted.
It wasn’t easy—I could tell by the quiver of the woman’s hands and the strain in the man’s face. They were struggling to keep him in the air, but it was effective.
Devon cursed under his breath. “Hang on,” he whispered. Then he stepped through the fabric of our reality and re-emerged beside the Olympians. He swung a fist, making contact with the man’s nose with a sickening whack. Sean dropped a few feet in the air, his body falling sideways, but he didn’t hit the ground. The woman was visibly shaking as she worked to keep him in the air on her own.
The man swung back at Devon, but he’d reappeared by my side before the man could make contact. His fist whiffed through empty air.
“Get the window,” the woman said through gritted teeth. Her squatty little sidekick did as he was told, slamming the window open with a quick flick of his hand and so much force I was surprised the glass didn’t break. Then his arms were extended back toward Sean, assisting his partner by lifting the other half of my friend’s body. They were moving Sean toward the open air outside the window.
“I don’t think so.” I growled and lunged for the Olympians. As I leapt over the fallen couch, I felt a gathering in my chest. The sound of the city street stopped coming in from outside. Sean’s heavy breathing went silent. And best of all, the Olympians were no longer moving my friend toward the window. Time had stopped again. But this time, I could feel the pressure in my chest immediately. I didn’t have long before that delicate string of power would snap again. I’d used too much already today.
