Rogue Reformatory: Breakout (Supernatural Misfits Academy Book 3)

by Amber Lynn Natusch

  “I know it’s weird.” He tapped his temple. “In here, I keep asking myself why the hell I’m dragging this scrap of metal along with me everywhere.” His hand dropped to his chest, and he laid his palm over his heart. “But in here, I know I have to hold onto it. That it has meaning.”

  “We each picked something up during our hops through Wadsworth. Cece found a pin.” I lifted my hand, and the blue stone winked in the light. “And I found this.”

  “Sarah didn’t find anything, and neither did Aidan.”

  “That we know of.”

  He frowned. “I didn’t see anything.”

  “Maybe whatever they found isn’t obvious.” I nudged my knee against the chair leg. “Like that.”

  “I believe you two need to come inside,” the man said, standing in the open doorway. His gaze scanned the area, and his spine stiffened. “Don’t you smell it?”

  “Smell what?” Rhys asked.

  “Danger.” The man retreated inside, and Rhys and I climbed the front steps, crossed the porch, and entered the building. Standing in the small entryway, the man held out his hand to Rhys. “I’m Tristan. You’re Rhys.”

  “How did you know?” Rhys asked.

  “Your grandfather knew you were coming.”

  “Yet he was ready to shoot us,” I said, shaking Tristan’s hand as well. “I’m Maddy.”

  “Nice to meet you.”

  “Why does an elderly guy with Alzheimer’s have access to a gun?” I peered into the room on the left; it appeared to be a study, the desk and bookcases overflowing with books. Straight ahead, a stairway rose to a hallway landing, and I spied a bathroom beyond. The entry split, and based on the size of the building, there were two rooms upstairs. To our right, I found a living room.

  No Gramps. Maybe he was looking for other weapons.

  “Do you think I have control over everything he does?” Tristan asked. “We need guns here. Maine’s a safe state, but we’re in a rural area. Varmints abound.”

  The living or dead kind?

  “We’re here to talk to Gramps,” Rhys said.

  “And I’m here to tell you you’ll have to wait,” Tristan said. “He was still in bed when you arrived, though he heard the engine and grabbed the gun. I’ve settled him down again, and if we’re lucky, he’ll sleep a little while longer. He’s a night owl and was up past midnight.”

  “We can wait to speak with him if we have to,” Rhys said reasonably. His gaze drifted to the stairs. “I wouldn’t mind sleeping a bit myself. We’ll take the rooms up there?”

  “Sure.” Tristan looked from me to Rhys. “Will you be sharing a room?”

  The thought of sleep-sleeping with Rhys was intriguing, but there was no way I’d do anything with Gramps and Tristan one floor below me.

  Rhys must have thought the same thing. His eyes sparkled when they met mine. “We’ll need two rooms.”

  “Very well.” Tristan dipped his head. “I’ll return to your grandfather’s room and leave you to find your way. He speaks often of the summers you stayed here with him when he was younger. I assume you know where to find spare toothbrushes and whatever else you might need?”

  “Yes, thank you.” Rhys shifted the chair leg to tuck it beneath his arm. “We’ll see you in a few hours, then.”

  “Of course.” Tristan pivoted and strode into the living room.

  Rhys turned to me. “Do you want anything to drink before we go upstairs?”

  “I’m so tired, I can’t tell if I’m thirsty or not. But I think I’m okay. Let’s go to bed.”

  We walked up the stairs and parted on the landing.

  ***

  I woke to the screech of seagulls. Light slanted in through the lacy curtains I’d pulled before I’d collapsed on the bed fully clothed. I only had the clothing on my back, and it felt weird to sleep naked.

  Sliding off the bed, I trooped to the bathroom and used the toothbrush Rhys had found for me. A towel and a small pile of clothing had been placed to the side of the basin, and I sorted through the items, selecting a pair of sweatpants and a tee that would fit decently enough. After shutting the door, I stripped and took a shower, savoring the joy of being clean. Dressed, I gathered my gown off the floor and exited the bathroom.

  Tristan stood in the foyer, gazing up. “If you give me your dirty things, I’ll wash them for you while you visit with Gramps.”

  I joined him downstairs and handed the dress over. “Thanks.” It seemed silly to cling to it, but I had nothing else.

  The smells of bacon and cinnamon floated in the air, and my belly groaned.

  “The others are on the deck,” Tristan said, striding into the living room. I followed as he continued past a bedroom and bath on the right and nudged his head toward the kitchen beyond. “Grab something to eat, and some coffee or tea, and join them. I’ll duck down to the basement and throw your things in with Rhys’s.”

  With a nod, I left him in the hall and walked into a dining room with a small kitchen on the left. Glass took up one wall of the dining room, and I could see why. Beyond the deck, a small lawn stretched to a cliff with a set of stairs leading to the beach below. Beyond that, the ocean stretched for as far as I could see. It still churned, as if the storm I had sensed was waiting to pounce, but blue sky overhead made it clear that whatever was coming would not arrive now. This afternoon, maybe. Or tonight.

  Shrugging off my unease, I went to the kitchen and poured myself a cup of coffee. After adding a splash of cream from a small pitcher, I snagged a muffin off the plate nearby and, juggling everything to open the slider, joined Rhys and his grandfather on the deck.

  A breeze picked up my hair and swirled it around me.

  Gramps sat in a big old rocker, and as he moved, the wooden rails creak-creak-creaked on the smooth wooden decking. Two seagulls landed on the lawn and strutted around, pausing to cock their heads in our direction. They’d seen the half-eaten muffin sitting on the low table beside Gramps’s rocker.

  I dropped into a deck chair beside Rhys and chowed on my muffin, washing it down with the rich, smoky coffee.

  Gramps said nothing. He just stared toward the water, tipping back and forth, back and forth.

  When my eyes met Rhys’s, I lifted my eyebrows.

  “I was just telling Gramps that you were here with me for a short visit,” Rhys said.

  “Do I know you?” Gramps said to me. “You look familiar.”

  “I don’t believe we’ve met before,” I said, “Sir.” I felt compelled to add the latter.

  “No, no, there’s something about you. Give me a moment, and I’ll figure it out.” Lines filled his face, and his snowy white hair flicked in the gusts streaming off the ocean, lending him a mad-professor appearance similar to his son’s. His blue flannel shirt was buttoned all the way to his chin, and his weathered jeans had a small, frayed hole in the right knee.

  Rhys wore an outfit similar to mine, sweats and a tee.

  “I know!” Gramps said finally. “You’re one of them.”

  “Them?” I asked. My hand shook so badly, my coffee slopped around.

  “Yes, them. You know.” He tapped his temple. “It’s us and them.”

  “What do you mean, Gramps?” Rhys asked. “Maddy’s my girlfriend. She’s…I trust her.”

  “Trust her with what?” Gramps’s gaze fell on Rhys. “Do I know you? You seem like a nice kid, but you should know right now, I’m not your grandfather.”

  “I’m Rhys, Gramps.” Urgency filled his voice, and when he glanced my way, I read the sorrow in his eyes. “I’m your only grandson.”

  “Well, of course you are,” Gramps said. “Who else would you be?”

  Rhys flopped back in his chair. “What were you saying about Maddy?”

  “No matter,” Gramps said, his gaze drifting to the water. “We really don’t have time for that now. A storm is coming, and I see she’s wearing the ring.”

  My breath caught. “What do you know about it?” Like earlier, I couldn’t
stop spinning it on my finger. The stone mirrored the churning sea. I could have sworn I caught a wink that looked like a crack of lightning, but it wasn’t repeated.

  “The ring serves a purpose,” Gramps said.

  I leaned forward, abandoning my coffee on the table. “What purpose?”

  Rhys watched us, saying nothing, but excitement filled his eyes.

  “Purpose?” Gramps said. “What are you talking about, girl?”

  I held up my hand. “My ring. You said it had a purpose. I found it at Wadsworth.”

  “That old place? What were you doing there?”

  “I was…” Should I tell him I’d been locked up? Rhys gave me a quick shake of his head. “I was visiting the building. I’m fascinated by its history.”

  “Dark, it is,” Gramps said, his rheumy eyes filled with secrets. Would he share them, or were they locked up forever? “They stole it for its power...”

  “Who did?” I asked. “The Council?’

  His suddenly sharp gaze cut to me. “Yes.”

  “What power?” Rhys asked with a sense of desperation.

  “Our family’s power. The land fuels it.”

  “Gramps, are you saying that our power is tied to the Wadsworth estate?”

  “Power?” he replied, confusion tainting the old man’s tone. “Why are you talking about power?”

  “I just—”

  Gramps cut Rhys short with a raised palm as he leaned toward my hand.

  My ring! I’d almost forgotten.

  “Can you tell me about this?” I asked, lifting my hand toward him.

  He tapped the stone. “This. This is the channel.”

  “The sapphire?”

  “I don’t see any other.”

  “The channel to what?” Rhys asked.

  “To using them.”

  “Using who?” I bit back my groan. Time was flying, and we weren’t any closer to learning what we needed than before.

  “Them, dear. Them .”

  “You said I was one of them.”

  His cloudy gaze met mine. “Did I? Why would I say that?”

  Tristan joined us with a cup of coffee. He paused and tapped Gramps’s shoulder. “Do you need the toilet, Gerald?”

  “Why would I need a toilet?” Gramps scowled. “Who are you?” His hand flicked to me. “She’s the one who can channel, and he…” His attention drifted to Rhys. “This one, I know well. How are you doing, boy? When did you arrive?”

  “Early this morning, Gramps,” Rhys said. “We can’t stay long.”

  “Kids these days, rushing from one place to another. Never taking the time they should to see what’s right in front of them.” He tapped the chair leg lying in Rhys’s lap. “Like this, for example. No one sees but me.”

  Rhys lifted the chair leg. “What do you see?”

  “You’re…the final guardian. The only one left.”

  Rhys shot a concerned look in Tristan’s direction. Like me, he had to be wondering how much Tristan knew. Was he like us?

  “On his clear days, your grandfather has been teaching me,” Tristan said. “I’m here to care for him, but he’s taking care of me and my future.”

  “You’re a sorcerer.” A guess on my part. The words burst out of me, but there was no snatching them back now.

  He nodded.

  “Gramps,” Rhys said, “what do you mean when you say I’m the last one left?”

  “The final guardian. The most important one. Only you can unlock everything.” Gramps’s rocker shifted back and forth, its motion as furious as the sea. A bank of dark clouds had churned across the sky, blocking out the sun.

  We needed to leave soon. Before the storm brewing out at sea arrived. I stood, as did Rhys. The chair leg dropped to the deck with a clatter.

  “Keep that close, boy,” Gramps said, pointing to the twisted piece of metal lying on the slats.

  Rhys snatched it up and clutched it to his chest. His ragged breathing smoothed. “What does this do, Gramps?” Rhys asked hoarsely. “Tell me. Tell me!”

  Gramps’s gaze shifted to the sea, even when Rhys grabbed his arm and squeezed. “Gramps. Tell me.”

  “I think you need to leave,” Tristan grumbled. “It’s time.”

  “Time for what?” I asked. Frustration sent energy roaring through my veins. We couldn’t make Gramps speak, but that didn’t apply to Tristan. “He’s the one with the memory problems. Explain.”

  “I don’t know much. I’m still in training! But I know that you need to go before it’s too late.” Tristan raked his hair with both hands, leaving it as wild and untamed as the churning water. Waves crashed on the shore, straining toward the cliff. “Go. Now.”

  Rhys looked deflated. “I’d hoped to—”

  “Now! You won’t learn anything further.”

  “I’ll grab our stuff.” Rhys’s gaze met mine. “Grab a few more muffins and meet me at the car?”

  “Okay.” I looked from one of them to the other, but they all remained silent. Even Rhys now stared at the ocean.

  Goosebumps lifted across my skin in a chilling wave.

  The storm. We had to leave. The thought drilled through my mind and made my heart slam against my ribcage. I scurried to the door but paused when Gramps spoke.

  “Rhys, my boy,” he said in his high-pitched, old-guy voice, “remember. That…that thing you hold? It’s not what it seems. It’s...the Destroyer.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Cece

  Cold washed over me as I watched Aidan release the only thing tethering him to the Earthly side of the veil. Darkness swarmed my vision as pain lanced through me like a molten skewer. The golden marking blazed in anger.

  I heard Sarah shouting, her voice clear and commanding as she chanted magic in a tongue I didn’t understand. The portal I’d created was shrinking and my panic raged, but when I attempted to step through it to help Aidan, it threw me back, repelling me. I fell on my butt a few feet away and stared, too many emotions ripping through me to even process. Terror. Anger. Determination. Fear.

  Sarah’s chanting grew to a piercing cry, and suddenly, Aidan snapped back into view. Even through the distortion of the portal, I could see that his body was beaten and bloody; he could barely stand. And as that oval opening grew smaller still, I watched Sarah cram him through. He fell to the ground in a heap, and I scrambled over to his side. I flipped him over to see how badly he was hurt, then looked to the portal—to Sarah—for help.

  Instead of slinking through behind him, she stared back at me through an opening the size of her face.

  “You have to help him, Cece—you’re the only one that can.”

  “Sarah!”

  I dove for the portal, as if I could rip it open with my bare hands and pull her through. But before I could even reach it, it shrank to the size of a pea, then disappeared in a flash of light, just as it had appeared.

  I fell to my knees and stared at the nothingness before me. At where Sarah’s face, etched with fear, had just been. She’d sacrificed herself to make sure Aidan escaped. Because she cared about him. Because she was a far more complicated being than any of us had ever wanted to give her credit for.

  The sound of wet coughing behind me pulled me from my impending breakdown and snapped me back to the problem I might actually be able to do something about. On hands and knees, I hurried back to Aidan’s side. His eyes were open, but distant and bouncing around, as if looking for something to focus on.

  “It’s me…I’m here,” I said, grabbing his hand.

  The marking on mine didn’t flare.

  After a few more seconds of searching, those ice-blue eyes settled on my face.

  “You made it,” he said with a sigh that only resulted in more of that horrific coughing.

  I lifted his head and scooted over to rest it in my lap. His face was bruised and bleeding, and it was all I could do to keep any semblance of a poker face in place as my eyes dared to scour the rest of him. Things didn’t improve below the nec
k. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep myself from crying.

  “What happened, Aidan?” I whispered, fearing my voice would crack if I actually tried to speak normally.

  He choked on a laugh—or his blood. I couldn’t be sure.

  “My brothers happened—all at once.”

  “I guess you’re not winning the family of the year contest anytime soon, are you?” I asked, forcing a laugh that sounded desperate and hollow.

  He forced a tight smile in return. “I’m really not.” His reply triggered more of that horrific, rattling cough, and when he drew his hand away from his mouth, I couldn’t help but notice the blood on it.

  “Aidan—”

  “You raised a dragon army,” he said, cutting me off.

  I shook my head as a genuine smile overtook my worried expression. But it was balanced by the tears welling in my eyes. There was something about the way he was distracting me—the way he was studiously avoiding the big, bleeding elephant in the room—that spawned a sense of dread in me that I couldn’t shake.

  And it was only made worse by the fear seeping from him into me.

  “In fairness, I didn’t know that was what I was doing when I did it.”

  “It was pretty hot.”

  “I’m glad you think so.”

  My amusement fell as blood trickled down his forehead.

  “Where are we?” he asked. My gaze shot up and I took in our surroundings, something I’d been far too preoccupied to do before that moment. I recognized the weathered deck that needed a new railing on one side. The play set covered in a thin layer of rust because no one had used it in years. The tire swing I still loved to hang from when I wanted to be alone.

  “We’re in my backyard,” I said, wiping his face gently with the skirt of my dress. “I think I yelled ‘home’ when I called for the portal.”

  Aidan started in my lap and sat up. “We can’t stay here.” More coughing. “The Council could be nearby.”

  “Shit! You’re right. But where are we going to go? And how will we get out of here?”

  He tried to stand and wavered on his feet so wildly that he nearly toppled. I dove underneath his arm and slung it around my shoulders to steady him.