The Twelfth Keeper Boxed Set: Books 1-3

by Belle Malory

  Kennedy pushed the plate towards him. “Finish it. I’m stuffed.” He took the plate, looking happy to finish off her food. “So…what are we going to say tomorrow?”

  He swallowed his mouthful. “I’m not saying anything since as of today, I put in my resignation. You can tell them whatever you want. That’s entirely up to you.”

  Kennedy’s jaw dropped. “You mean you quit?”

  He coughed, but there was a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Yep. Decided I didn’t like some of their business practices.”

  “Can you do that? Is it even allowed?”

  She heard him grunt and mumble the word allowed like rules didn’t pertain to him. And honestly, they probably didn’t. Phoenix could probably melt all of Olympus to tiny pieces of ember if he felt like it.

  Kennedy stared at him, wondering what would happen if she took on some of his carefree attitude. Strangely, it was something she envied about him, that sense of fearlessness. She glanced towards the door leading to her private pool. What would it be like to feel invincible?

  She sipped at her water, then set the glass down. “Well if you quit, I quit too.”

  He chuckled. The sound was warm and infectious. “General Vickard will go into a full-blown panic mode,” he said. “The whole damned army will come knocking at the door.”

  She shrugged. “Let them come.”

  It was a dangerous thing, she thought, that Phoenix made her so unafraid. As long as he was by her side, she knew she wouldn’t have anything to fear. And after the way he stood up for her, she would follow him until the end of time.

  Thirty-One

  The next morning Kennedy searched her apartment and found it empty. Phoenix was nowhere to be found. “Matilda, have you seen Phoenix?”

  “Yes,” she answered, busy preparing a pot of coffee. “He left about an hour ago.”

  Kennedy twisted the brace on her wrist. “Did he say where he was going?”

  Matilda shook her metal head, the movement causing a soft whirring. “Sorry, cupcake. Didn’t think to ask.”

  She turned away so Matilda wouldn’t see her expression.

  He just left? And without saying anything to her?

  Already the apartment felt emptier without Phoenix. Its energy shifted back into its former lifeless self. Barefoot, she ventured to the window and stared at the blue-green globe hovering below.

  It was too soon to worry. He probably just went back to his place to shower and change. There was no need to freak out yet.

  Kennedy bit down on her lower lip. What if he hadn’t though? What if he’d changed his mind and abandoned her?

  I mean, come on, he doesn’t even know me that well. How could I have expected him to drop everything, his entire reason for existing, to defend me?

  It was too much to ask of anyone. Especially him.

  Kennedy whipped around at the sound of the doorbell. She wasn’t sure if it was Phoenix, or if it was Dr. Sigly and her team of assassins.

  When Matilda let Phoenix inside, she nearly fell to the floor with relief. He was a gorgeous sight too, freshly showered and wearing civilian clothes. She usually only saw him in their required black uniform.

  Two large shopping bags filled his hands. He set them down on the kitchen counter and then his eyes sought her out.

  When they found her, she smiled widely. “It’s really good to see you.”

  “You weren’t worried, were you?”

  Extremely. “A little.”

  “Sorry about that,” he said. “I thought I’d make it back before you woke up.”

  “It’s okay.” She was just happy he was back.

  He waved her over. “Come here, I have a surprise.”

  Hearing him say that was enough of a surprise on its own, and it took a moment to get her feet to move. She eyed his shopping bags curiously.

  He reached into one, and pulled out a long, golden-blonde mane of hair. “Closer.” He reached for her shoulders and positioned her body directly in front of him. “I don’t bite.”

  “No, you just burn.”

  He grinned, deep dimples cutting into his cheeks. “True.”

  All in one motion, Phoenix lifted her auburn hair and swept it behind her shoulders. He positioned the blonde wig over her head, yanking it down until it was in place. Kennedy crinkled her nose as tufts of bangs tickled her forehead.

  She watched Phoenix’s face as he meticulously adjusted strands of hair, untangling and smoothing the wig down.

  Being this close to him intensified all of her senses. His smell, especially, was so nice she could bury herself in it. It was familiar, like burning cedar mixed with fresh air on a sunny day.

  She closed her eyes, thinking of the sun. If she were on Amelia Island right now, she would be able to feel it beaming down on her, warming her skin. Something so simple as sunshine could be taken for granted.

  “There you go. All set.”

  Kennedy opened her eyes. “How do I look?”

  Phoenix backed up, scanned her from head to foot. “Like a princess.” He reached into the other bag and rifled through it. “Between you and me though, it doesn’t hold a candle to your hair.”

  Her stomach did a little flip. Flattery from Phoenix Jorgensen was definitely music to her ears.

  She checked out the new do in the hallway mirror. It was weird seeing her face surrounded by all that blonde hair. If it was meant to be a disguise, it was certainly doing the trick. She didn’t look like herself at all. “So what do I need this for? Where are we going?”

  Phoenix slicked his hair back with his fingers and tucked his head into a ball cap. “That’s another surprise.”

  Kennedy headed into her bedroom and opened her closet doors. “Should I wear anything specific?”

  “Not really,” he called out. “But low profile is always a good idea.”

  Right, she thought, remembering how the whole world knew her face. Thinking about that still freaked her out. A lot. It was something she didn’t think she’d ever get used to.

  Kennedy changed into a black hoodie and jeans. But when she looked over her reflection, she wasn’t happy. She nailed the low profile thing on the head, but it was also…blah.

  So she took the outfit off.

  The urgency to look like a girl took over. Maybe out of desire to impress Phoenix. Or maybe from too many days spent in that unisex uniform.

  Kennedy shuffled through the clothes until she found a navy dress. She slipped it on and paired it with a grey scarf. Muted enough to be low profile, and formfitting enough to make her feel like a girl again, which was awesome. Aside from the blonde hair, she felt like herself.

  “Ready?” Phoenix asked. He peeked in just as she was headed out. “Ah, good. You are. And you look nice.”

  “Thanks,” she said, feeling his words warm her. “And unrecognizable?”

  “Unless someone looks too closely, you’re good.”

  “What about you? You’re only going to wear the hat?”

  He pulled a pair of sunglasses out of his coat pocket. “And these.”

  “Won’t that be like a big red flag?”

  “Why?”

  “Because of where we are.” Kennedy held out her arms, gesturing to their surroundings. “You know, on a space station. The sun doesn’t exactly shine so brightly.”

  Phoenix looked at her like she was speaking another language. “Have you ventured into the Neon City yet?”

  “No.” Because she was super lame. “I haven’t had the time.”

  He grabbed her by the arm, and dragged her towards the door. “Come along, grasshopper. Loads to learn today.”

  Thirty-Two

  “Where are we?”

  The sign above their entrance read Atrium. Kennedy was positive an atrium was a sort of outdoor room, usually built with glass roofs to allow sunlight to spill through. She wasn’t sure it was even possible for there to be one here.

  “We’re in Section 2.”

  Phoenix paid a small admission
at the front desk, then led her through a set of double doors. A bright yellow light glinted into Kennedy’s eyes, shining over her face and hair. She squinted, feeling warmed by the light. Once her eyes adjusted, she looked around.

  For a split second she thought she had been transported back to Earth. The atrium was a large, open space, reaching several stories high and enclosed under a glazed ceiling. A wide yellow light expanded up above. Not the sun, but similar enough to make her want to stretch her arms out wide and soak it all in.

  Tall trees stretched across valleys of outdoor landscape. People were everywhere enjoying the artificial sunshine, walking their dogs, picnicking, and some just hanging out.

  “This is awesome. Like, really, really awesome.”

  She looked at Phoenix and saw his eyes were closed; he basked in the warmth. “It’s my favorite spot on Olympus.” He opened his eyes. “I come here every Sunday.”

  Figures he would crave this type of environment, considering his instinct for heat. Then again, she had missed it too. Her apartment came stocked with digital wallpaper for the windows, some with images of the sun in the background. But it wasn’t as close to the real thing as this was.

  “Why don’t they train the keepers on Earth?” Kennedy wondered aloud as they strolled along a cement path. “Wouldn’t it make sense to be near the elements?”

  “I’ve been saying that for as long as I’ve lived here.” He stopped and pointed to a couple of peacocks wandering about in the grass. Kennedy liked the turquoise colors of their feathers, thinking how it was the exact color of a dress she’d stolen from Reagan. “Anyway, no one’s ever listened. DOE officials consider Olympus the front lines, so to speak. If anything were to ever happen, it would happen here first. Take out the space center, and you’ve pretty much secured control of the planet.”

  Kennedy shook her head at that logic. “They should break the branch up into pieces. Betcha anything the keepers would be stronger on Earth.”

  Phoenix flinched. He started to say something, but changed his mind. “What is it?” she asked, wondering if she’d said something offensive.

  “Nothing. I agree with you.” He walked ahead, then reached back to grab her hand. “This is where they keep the animals.”

  Phoenix’s fingers slowly weaved through hers, and a wave of tingles danced along her skin. Kennedy stared at their entwined hands, unable to focus on anything else.

  A cage filled with small, leafless trees was directly to their right. Chimpanzees hung from long branches and the outer walls of the cage, entertaining the passersby.

  His hand was warm, and held hers loosely. Her skin grew oddly warm. Too warm, even under the artificial sunlight.

  She steeled her shoulders back and ordered herself to Look. At. The. Animals.

  Horses roamed about freely in a small field of grass. As hard as she tried to, she paid them no attention.

  Phoenix kept drawing her closer to him. It was almost possessive, the way he kept her near him. Her stomach did that flip thing again.

  A part of her knew this was no big deal. Phoenix Jorgensen was holding her hand. Totally not a big deal. To him, anyway.

  To her, it was huge.

  Monumental.

  But it wasn’t real, and that made everything feel wrong. He thought she was like him. He thought she was someone who fit into his crazy, superhero world. Trying not to make things awkward, Kennedy casually shook away from him. “Is that a lake over there?”

  They headed towards it. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Phoenix watching her.

  Avoiding transparency was clearly not a strength of hers. Either that, or he was super skilled at seeing through her—and she liked the thought of that even less.

  Up close, the lake turned out to be a small pond with a flowering tree planted next to it. Lavender petals and white geese floated across the water. Children tossed food pellets from dispensers to the geese.

  An empty bench was perched beside a nearby tree. Kennedy sat down on it, wanting to stay there as long as she could, hoping Phoenix planned to stay a while longer. “I have to give you credit—this is a nice surprise,” she said.

  He sat down next to her. “Glad you like it.”

  She breathed in the fresh air, feeling like she was somewhere outside on Earth, not up in space, surrounded by thick walls of glass and metal. “Unemployment is underrated.”

  “Agreed. Everyone should quit their jobs.”

  Kennedy smiled. A few strands of bangs had fallen into her eyes. Afraid to mess with the wig, she blew upwards until she could see again. More seriously, she asked Phoenix, “Will you miss it?”

  “I don’t think it’s a matter of missing anything. More than likely, it will come down to responsibility. I feel responsible. And I don’t know how to be anything other than this.”

  His dark eyes turned remorseful, and Kennedy’s heart hurt for him. “Despite the psychotic inner workings of Dr. Sigly and General Vickard’s minds, I think being a keeper means everything to you.” She sighed. “I appreciate how you stood up for me, but this can’t last forever.”

  “I know that. You don’t think I know?”

  Of course he did. He was Phoenix Jorgensen, ninth keeper of Earth, and he felt responsible. She must’ve been the one doing the wishful thinking. “So when will you go back?”

  He turned, shifting to face her. “When I said this can’t last forever, I meant DOE can’t keep running things the way they have. Either things change, or I’ll change them myself.”

  She couldn’t help but hear the anger in his voice, and wondered why it sounded directed at her.

  “Right now, I’m sending them a message,” Phoenix continued. “And they’re lucky it’s a silent one.”

  “What happens if they don’t get your message? What will you do?” She imagined the worst, Phoenix attacking the general’s military. Level 3 burning up in flames. All of Olympus exploding into space dust.

  Deep down she knew none of that would ever happen. Still, knowing it could was kind of terrifying.

  Phoenix stood up. After a moment, he turned around. “Why do you keep doing that?”

  She looked up at him, completely confused. “Doing what?”

  “You asked me what I’m going to do.” His black eyes flashed. “You refer to the other keepers as them, like you’re an outsider.”

  Kennedy shifted in her seat. He was the last person she wanted to be angry with her. Not after everything he’d done. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  He narrowed his eyes on her. “I think you know exactly what I’m talking about.”

  Kennedy pulled at the scarf around her neck, prying it off. There was no point in having this conversation again. Especially not with Phoenix. Sometimes when she was around him, there were a few blissful moments she could almost pretend she was his equal. She didn’t want to lose that.

  “I’ve watched you train,” he continued. “You don’t take it seriously, and I’m not only referring to Elemental Training. I mean all of it. It’s like you’re only there because you have to be.”

  Kennedy couldn’t look him in the eye anymore. “You’re wrong,” she insisted, hearing her voice break in the process. “I did try. I made an effort to try.”

  Why did those words sound like a lie? Up until now, she thought she’d been trying. She’d shown up everyday, and aside from Elemental Training, she’d done everything she was supposed to do, everything she could do. For crying out loud, she gave up her entire life in order to come here. Those words should feel like the truth.

  But somehow they didn’t.

  And Phoenix seemed so…frustrated. Because of her. Kennedy hated that it was because of her. If she knew what to say to fix this, she’d say it in a heartbeat. She’d say anything not to see that look of disappointment in his face.

  Phoenix took his hat off, running fingers through his disheveled hair, then tugged it back on again. “You won’t even let me hold your hand. And not because you don’t want to.
I know you want to. What you did back there, shaking me away, it was bullshit. You want to know why?”

  Kennedy stood up. She couldn’t handle hearing him yell at her anymore. It was better if she walked away, at least until he cooled down some.

  Phoenix wouldn’t let her leave. He grabbed her by the arm, forcing her to face him. She took a deep breath, trying to keep her head straight. “Let go of me, Phoenix.”

  He relaxed his grip, but he didn’t let her go. “You won’t let me hold your hand because you don’t think you deserve to. You look at me like I’m some goddamn celebrity or something. Like you’re not worthy of my time.”

  She stared at him without batting an eye, letting his words sink in. He was right, but she didn’t say so out loud. Her voice felt broken, and speaking seemed beyond her reach.

  Phoenix sighed, letting go of her arm. It was probably a good thing, since people were starting to stare. “Kennedy,” he whispered. “The truth is, I’m probably the one who isn’t worthy.”

  She rolled her eyes and looked away. Yeah, okay. Good luck convincing me of that, buddy.

  “It’s true,” he said. “I see you. I may not know you very well, but I see you.” He tilted her chin towards him.

  “Oh yeah, and just what exactly do you see?” Sarcasm laced her voice pretty heavily, which still wasn’t working properly. “According to you, I do everything wrong.” She blinked back tears, determined not to cry.

  “That came out harsh.” He shook his head. “But I do see you. You’re the girl who can’t be mean to anyone. I saw how hard you tried to dislike Professor Mason, but couldn’t. He also told me why you came to Olympus, to help your family. You chose to come here selflessly and out of love, which I think is amazing. I wish I could be that unselfish.”

  Kennedy sniffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

  Phoenix’s lips curved into a half-smile. “When you’re nervous or bored, you fidget with your hair. I see you do that a lot. And sometimes, you have this dreamy look about you, like you’re here, but not really. Like much more important things are going on in your mind.