Broken Knights: A Paranormal High School Bully Romance (Gifted Academy Book 4)

by Michelle Hercules

  Andromeda throws her legs to the side of the couch but remains seated. She massages her right hand while keeping her chin dipped low.

  “He wants Daisy,” she says.

  Fear and anger mingle, forming a cold dagger that pierces my chest. All Neo Gods are gunning for her now that they know she’s the Unmaker. But adding a demigod to the list of people who want to harm Daisy only makes everything worse. Maybe Nathaniel is working for the island god. Fuck!

  “He’s not touching a single hair of hers,” I grit out.

  “He doesn’t want to kill her. He’s collecting powerful Idols.”

  “What for?” Soren asks.

  “I don’t know. He never told me.”

  An idea springs into my head. But first I need to know what the Knights want to do about Andromeda’s boss. “What was your plan?”

  “The only people who know Andromeda is a Neo God are those in this room and Stephan. I haven’t disclosed her double agent status to the rest of the Knights, and I intend to keep it that way.”

  It’s a smart move. The fewer people who know about it, the less likely it is her cover will be blown.

  “He doesn’t know Andromeda was captured, right?” I ask.

  “I don’t believe so,” Mr. Silverstone replies, glancing in Andromeda’s direction.

  “He doesn’t know. It’s why he was punishing me. He does that when he thinks I’m blowing him off.”

  “But he knows now that I helped you,” I say. “So you’re going to bring me to him.”

  She lifts her chin, piercing me with such an intense stare that it almost feels like she has X-ray vision. “And you think he’s going to welcome you with open arms without retaliation?”

  “He won’t retaliate.”

  “What makes you so sure?” Soren asks.

  “She said he collects powerful Idols, right? You’re looking at one.”

  Soren snorts. “Cocky much?”

  Andromeda tilts her head to the side, narrowing her gaze. “You’re not an Idol.”

  Soren whips his face to hers. “Come again?”

  She ignores him and keeps staring at me. “You’ve been masking your powers all this time. You’re a demigod.”

  3

  Daisy

  My mind is still whirling as I board the small private jet. Andromeda being a spy makes no sense to me. She saved me countless times; she even killed a Neo God, for crying out loud. And there’s no way that encounter in the alleyway was planned. Something isn’t right, but unfortunately, staying in Hawk City for another day to find out the truth wasn’t an option. Principal Fallon was eager to return to Saturn’s Bay as quickly as possible. I hope Morpheus can get to the bottom of it.

  The tension inside the plane is so thick, it’s smothering. I’m sitting next to Bryce, and Phoenix is across from me, but neither speaks much. Principal Fallon is in the seat across the aisle, presumably sleeping. I honestly doubt it. I wouldn’t put it past the woman to pretend to be asleep so she could eavesdrop on our conversation. Too bad she’s out of luck and no one is talking.

  Rosie and Toby are sitting behind me, and Rufio took the farthest seat from us as possible. He’s in avoidance mode, but as painful as it is, I’m glad. I still can’t look him in the eye. There’s no amount of excuses or pleas for forgiveness that can make things better.

  I thought we would strategize during the flight, but perhaps Principal Fallon doesn’t think it’s safe to talk about the Knights and the Neo Gods in public. The Knights are still considered criminals. Terrorists, even.

  My chest becomes tighter when I finally have the time to think about the implications of the events of Hawk City. The guys and I were probably caught on camera fighting that gang of Fringes. Does that mean we’re wanted by the authorities now? One of the Neo Gods was Hawk City’s chief of police. All Bryce’s father has to do is make a call and we’re doomed.

  I gasp out loud, earning Bryce’s, Phoenix’s, and Rufio’s attention. My gaze locks with his for a fleeting moment, but Bryce’s hand on my arm draws my eyes away from Rufio’s cold stare.

  “What is it, Daisy?”

  “What do you think is going to happen now? Is your father going to send the police after us?”

  Bryce rubs his jaw. “I don’t know what he’ll do. I think we should lie low for a while and wait for him to make the first move.”

  “No. We’re not hiding,” Principal Fallon chimes in.

  I knew she wasn’t asleep.

  “What do you propose we do? Return to Gifted Academy as if everything were normal?” Rufio asks angrily.

  “Yes. That’s precisely what we should do right now. Going into hiding will set us back months. Staying visible will force your father to show his hand sooner.”

  “You mean use Daisy as bait,” Phoenix retorts angrily.

  “I’m not afraid of him,” I say.

  Bryce squeezes my hand. “We know you aren’t, but he already managed to capture you once. We can’t be too careful.”

  “He’s not going to catch me unguarded again.”

  Rufio stands suddenly and pierces me with his intense blue eyes. “As long as you have weaklings attached to you, you’ll always be in danger.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I frown, not liking his insinuation.

  “He’s talking about me,” Rosie pipes up. “If Toby and I hadn’t been captured, then you wouldn’t have been put in that situation.”

  “That’s bullshit, Rosie!” I yell, frustrated.

  Rosie stands from her seat as well and walks to mine. “It’s not bullshit, and you know it.”

  “And now you have another weak link. Me,” Rufio deadpans.

  Twist the dagger in my chest harder, why don’t you?

  “Bryce could always try to turn Rosie into an Idol.” Phoenix shrugs.

  Rosie’s green eyes widen. “Over my dead body.”

  “I guess someone still hates us.” He chuckles.

  She crosses her arms and pouts. “I don’t hate all Idols anymore, but that doesn’t mean I want to become one.”

  The airplane hits a pocket of turbulence, which forces everyone to return to their seats. But the atmosphere around us is still permeated with the heaviness of spoken and unspoken words. I don’t know what to make of Rufio’s statement. Was he trying to break up with me? My eyes burn just thinking about it. I love him with all my heart. I can’t bear to think that he’d want to leave me, but at the same time, I wouldn’t blame him if he did. I took away his powers, after all.

  The plane shakes again, more violently than before. My heart leaps up to my throat as my pulse quickens. I clutch the armrests in a vise hold and try not to let the panic set in. But when the plane drops suddenly, Rosie and I scream.

  “It’s okay, Daisy. It’s just a patch of bad weather,” Phoenix tries to reassure me with a smile.

  It would have worked if there weren’t another drop, followed by more shaking.

  “What the hell is going on?” Principal Fallon pulls up the window shade just in time for us to see lightning strike the sky, revealing a cluster of angry clouds quickly approaching our small plane.

  “Oh my God,” Rosie whimpers behind me.

  The pilot says something over the speakers, but I barely make out his words over the loud pounding in my ears. We’re all looking out the windows now, and with each new strike of lightning, the plane seems to shake harder.

  “The sky was supposed to be clear all the way to Saturn’s Bay. This isn’t a normal storm,” Principal Fallon mutters.

  “It’s not. It’s the island god,” Bryce declares.

  A loud boom outside draws another scream from me. I hear Rosie whimper, and then Toby tries to calm her down. I wish I could tell her everything will be okay, but I’m gripped by terror too. This is my second time flying, but I’ve seen plenty of plane-crash movies. If this small jet gets hit by a lightning bolt, it’s game over for us. There’s no amount of Idol power that can save us.

  The nose of the
plane dips suddenly at perilous angle. The pilot shouts something over the speakers. Maybe he’s telling us we’re going down. I don’t know because I’m screaming.

  “Daisy! Daisy!” Bryce shakes me, turning me around. “I need you to calm down.”

  “I can’t,” I sob through my tears.

  “Leave her alone, Bryce. Can’t you see she’s in distress?” Rufio yells from his seat.

  “I can’t have her lose her mind now. We all need to work together if we want to keep this plane from crashing.”

  “Bryce is right,” Principal Fallon chimes in. “I’ll focus on the wind, but I need Daisy to slow down our descent. Can you do that?”

  “I-I don’t know.”

  Phoenix leans forward and grabs my hands. “You can do it, babe. I have faith in you.”

  His eyes are shining with intensity. It’s not until I feel the panic release its grip in my heart that I realize Phoenix used his gift to help me. I’m calmer, but not calm. However, now I can concentrate on my power and attempt to make time move slower around the plane. The loud whizzing noise begins to fade, and the sense that we’re plunging to our deaths lessens.

  My erratic breathing returns to normal, but too soon. The noise of the propellers stops, and the lights in the cabin flicker until they go out completely.

  “What happened now?” Rosie shrieks.

  “Son of a bitch. He cut the plane’s power off,” Rufio grumbles in the darkness.

  “That’s your department, Bryce,” Phoenix says.

  “I’m on it.”

  I avoid looking at him, afraid if I do, I’ll lose focus and the plane will start to drop like a bomb again. But I feel Bryce’s powers blaze next to me, and then I can see it when his body flares up like a supernova. A moment later, the engine restarts and the lights return.

  No one speaks for the longest time. I don’t dare to pull my powers in, but I know if I keep the plane moving at snail pace, we’ll never make it back to Saturn’s Bay before we run out of fuel.

  “Is he gone?” I ask.

  “I don’t sense his presence anymore,” Bryce grits out.

  I let go of my powers then, sinking into my seat and closing my eyes. I’ve never sustained the slow-motion trick for this long before, and now I feel drained.

  It’s another minute or so before someone nudges my arm. I blink my eyes open lazily, coming face-to-face with Rufio, who is leaning over me. I sit up straighter in an instant.

  “Are you okay?” he asks.

  “Yeah.”

  “You weren’t moving.” He takes a step back.

  “I think I pushed myself to the limit.”

  He doesn’t reply, and his expression doesn’t change from the cold mask he’s wearing. I can’t begin to understand what’s going on inside his head.

  “I’m going to check on the pilot.” Principal Fallon heads for the cockpit.

  Rufio returns to his seat, leaving me filled with doubt.

  “Don’t mind my brother,” Bryce whispers in my ear. “He’s never dealt with change well. He’ll come around.”

  Bryce is trying to make me feel better, but all he did was make me angrier at myself. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to avoid snapping at him. I can’t take my frustrations out on him. It’s not fair.

  Principal Fallon returns, sporting a frown that can only mean she’s the bearer of bad news.

  “What now?” Bryce asks.

  “Barring any more natural disasters, we should make it back to Saturn’s Bay in one piece.”

  “That’s good news,” Phoenix says. “Why the sour puss expression, then?”

  Principal Fallon narrows her eyes to slits. “Now that the worst has passed, I’d like to know who the island god is and why he tried to take our plane down.”

  4

  Daisy

  When we finally land at the private airport in Saturn’s Bay, my mind feels bruised and sore, as if my brain had been in a fighting ring the whole night. It wasn’t only the ordeal of trying to keep the plane from crashing that made me feel so wretched, it was the exhaustion of witnessing Principal Fallon pressure and coerce her sons and Phoenix into talking about the island god. But no matter what tricks she used, they wouldn’t tell her a thing.

  She exits the plane first, practically breathing fire from her nose. I stay back, choosing to deboard the plane last. But before I even get down the steps, I hear more shouting and arguing. For fuck’s sake. What now?

  I hurry out and see the source of the woman’s displeasure is my uncle Xavier. He was in Hawk City with us but chose not to catch the same flight as we did. So wrapped up in my problems, I didn’t stop to consider his reasoning for not wanting to fly with us. I’m sure I’ll find out now.

  Principal Fallon stops talking when Xavier’s attention lands on me.

  “How did you get here before we did?” Rosie is the one who asks.

  “I left a couple of hours earlier. I had arrangements to make.”

  “It was all for nothing, Xavier. Daisy is coming back to Gifted Academy with me.”

  “What is this all about?” Rufio asks.

  “Daisy and Rosie aren’t safe at Gifted Academy. They never were, much less now that Daisy’s identity as the Unmaker is unveiled. I’m taking them to a secret location,” Xavier replies.

  “That’s absurd.” Principal Fallon scoffs. “We can’t let the Neo Gods force us into hiding. I discussed this topic on the way here with the boys and Daisy. We all agreed that the best we can do now is act like nothing is amiss.”

  “No. We didn’t all agree.” Rufio takes a step forward. “I think Daisy and Rosie should go with Mr. X.”

  “What about Toby?” Rosie asks, clutching her boyfriend’s arm tight.

  “I’ll be okay, sweetheart.” He smiles at her.

  “I’m all for keeping the girls safe,” Phoenix pipes up.

  “This wasn’t what we agreed on, Xavier,” Principal Fallon grits out. “I need access to Daisy at all times. We’re at war!”

  “Sorry, Jodie. That’s out of the question. Daisy will be there to assist the Knights when it’s needed, but she won’t be at your beck and call.”

  “Do I have a say on the matter, or are you going to make all the decisions for me?” I butt in, sick and tired of everyone discussing me like I’m a prop, an object.

  “Of course you have a say, darling,” Xavier replies in a much softer tone.

  I glance at Rosie, so small and frightened. And then I seek Phoenix’s, Bryce’s, and, last but not least, Rufio’s gazes. This doesn’t feel like I’m making a decision about my safety. It feels like they’re making me choose between my family and the men I love.

  “This place you’re taking us, is there room for the guys too?”

  Xavier’s eyes reveal surprise before he’s back into business mode, cold and calculating. “Yes. They can come too.”

  “No! I won’t allow it. Bryce and Rufio are coming with me,” Principal Fallon snaps, displaying a loss of control for the first time ever.

  “Mother, you can’t force us to do anything,” Bryce replies calmly. “But I’ll return to Gifted Academy with you.”

  My heart sinks. I can’t believe Bryce is choosing to go back with his mother. He looks at me, an apology filling his eyes. Then he moves on to glance at Rufio. “You should go with Mr. X, brother. It’s not safe for you at school anymore.”

  When I thought Bryce couldn’t hurt me anymore with his words, he sucker punches me in the stomach. And worse, I have to take in the pain without making a peep. First of all, he’s not doing it on purpose, and second, he’s right about Rufio. Powerless, he’ll be easy prey to the other kids. I’m sure he made quite a few enemies while he was at the top of the food chain. I can’t believe his mother isn’t even considering that. She’s a hateful bitch.

  My decision is clear.

  “I’m not returning to Gifted Academy. And I want Rufio, Toby, Phoenix, and Morpheus to come with us.”

  Phoenix walks over and casual
ly throws his arm around my shoulder. “Babe, I’ll go wherever you go. I never liked school anyway.”

  At once, my powers flare up, and I begin to pull his powers into me. Damn it! I can’t keep letting this foreign magic run amok. I step away from his embrace before it’s too late.

  “You’re coming with us, right, Toby?” Rosie looks up, eyes full of hope.

  He tenses on the spot, and his face twists into a guilty expression. “Eh, as much as I would like to come, I have to return to school. The upcoming war hasn’t distracted me from my goal. I want to become a doctor, and for that, I need a proper education.”

  “At least someone is thinking,” Principal Fallon mutters, much more composed now.

  Rosie’s crestfallen expression makes my heart ache for her. But she recovers quickly and puts on a brave face. “I understand, Toby.”

  I glance at Rufio, hoping to catch his eyes again. I’m upset that Bryce feels the need to return to Gifted Academy, but he can take care of himself. If Rufio doesn’t come with me, I’m going to spend my living hours consumed with worry that something terrible will happen to him. I don’t trust his mother one bit.

  “Rufio, are you coming with me or not?” Principal Fallon asks.

  He raises his chin, staring defiantly at her. “Not.”

  Her eyes seem to sparkle with rage, but the moment passes, and then she just stares at him with dispassionate boredom. “Very well. I guess it’s only Bryce and me, then.” She whirls around and heads for her car that’s parked in the hangar.

  Bryce walks over and stops in front of me. He captures my face between his hands and leans down. “Please don’t be mad at me, my love. I know what I’m doing.”

  “I wish we didn’t have to be apart. So much is changing, and fast. The world is more dangerous than it was before.” My eyes fill with tears, and I don’t try to hide them.

  “I know. But we can’t let my mother loose like that. Someone has to stay close to monitor her movements.” Bryce moves closer to my ear. “She can’t be trusted.”