I set Rufio back on his feet but step away quickly when I see the ill intentions flashing in his eyes. He wants to punch me.
“You’re an ass,” he grits out.
I open my mouth to reply when his blue eyes flash with an electric spark that I’ve always associated with the flaring up of his powers.
“What the fuck!” I blurt out.
Catching my tone, the others stare at my brother. “What is it?” Daisy asks.
Rufio’s eyes are normal again, and there’s no change in his aura. He’s still a Norm. Maybe I imagined the whole thing.
I shake my head. “Nothing. It was nothing.”
Phoenix veers toward the cabin, disappearing inside the building in the next second.
“Where are you going?” Morpheus asks.
“Since we’re here, might as well look for food. I’m starving.”
Daisy’s stomach grumbles, which results in her getting the cutest pink shade on her cheeks. “I could eat.”
Unable to resist, I sling my arm around her shoulder and kiss her on the temple. “Of course you could after that marathon.”
“Oh my God. Can we please not talk about it?”
“Why not? It was amazing,” I say.
“Well, I don’t know. I guess I need to get used to it.”
“You sure have to, babe,” Phoenix says from inside the cabin. “This will be the new normal.”
He didn’t waste any time and has already raided the cabin’s fridge and dumped everything edible on the counter. Sadly, it’s not much.
Morpheus inspects the loot with a frown. “I think going out for breakfast is in order.”
“We can’t leave. Your grandpa is still looking for us,” Rufio retorts.
Daisy takes a seat at the table, leaning her elbows on it and resting her chin on her linked hands.
“Are you tired, love?” I ask.
“A bit.”
I stand behind her and massage her shoulders, which are tense as fuck. “Tell me if I’m hurting you.”
“No. This is nice.”
“There’s enough ingredients here for one sandwich.” Phoenix looks at Daisy. “We’re out of butter and mayo. Is that okay?”
“Oh, don’t worry about me. I don’t need to eat right now.” She waves her hand dismissively.
Phoenix’s face twists into a scowl. “No dice, babe. You’ve got to eat. All those folks outside are depending on you to save the day.”
She drops her face to the table with a groan. “Don’t remind me.”
“Knock, knock,” a woman in her midforties, wearing a long paisley print dress, calls from the entrance. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
Daisy’s spine becomes stiff in an instant as she raises her head off the table.
“Who are you?” Rufio asks bluntly.
Gee, brother. Take it down a notch.
“I’m Ophelia Sparks, leader of the northern chapter.” She walks in, grinning from ear to ear as her gaze sets on Daisy. “I’m beyond honored to finally meet Magia’s descendant. We’ve been waiting for your arrival for centuries.”
“Hi, nice to meet you,” Daisy says in a small voice.
Ophelia glances quickly in Phoenix’s direction. “Oh, I see you’re making a sandwich. I brought groceries if any of you young fellas want to help unload the car.”
There’s a moment of tension when none of us move or reply. We don’t want to leave Daisy alone with this stranger.
“I’ll go. Come on, Rufio.” Morpheus waves him over.
Grumbling, my brother follows him outside but throws a glower toward Ophelia. Subtle, my brother isn’t.
The woman approaches the table and stops across from Daisy. She doesn’t say anything as she stares with a stupid grin on her face. Gee, these people are weird.
“Please, sit down.” Daisy points at the seat.
“Oh, thank you. Thank you very much.”
“How long have you been the leader of your church?” Phoenix asks, walking over to the table.
She crinkles her forehead. “Oh, for about ten years now, but I’ve been a member of the church since I was a little girl. My parents were also members. As a matter of fact, our involvement with the church goes back to when it was first established.”
“You’re kind of a superfan of Magia, then?” Phoenix grins wickedly. He’s mocking her, but the fact flies right over her head.
She cocks her head to the side. “I suppose you could say that.”
Morpheus and Rufio return carrying several bags between them. Since the kitchen counter is occupied with the mess left behind, they dump all the groceries on the table.
“Wow, you got a lot of food there,” Daisy says.
“Harry called and told me you’d be staying at the camp for a while.”
The mood inside the cabin changes drastically. Now we’re all staring at the lady with a frown.
“Why did he say that?” Daisy asks.
“We can’t let you wander off before we have a solid plan. The Neo Gods are searching for you, child.”
“We had plans to meet up with the Knights,” I say.
She looks at me in surprise. “Oh, I don’t think that’s wise, son. Haven’t you heard? The Knights are crumbling.”
23
Daisy
“What do you mean, they’re crumbling?” My voice rises in pitch while my pulse quickens. Without the Knights, there’s no hope for us.
“I don’t know the details, but Gunther Silverstone told us to cease distribution of lightning-glass weapons until further notice. We had to change the locations of our factories in the middle of the night, and we all got new burner phones.”
“What about this place? Who knows about it?” Bryce asks.
“Only members of the church, Xavier, and the Silverstone family.”
“They had a mole, but he told me they had eliminated that threat.” Morpheus begins to pace, troubled. “Why is he taking those extra precautions?”
“Do you think they had another leak? Andromeda?” I ask. He told me she’s a double agent, but what if she’s playing both sides?
He shakes his head. “No, it’s definitely not her.”
“If the Knights had a spy in their midst, what guarantee do you have that you also don’t have traitors in your church?” Rufio asks Ophelia, not hiding his aggressive stance.
She arches her eyebrows, glancing at him with round eyes. “Our members are devoted to Magia. They’d never betray her.”
My heart feels heavy, consumed with worry. I wish I could believe her words, but I’ve learned that betrayal can come from where you least expect it. Also, her declaration that we must remain here for an undetermined amount of time doesn’t sit well with me. I didn’t evade being used by Jodie Fallon only to fall under these people’s control.
“Daisy!” Rosie bursts through the door, followed by Toby. “Where have you been?”
“I couldn’t sleep, so I met up with the guys and we decided to come here in search of food.”
Her face becomes flushed as her embarrassment takes over. “Oh, I got worried.”
I’m annoyed with my sister for saying whatever she felt like in front of strangers, but I’ll deal with her later.
Ophelia rises from the table. “I’d better leave you kids to eat in peace and see if Harry and Artex have everything they need. We’re expecting a big turnout later today.”
“Wait, more people are coming here?” Phoenix raises his eyebrows.
“Oh yeah. Harry sent word that we need more workers mining the cave.”
“Is it wise to draw so much attention to this place?” Bryce asks. “Someone might be followed.”
“Oh, have faith, young man. The power of Magia is on our side.”
She leaves the cabin with a bounce in her step and not a hint of concern. I wait until I know for sure she’s not within earshot before I speak. “We can’t stay here.”
“Oh, I’m glad you think so too,” Rufio replies. “These peopl
e are nuts and completely out of touch with reality.”
“It’s extremely concerning that they’re not even considering the possibility they might have a mole.” Morpheus rubs his chin, staring out the open door.
The sky is no longer pitch black, which means we have to make a decision quickly before people start arriving.
“If it makes you feel any better, Xavier doesn’t completely trust them either,” Toby says.
“Dude, of course it doesn’t make us feel better.” Phoenix throws his hands up in the air.
“He asked me to listen to the thoughts of the newcomers, and also of Harry and Artex. I didn’t pick up anything malicious from them. The group who arrived is definitely one hundred percent on board with assisting Daisy in defeating the Neo Gods.”
“That’s good to know,” Phoenix replies.
“But,” Toby continues.
“Oh fuck, there’s always a but,” Rufio mutters.
“Their devotion to Magia is almost obsessive. I fear that if Daisy does anything they don’t agree with, they might turn against us.”
If I wasn’t already worried about them, I would be now. My heart feels like it’s being squeezed by a boa constrictor.
I hug my middle, feeling completely at a loss. “What should we do?”
“Shh. Someone is coming,” Morpheus warns us.
A minute later, Xavier comes in, but he didn’t come alone. I sense Renata’s signature just outside the cabin. Felicity must be with her too.
“Ophelia told me you were eating breakfast.” He eyes all the groceries that are still inside the bags. “I see you didn’t start yet.”
“When can we leave?” I ask.
His eyebrows scrunch together, and his lips form a thin flat line. “I can’t get a hold of Gunther, and with Chaos out there looking for us, I’m not sure we can—not just yet, anyway.”
“We can’t stay here,” Morpheus says, dead serious.
“You’re concerned about Magia’s followers.”
“They aren’t followers, they’re fanatics,” Bryce rebuffs.
“And delusional,” Rufio adds. “They aren’t in the least concerned about a breach or being followed here.”
“I know. I’ve tried to make Harry and Artex see reason, but they do believe the mine and the miasma caused by the lightning-glass fumes will be enough of a deterrent.”
“Not if the enemy is one of them.” Phoenix snorts.
“I don’t want to piss them off and lose our source of lightning-glass, but we do need a plan. We can’t stay here for much longer,” I say.
There’s also the fact that I want to interrogate Delta. Maybe I can get him to tell us where the Neo Gods’ secret headquarters is. And there’s also the matter of the antique book that could be in the hands of the new principal, and I need it. Shit. I should have kept that tome with me at all times.
“I have an idea,” Rosie pipes up.
“This ought to be good,” Phoenix whispers mockingly.
Rosie narrows her eyes in his direction but decides to ignore the jab. Thank God.
“What if we got our hands on some of the lightning-glass in raw form and load the trunks of our cars with it? Do you think it will create enough fumes to form a protective barrier around us?” she asks Xavier.
“But it affects us. We won’t be able to fight,” I say.
“Well, it will affect anyone trying to attack us as well.” She shrugs.
“That’s not a bad idea,” Xavier mutters. “But we also need a safe place to stay.”
“I’ll call my mother. She’ll help us,” Morpheus replies.
Felicity comes into the cabin in a hurry, interrupting our meeting. “Harry and Artex are coming this way.”
“Thanks, Felicity,” Xavier says, then turns to us. “Try to keep your true feelings concealed around any church member. And Rosie, no more outbursts in front of strangers. That was irresponsible of you.”
She shrinks into herself as she dips her chin. “I’m sorry. I just panicked.”
The old me would offer her a comforting remark, but I can’t keep babying her. She could have landed us in big trouble earlier.
She glances at me, then at Toby, who also doesn’t say a word. No surprise there; she’s been acting like a total ass toward him because of the Renata deal. Her lower lip quivers, and I fear waterworks are not far behind. We’re saved from a scene when Harry and Artex stop by the entrance and stick their heads inside.
“Good morning, folks. Ophelia told me you’re having breakfast,” Harry says.
“Well, we didn’t even start yet,” I say.
“Oh, no worries. We just came by to see if you’re finding everything to your satisfaction. There was a bit of worry earlier when the young one thought you had disappeared.”
“Everything is fine. And no disappearances. We just got hungry early.” I force a fake smile.
“Ophelia gave us a tongue-lashing when she saw your accommodations,” Artex says. “You will have better mattresses and sheets tonight.”
“Oh, you shouldn’t trouble yourselves.” Hopefully we won’t have to spend another night.
“It’s no trouble at all,” Harry pipes up. “Oh, by the way, I’ve scheduled an assembly in an hour so you can meet everyone. They’re beyond excited to meet you, Daisy.”
“Great. I can’t wait,” I reply with false enthusiasm.
The brothers finally leave us alone, talking animatedly as they go. As for me, I have gremlins in my stomach, which make me lose my appetite.
“What’s wrong, babe? You look whiter than a ghost,” Phoenix asks.
“I hate being in the spotlight.”
The corners of his lips twitch upward, and his eyes dance with amusement. “Really? I’d never thought you were crowd shy.”
Oh God. He’s thinking about my brief foray as a stripper. I’d throttle him if we were alone. For now, I settle for a death glare.
Xavier squeezes my shoulder. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’ll be by your side.”
“That’s perfect, actually.” Rufio claps his hands, getting a crazy intense look in his eyes. “The mines will be empty during the assembly. Rosie, Felicity, and I can take that opportunity to scavenge some raw lightning-glass for our escape plan.”
No one objects to Rufio’s idea, but I can’t shake off the feeling that bad things are coming our way.
24
Daisy
I force breakfast down my throat, despite my stomach twisting in knots. I can’t afford to turn down food. With the way our situation keeps changing and with our imminent break away from camp, I have to keep up my strength.
Once everyone has their bellies full, Felicity begins to pack all nonperishable food items in bags.
“What are you doing?” Phoenix asks.
“If we’re planning on going on the run again, we have to be prepared. Don’t just stand there gawking. Help me pack. I’ll drop this off in our bungalow before we head to the mines.”
“Good call, Fefe,” I say.
Bryce places his hand on my lower back and asks, “Ready to meet your fans?” There’s a small smile plastered on his lips, but his eyes aren’t playful.
“Sure.”
Rufio bumps Phoenix to the side. “Go on. I’ll help here.”
“What about me?” Renata asks. She’s been so quiet during the entire time that I almost forgot she was here.
“You can’t come to the mines with us, so I suppose tag along with Daisy.” Rufio shrugs.
She glances at me, projecting an insecure aura that I hadn’t been able to pick up until now. Rosie’s animosity toward the girl hasn’t decreased much though. She’s filled with hate, just like I was before I joined Gifted Academy. But as much as it would be easier to cling to the dark feeling, I know deep in my heart that’s not the way. If I want the world to change, I have to start with me.
“You can come, Renata. We could use extra muscle,” I tell her.
She smiles from ear to ear, and the gesture i
lluminates her entire face. “Thank you.”
Rosie makes a disgruntled sound in the back of her throat, but I ignore her. Toby steps closer to her and tries to give her a kiss on the cheek, but she turns her face away. His expression becomes crestfallen, and redness spreads through his cheeks. Shaking my head, I let out a heavy sigh. If Rosie doesn’t change her attitude, she might end up losing her boyfriend.
Wanting to get this circus show over with, we head out. Xavier is a little ahead of us, and I’m sandwiched between Phoenix and Bryce. Morpheus is right behind me with Toby and Renata.
“I know it goes without saying, but it’s best if you don’t flaunt your polyamorous relationship to the world,” Xavier says.
“We won’t,” I reply meekly.
Xavier seems cool about me dating four guys, but I still want to crawl into a dark space. I’m not embarrassed that I love them, but the idea that my uncle knows what we were up to the night before makes me uncomfortable.
“I’m sorry about Rosie,” Toby tells Renata. “She’s been through a lot at the hands of Idols.”
“I can’t begin to imagine. But it’s okay. I deserve her harsh treatment. You, on the other hand… What was your sin?”
Oh boy. Dangerous territory. I wonder if Toby will answer that question. I’d like to believe Rosie was able to see past his new Idol status, but maybe deep down she can’t. What does that say about my relationship with her? When I think we’re making progress, she does a one-eighty on me.
“For starters, I forgave you.” Toby laughs without humor.
“Rosie is young. You can’t expect her to get over things as quickly as the rest of you,” Xavier pipes up.
Maybe he’s right. She was so young when we lost our parents, and I was a poor replacement. My eyes burn, but I fight the tears and the morose feeling festering in my chest.
Down the hill, a small conglomeration of people is slowly forming as the workers trickle down from the mines. There’s a little stage made out of wooden crates that wasn’t there last night, and Harry and Artex are standing next to it.
Broken Knights: A Paranormal High School Bully Romance (Gifted Academy Book 4) Page 16
