Broken Knights (Gifted Academy #4) - Michelle Hercules Page 0,103

to the gym.”

“Fine. Get going, then.”

The guys look at each other and then shrug. Phew, those aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed. We got lucky.

Bryce steps out of his hiding spot and aims his index fingers at the two security cameras mounted near the entrance. A current of electricity whooshes from them, and I want to tell him not to fry them, only it’s too late.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Rufio tells him.

Bryce glances at his brother with a frown. “I shouldn’t have done what? Change the feed to run in a loop?”

“Oh, I thought you had destroyed the feed altogether.” Rufio shrugs, earning an eye roll from Bryce.

“Please. This is not my first rodeo.”

“Come on, guys. Let’s go before we bump into anyone else.” Xavier waves us over.

“Do you think school is still in session, considering the current events?” Toby asks.

“It’s hard to tell,” I say, trying to suppress a yawn.

“Shit, you didn’t sleep at all last night, did you, honey?” Phoenix glances at me.

“No. But it’s okay. I’ll rest when this is over.”

If the school is operating as if nothing is amiss, then the students should be in class at this hour. Bryce takes the lead, tampering with the security feed of every camera along the way. My heart is beating savagely in my chest, and if this were a movie, there would be an ominous soundtrack in the background. The tension is high in our group, and in hindsight, maybe we shouldn’t have come all together. It’s easier to be inconspicuous in a smaller party. Too late now.

We’re moving as fast as we can, but not at Idol speed because of Rosie and Rufio. Suggesting they be carried wouldn’t fly with either of them, plus it would hinder whoever had the load. Bryce flattens his back against the wall when we reach the final corner that leads to Jodie’s former office.

Toby pushes forward until he’s right next to Bryce. “What are you doing? We can’t go that way.”

“Why not?”

“Are you seriously not registering all the Idols that are standing in front of the principal’s office?”

“No.”

“They must be masking their signatures,” Jodie chimes in.

“I’ll draw them from there,” Xavier says.

“No.” I grab his arm. “What if one of those Idols is the real Jonathan Kent?”

“Why can’t he simply change into someone else?” Renata suggests. “Maybe a teacher?”

“I’d have to know what the person looks like, and besides Jonathan, there’s no one else I know.”

“I have a better idea,” Soren pipes up. “We’ll split into two groups. My team will drive those people away from the principal’s office.”

An evil laugh echoes behind us, raising the small hair on the back of my neck. “Oh, that would have been genius if only you had the foresight to watch your backs,” Cherise says, standing only a few feet away from us flanked by four guys. Those numbers wouldn’t be bad if the bitch didn’t have a gun in her hand aimed at my head.

Rufio and Phoenix step in front of me, creating a proactive shield. Damn it. Why do they think their lives are worth less than mine?

“Oh, isn’t that nice? Daisy has gotten herself a human shield. You know what I love about guns? There are six bullets in it. One for each—”

Before she can finish her tirade, Soren charges her, sending her careening down the corridor and taking two of her goons in the process. She fires the gun, missing Soren by a mile, but it alerts the other Neo Gods to our presence. Shouts of alarm echo in the hallway, and I foresee the situation getting much worse in the next few seconds. Rosie’s eyes have a wild glint in them as she holds her dagger up with trembling hands. Shit. I knew it was mistake letting her come.

The other Neo Gods join the fray, and then it’s a matter of avoiding getting hit by their powers and their lightning-glass weapons. There are too many people fighting in this confined space. Freezing time without affecting everyone is impossible. But when one of the Neo Gods tosses a throwing star in Phoenix’s direction, I freeze the weapon mid-trajectory, stopping its motion completely. Phoenix turns around, plucks the star from the air, and shoves into the Neo God’s eyes.

Someone grabs my jacket from behind, immediately turning it into ice. The cold blast continues on. If I don’t break free, I’ll become an ice statue. With a grunt, I twist my arm back and yank the person off me. It’s