Broken Knights (Gifted Academy #4) - Michelle Hercules Page 0,108
large piece of rock. He raises it above his head with the clear intent of smashing my face with it.
Before he has the chance, a dark mass of smoke collides with him, removing him from my line of vision. I get back up, trying to ignore the throbbing in the back of my head. I touch the sore spot, and my fingers come away smeared in blood.
Stephan is now pinned to a tree nearby by a man dressed in black from head to toe. He looks over his shoulder, clearing the shadows that were covering his face before.
“Erebus,” I murmur.
“Hello, son.”
“How did you find me?” I mince toward him.
“You’re my son. I’ll always find you. I sensed the moment Chaos whisked you here.”
Stephan keeps trying to break from the hold Erebus has around his neck.
“What happened to him?”
“He’s been bewitched by Chaos. I don’t know how he got here, but I know why. Nathaniel and Andromeda are on the island, and he came after them.”
“Andromeda is here? Is she in danger?”
“Everyone on this godforsaken island is.”
“Can you help him?”
Erebus faces Stephan. “Possibly.”
He touches his forehead, and immediately Stephan stops struggling. A moment passes before his eyes are no longer glowing nor his expression contorted in rage. When his gaze returns to blue, it’s confused.
Erebus releases him and steps back.
“Who are you?” he asks, covering his neck with his hand.
“I’m Morpheus’s father.”
My spine goes taut as I whip my attention to him. Several emotions swirl in my chest, but the strongest one is satisfaction. I don’t know him at all, but I’m happy that he claimed me.
Fuck. Am I that starved for acceptance from a father figure?
Stephan then acknowledges my presence. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing.”
He threads his fingers through his hair while his gaze darkens. “I came after Andy. I have to find her before Nathaniel fucks things up.”
I open my mouth to demand a better explanation, but the ground begins to shake, and the forest turns much darker as the rays of sunshine disappear.
“Chaos. Something is happening,” Erebus says.
“Andy,” Stephan murmurs before taking flight. He disappears in the gloom of the jungle in the blink of an eye.
“We have to help him,” I say.
Erebus visibly tenses and then levels me with an intense stare. “We will, but not by going after him.”
“What do you mean?”
“The destiny the Fates laid upon you and your friends is about to come to fruition. You must prepare.”
“The creation of the God-killer, but for that we need Bryce and Dai—no. They’re here, aren’t they?” Fear grips my insides, twisting them savagely.
“Yes, they came to rescue you. We need to act quickly and stop Chaos before he gains too much strength. He’s about to break free from the island.”
“How the fuck do we stop him? How can Bryce and Daisy create a God-killer in such a short time?”
“With your help.”
My eyebrows shoot to the heavens. “My help?”
A myriad of absurd scenarios flashes through my head, and none of them are something I want to take part in.
“They must be linked by the infinity band, son. Just like you saw in your vision.” He pauses, cocking his head to the side as if he’s trying to listen to something in the distance. “Blood has been spilled already. We’re running out of time.”
“Whose blood?”
He steps into my personal space, grabbing me roughly by the shoulders. “Don’t you get it, son? The stars have aligned so you can finally defeat Chaos. Everything that’s happened to you and your friends was preordained.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Your friendship with the Kent brothers and Phoenix, your meeting Daisy and falling in love with her, it was all part of it. The five of you had to form an unbreakable bond for the impossible to come to pass.”
“Are you saying we were all pieces on this damn gameboard of the gods?” I shout.
Regret shines in his eyes before he glances away. “We’re all pieces. I’m sorry.”
“Was that why we were lured to this place when we were kids? So Chaos could have fun with us?”
“No, he wanted to destroy you. He too knew about what the Fates had done. He couldn’t, so he thought to control you instead.”
I press a closed fist to my forehead, trying to hold back my anger. “I get Daisy’s, Bryce’s, and my role in the prophecy. But what about Rufio and Phoenix? How do they come into the equation?”
“Daisy and Bryce are the Maker and the Unmaker, opposites. You’re