Broken Knights (Gifted Academy #4) - Michelle Hercules Page 0,39

It should buy you enough time to escape.”

I can’t believe I’m about to say this.

“If you’re going to expose yourself, then you’re coming with us. I can’t leave you behind to suffer the consequences. My father will destroy you.”

She stares at me without blinking for several seconds. Great. I stunned the girl.

“Okay. Are you ready?” she finally says.

“Let’s get this show started already.” I crack my knuckles.

She gets in between Toby and me, taking hold of our arms. Her grip is strong but not painful. We walk out of our hiding spot and put on a show for the three Idols ahead of us. At once, they glance in our direction. Their faces are familiar, but I don’t know their names. I was never the social butterfly at school.

“Well, well, well. Look who we got here.” The one in the middle smirks.

“Where did you come from?” The second Idol narrows his gaze, watching us with suspicion.

“The forest. They were hiding in their treehouse,” Renata replies.

“Bullshit. You helped Bryce escape earlier.” The suspicious guy steps closer, and his friends close in. “But Bryce boy here got hurt by lightning-glass. He can’t use his powers, can he?”

Fuck. They made us. I knew this plan was idiotic. Then I remember the throwing star I dropped in my pocket earlier. I decided to put my jacket back on with blood and all because of the cold, and now I’m glad I did. The lightning-glass weapon is still there. I stick my hand in it, careful not to cut my fingers on its sharp edges.

When I have a good grip on it, I send it flying straight into the eye of the guy in middle. He lets out a bloodcurdling scream that will alert everyone that something is wrong. Renata lets go of Toby and me and hits the other two idiots in their necks and between their shoulder blades. They drop like flies, unconscious.

“Come on!” I urge, choosing to run instead of letting Renata carry me. We need her unhindered in case she needs to fight others.

The garage is almost empty, and for a second, I fear her car is no longer here. But she makes a beeline for a shiny red sports car, unlocking it. No sooner do we jump in our escape vehicle than several shouts echo around us.

The engine roars, and then we’re off. Renata presses the button to open the garage door, which does nothing.

“It’s not working.” She panics, slowing down.

“Use your telekinesis to make it!” I shout.

“I’m not strong enough.”

“I’ll help.”

I shove every bit of energy into making the damn metal door open, grunting as I go.

“Hurry up! They’re coming,” Toby warns us.

I feel something sticky come out of my nose—probably blood—and black dots appear in my vision. I must be on the verge of passing out when the damn thing finally budges. Renata presses the pedal to the metal when the gate is only half open. A loud screech follows as the top of the car scrapes its edge.

Once we hit the road, she pushes the machine to the limit, and my back gets flattened against the car seat.

“The outside gates will be closed too,” Toby warns.

“Run over them.” I tell Renata.

“Are you sure we’ll break through them?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

Not really, but I can’t help her open a second gate. I used all my energy in the garage.

The tall wrought iron gates loom on the horizon. I brace for the impact, but to my surprise, the gate opens as we get near. I glance to my right as we speed by the security check building and catch the security guard, an Idol I don’t recognize, salute us. His action gives me hope.

My train of thought is interrupted when the invisible scar on my back starts to burn. Fuck. I should have known the island god would return sooner rather than later.

16

Phoenix

“We have to turn back. We can’t let Morpheus fight Chaos alone,” Daisy tells Xavier.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I can’t let you do that. He’s a god. You can’t win in a fight against him,” he replies.

“I don’t care! Morpheus isn’t a god either. Do you think he can beat Chaos?”

“Dai—”

“No, she’s right. We can’t let Morpheus sacrifice himself,” I retort. “Pull over. We’re getting out.”

“Have you all gone fucking crazy?” Xavier shouts, hitting the steering wheel hard. “I’m not going to risk another life. Morpheus is a demigod. He won’t die. You, on the other hand, will.”

“You don’t understand,” Rufio replies calmly. “This isn’t about what we can