Broken Knights (Gifted Academy #4) - Michelle Hercules Page 0,71

the time to tell me. Names would be useful.”

Toby stretches his neck out to take a peek at the guards. “I got one name. Peter. I’m not sure who’s called that though.”

He grumbles. “Okay. It’s better if I don’t speak much.”

The watchdogs visibly tense when they see our big group approach. The largest of the lot, a burly man with skin as dark as coal, steps forward. He doesn’t look like a hippie. In fact, none of them do. Those men are militia. Fuck.

“Harry, what are you doing here?”

“I have to feed these kids. Teenagers are always hungry,” Xavier grumbles.

The watchdogs relax their stance a little, but the big guy is still watching us intensely as we enter the building.

“What else did you learn from those men?” Xavier asks Toby.

“They’ve been ordered to shoot anyone who tries to steal Daisy away from camp.”

“I’m so angry right now, I could break things,” Daisy grits out. “They’re as bad as the Neo Gods.”

Rufio moves to the window, which, thanks to the grime, provides us some privacy. “Their eyes are trained on the building. How are we going to take them down?”

Xavier veers toward the kitchen and takes food out of the fridge, setting it on the counter.

“Are you going to eat now?” Toby arches his eyebrows.

“No, I’m setting up the scene in case someone comes in.”

“The cars are loaded with lightning-glass. Let’s hope that’s enough to deter Chaos,” Rufio says.

“Or that those goons didn’t mess with them,” Felicity adds.

“Since we’re here, should we try to find a landline phone?” Renata pipes up.

“No, we have to focus on getting out of here,” Rufio retorts.

“I have a plan,” Phoenix says. “I can trap those motherfuckers’ minds into an insane nightmare from inside the building. They’ll be helpless.”

“Do it,” Xavier tells him. “Everyone else, get ready.”

Phoenix joins Rufio by the window and doesn’t move for a minute or so. He lets out a grunt after a while.

“What’s wrong?” Daisy asks.

“I can’t reach their minds. It’s like they have a shield.”

“They can’t possibly have a vial of your blood.” Daisy steps forward, looking troubled.

“I won’t be surprised if they do.” Phoenix moves back, rubbing his forehead.

“I don’t think so. They must be wearing vests that protect them from Idol power,” Rufio replies.

“If they’re immune to Phoenix’s powers, they’ll be immune to all of us,” Jodie helpfully observes.

“Not all of us,” I say.

“Shit!” Toby exclaims, staring wide-eyed at the front door.

“What, kid?” Xavier pulls his arm.

“They’ve found the missing miners and—”

“Fuck, they’re coming.” Rufio steps away from the window, holding his lightning-glass dagger ready.

The front door is kicked open, and the real Harry fills the frame, holding a shotgun in his hand. His eyes immediately zero in on Xavier.

“Look at what we have here. One of the shapeshifting snakes. I thought you had been hunted to extinction.”

“Clearly not,” Xavier grits out.

“That needs to be fixed.” Harry takes aim and fires.

I move at the speed of light, jumping in front of Xavier to take the bullet meant for him. I expect a fiery pain to pierce my chest, but all I feel is a sting. Harry curses and then prepares to fire again, but Xavier yanks the gun from his hold using his new gifts and aims it at the son of a bitch’s head. Harry clearly isn’t wearing a protective vest like his mercenaries.

“You were saying?” Xavier asks.

His goons storm the small space, weapons ready to fire. I don’t waste any time. I turn my dark gift on them, wrapping their hearts in the ultimate sense of dread. There’s resistance, but their protective attire is no match for my demigod powers. They drop their guns and then fall to their knees.

Harry spares them a pitiful glance but seems unaffected by their predicament. “Go ahead. Kill me. You can’t stop what’s coming. We will rid the world of the poisonous existence of Idols, even your sweet, darling Daisy.”

Xavier tenses even more, and I know exactly what he intends to do, but the gunshot will alert the others that something is amiss. I swing my arm forward, sending a slingshot of shadows in Harry’s direction. It hits the center of his chest, making him collapse on the ground. He struggles for a moment, clutching his left arm, before he stops moving altogether.

“What did you do to him?” Toby asks, bug-eyed.

“I gave him a sudden heart attack.”

“What about them?” Rosie points at the four men writhing on the floor.

“They can die too, for all I care.” Xavier lowers the shotgun