Broken Knights (Gifted Academy #4) - Michelle Hercules Page 0,81

feet from me.

“Eris, I see you’ve finally decided to show your face.”

“Oh, you think I was hiding before?”

“Weren’t you?”

“No, silly. You simply couldn’t see me because you weren’t a true demigod yet.”

“What happens now?”

“Now you decide what you want to do next. You can return to those people below, or you can wreak havoc with me. You know, sibling bonding.” She smiles like a psycho.

I glance down, and with just a mere thought, I can see Daisy pacing back and forth, worried sick about me. My roommates attempt to console her, but they can’t take the worry from her heart. My mother is sitting next to Rosie and Felicity, also distressed. I should return and ease their mind, but I don’t have an ounce of desire to do so. I know I should care, but I can’t get in touch with those feelings.

“They’re waiting for me,” I say. “I should go back.”

“True, the old you would most definitely do that. But you’re not that weakling Fringe spawn who needed magical bracelets to control your powers. You’re Erebus’s son. A demigod. You’re more than the cage you were raised in.”

As if sensing I’m spying on her, Daisy glances up. When I look into her eyes, I feel something stir in my chest, a spark.

“Come on, Morpheus. There’s so much I want to show you,” Eris insists.

I glance at her with dispassionate curiosity. She’s my sister, and yet I don’t feel a thing. What I do care about is the knowledge she possesses. But there’s something else I have to take care of first.

“You said you wanted to wreak havoc together, right? I just so happen to know exactly where we should start.”

32

Daisy

We’re already on pins and needles, but when a loud explosion on the north side of the building shocks the entire structure, I’m out of the radio station in a flash. Phoenix runs after me and stops me from going after Morpheus.

“Let me go!” I try to break free from his hold.

“No. You’re not thinking straight. If you run after him, you might ruin any progress he’s made.”

Rufio and Bryce soon join us outside.

“You don’t know that!” I yell through angry tears.

“He’s right, honey,” Bryce says.

Phoenix pulls me toward him, crushing me against his chest. “Morpheus will be okay, my love. He’s immortal.”

“I know, but I can’t help worrying about him.” I pull back so I can glance at Bryce and Rufio too. “About all of you. You’ll be the death of me.”

Rufio’s and Bryce’s expressions turn into scowls.

“Look who’s talking. You’re one reckless woman,” Rufio retorts.

“I’m not!” I yell stubbornly, knowing very well it’s a lie.

Phoenix grabs my other forearm, forcing me to glance at him. His eyebrows are furrowed together, and his lips are nothing but a thin flat line on his face. “Never talk about dying in front of me, darling. Please.” He wipes my wet cheeks dry. “I love you so, so much. I can’t bear the thought of losing you.”

“You’re not going to lose me.”

“Is everything okay?” Travis asks from the open door.

“Yes,” Bryce replies.

The man’s gaze travels across the expansive room, perhaps searching for damage to the building.

Phoenix becomes stiff in my arms when he looks over my shoulder and says, “Mom?”

With hurried steps, she reaches us, holding Theo in her arms. “What was that noise? The children are frightened.”

“It’s Chaos,” Phoenix replies.

Her green eyes become rounder. “He’s found us? What can we do?”

“Morpheus and the Zions are working on something. Don’t worry, Mrs. Westbrook. It will be all right.” Bryce smiles through the heartfelt lie. He can’t possibly know we’ll be okay.

Her gaze darkens. “Call me Leticia. I don’t want anything to do with that name anymore.”

“I can protect you all now that I’m a superhero,” Theo chimes in.

Bless his heart, the kid is adorable. No wonder Phoenix’s mom won’t let go of him. Maybe he reminds her of Phoenix when he was little.

The rest of our party trickles out of the studio and forms a circle around us. Xavier opens his mouth to say something but seems to become tongue-tied when his eyes land on Leticia.

Felicity glances at the ceiling. “The storm has grown quiet. Do you think Morpheus succeeded?”

She’s right—the noise from the thunder and wind has ceased.

“He must have,” Bryce pipes up. “Not that I had any doubt he would.”

Yeah, but at what cost?

“The Zions are coming back,” Rufio points out.

I follow his line of vision and see the old men in their red and gold robes making their way