“This is not your—” He pauses to rearrange his glasses before continuing, “What is it that the humans on Earth say now? First rodeo. What symptoms did you have along with your knife wound? Nothing is that simple in this world.” He peers over his glasses at me as if I should know better.
And unfortunately, yes, he would be correct.
I suck on my teeth before sighing and giving in. There’s no point in hiding my past injuries or what Angel was hinting at. Besides, I healed myself, right? This is just the side effects.
“You’re right, Dr. Steinbeck,” I give him a tight smile. “On Level Two, Angel got me with a knife, and since then, I’ve had a twinge in my side while moving, and a deeper pull when using my magic. That is, if my magic even works, it’s been spotty recently,” I admit, licking my suddenly dry lips. “Right now I’ve been getting chills and hot flashes, and feeling really weak spells, and bouts of dizziness.”
Ryker pauses while undressing me, his jaw slack as he looks up at me.
“What?” I snap. “I’m still me. I’m not a weakling just because I have the symptoms.” I glare at him.
“You’re right.” He darts in for a quick kiss before continuing his task.
“Miss Taylor, you and your party have been gone from Purgatory Prep for a complete school year and a few months,” Dean Caldron informs me. “Technically, you would be at the end of your Sophomore year. Since your bracelets have activated, you are eligible to graduate and test The Gauntlet,” he explains, turning to look at the others. “We could say that you passed after your first year, so congratulations. Again,” he tells everyone.
A wave of nausea washes over me as the room spins for multiple reasons, and I reach out for the sofa. Ryker leans me against his chest, where his heat warms my back.
“Damn, we missed that much? Hey Levi, is that the same amount of time you were tracking?” JP asks, and we all look towards Levi, who looks extremely pale and is leaning against a wall.
“Levi?” Dean Caldron quickly approaches him, running his hand over his head and chest. “What’s wrong?” he demands as he guides Levi over to sit in a lounge chair closest to the window.
I try to get up, but Ryker, Lynx, and Reaper don’t budge, keeping me weighted to the sofa.
Levi slowly shakes his head as it rests against his chest, waving off his father’s concern. “It’s just the effects of what Emer gave me.” He groans before rubbing his chest.
“What do you mean, Emer gave you?” A deep worry line appears between Dean Caldron’s eyes as he kneels before Levi.
Right as Dr. Steinbeck moves to approach his new patient, a portal opens into the crowded room, and my father leaps forward, his hands brightly lit and ready to attack.
“Easy, Delvin. It’s just Jessup and Daniel using my portal stone,” Dean Caldron says, waving off his stance but not leaving Levi’s side.
Sure enough, Chief Cloak and Mayor Abernathy stroll through, looking worse for wear, with their clothes somewhat scuffed up, and Chief Cloak has blood on one side of his face, but they don’t look severely hurt. Dad relaxes back down on the sofa as the others take in the room. Mayor Abernathy looks like a hawk searching out its prey until his eyes land on Zeke, the younger doppelgänger of him in a suit, sans slicked-back hair.
Chief Cloak doesn’t share anything with his son except maybe their height. Whereas Knox is sweet, gentle, and has that brewing anger at the core, Chief is all bite with a vicious bark.
“What’s the status report?” Chief Cloak barks out, like we’re his special troops. I turn away, throwing my head back into the sofa’s soft cushion, and take in a deep breath to keep me from saying something I shouldn’t, like challenging the Alpha.
I hate how he just barks out orders instead of treating people like… well, people with feelings that could possibly be traumatized.
‘Don’t worry, Rezzi-bear, Knox is taking one for the team.’Lynx chuckles and squeezes my calf as Knox stands up in parade rest.
‘Thank the Fates, because I don’t think I can deal with a worked-up Chief Cloak right now.’I sigh before sipping more of my minty drink as Ryker looks over my abdomen for himself to make sure I’m okay.
“We’re all accounted for, though Rez is sick and Dr. Steinbeck was just doing an assessment when we found that Levi was compromised before Knots and Lynx could extract him. He took something while he was detained with Emer and her harpies. And if you didn’t notice, you have a huge red door, named Dragon, located above you,” Knox catches everyone up, and a combined “Shit”echoes around the room when our newcomers look up.
Perturbed, Chief Cloak turns to Lynx, his eyes penetrating, “Who are you?”
“Lynx.”
“The cat?” Chief Cloak arches an eyebrow, darting a glance in my direction.
“The cat.” Lynx nods. “The familiar, the mate, the man. Take your pick.”
“Weren’t you dead?” Chief Cloak fires back, furrowing his brows, and the other leader nods along with his assessment.
Oh yeah, the last thing they knew of Lynx was that he was dead and taken by the Rebels.
“Drop dead gorgeous.” He winks and blows a kiss to our stocky Chief Cloak, whose eyebrows disappear suddenly.
