Brokk lit up, his grin sharp and wicked. Groaning, Memphis murmured, “You can’t be serious?”
Emory sauntered up to him, patting his cheek. “I’m serious. Besides, I will need your help, Carter. If you’re up to it.”
Flushing deeply, he growled. “Fine.”
Clapping him on the back, Brokk drawled, “Excellent. Stratton, can you stand?”
Uncovering his face, his brows furrowed. “Oh don’t feign you care. I’m coming whether you like it or not.”
Waggling her eyebrows at them, she threw the door open. “Well, there isn’t a moment to waste.” They filed out, Adair shuffling out last. The door clicked closed, and the hallways were deserted, luckily. Emory set the pace, and they all moved as fast and silent as shadows.
Memphis already knew she had a plan, she always did. He threw a sideways glance to Brokk, who was warily watching Adair. Sighing, he pushed forward. It was a wonder Brokk hadn’t tried to rip Adair’s throat out, but the two tolerated each other. And so their mismatched group was formed, the two royals and the two lost boys, as they blatently ignored all the preconceived ideas of each other. At least, for the moment.
Sharply veering left, Emory quietly slipped into an unoccupied classroom, waving them quickly in. The room was filled with long desks, and various hanging herbs covering the walls and the ceiling. Round basins filled the back wall, notes and articles of the properties of different natural healing techniques still on the chalkboard. Memphis briefly took it all in before a cool hand wrapped around his own and he twisted to see Emory smirking at him. “Sorry, time is of the essence.”
After all the years of knowing her, he would never get used to this feeling. It was like being winded, and he froze as he felt his ability drain from him, flowing into Emory. Being a leech, she couldn’t break the connection, and so with furrowed brows, she concentrated at the far corner of the room where screws started to twist and turn, floating down to them, the panel following. It was a tunnel big enough for them to fit if they crawled. Loosing a breath, she let go of his hand, and Memphis’s power snapped back into him with a startling fierceness.
“Quick, help me with this.”
Brokk grabbed the other end of the desk, and they slid it underneath the opening.
Memphis muttered under his breath, “Not your first eavesdropping session, is it?”
Hopping up on the table, she raised an eyebrow at him. “When it comes to my parents, I always find a way to figure out what they are hiding from me.” With that, she lunged forward, hands gripping the ledge, and pulled herself into the darkness. Brokk shook his head smiling and followed, not looking back.
“Memphis.” Adair’s voice was small, and he sidled up beside him. “Can you help me?”
“Of course. Come on, I will give you a leg up.”
They moved slowly, Memphis taking in the angry welt on Adair’s wrist. Adair’s jaw worked silently back and forth as he pulled himself up on the desk. His movements were slow and deliberate. Memphis could tell he was swallowing his pain in leaps and bounds. Silently, he crouched down, cupping his hands. Adair stepped into them, and standing, he boosted him up. Cursing under his breath, Adair slid into the panel and with ease he followed, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness. On their hands and knees, they could easily maneuver, and they shuffled forward.
“Stratton, watch where you’re crawling there, will you?”
Brokk’s eyes were luminous in the space, and he was muttering under his breath. They all moved as fast as they could, following Emory’s lead. The air was cool in the vent, the cool metal slick underneath their palms. The space curved upward, and after several minutes, Emory stopped, murmuring, “Memphis, they are down there.” Nodding, he knew what to do. Closing his eyes, he dipped into his consciousness, meeting his iron wall. He stripped it down. Voices barreled into him, but concentrating, he wove through the web.
“Please sit while you inform us on the manner of your declaration, Tadeas.” Roque’s voice was wary, and Memphis gritted his teeth, holding onto the connection as he pushed the wave of other voices back. He flinched, but his hold held true, and taking a deep breath, he wrapped his wall protectively around the room below them and was transported.
Tadeas chuckled darkly. “This place isn’t a school as you say it is. Anyone can see the power here at your disposal. Besides, while you have been kindly making no progress with your project, rumors have been coming back to me. Sailing, a man can hear many rumors, some false... but some hidden gems that ring of only the truth.”
Nei growled. “Be careful of what exactly you are saying.”
“Ah, now that is the Nei Runnard I was told about. I know exactly what I am saying. Your Academy has only created more unrest, more resentment, and more fear. How can the people of Kiero have their freedom when you are grooming the most powerful people for them to answer to if they step a toe out of line?”
“The students here are to help protect the borders from threats, not become them.”
Tadeas laughed. “You are blind if you actually think that.”
Roque slammed his fist down on the table. “We are not blind. Don’t you remember what happened before we had a peace treaty with the Shattered Isles? When my father was King? A constant war, while we enslaved your people, and your warriors pillaged and stripped out towns. I refuse to recess back
