Emory slammed the door shut behind her, her shaking hands lingering on the handle. “My grandfather is dead. The new King of the Shattered Isles is here.”
Lowering Adair onto his bed, he immediately covered his face with his hands. Brokk glared, mistrust filling his golden eyes while Memphis stood between them and whispered, “Em, I’m sorry.”
She turned to face them. “I never even got to meet him. My parents thought it best. They told me the Shattered Isles are dangerous, the treaty in a precarious position with them. They always talk to me in riddles, yet they expect us to uphold the Academy. To uphold the future.” Her voice cracked as she continued, “I’m tired of it. Who else wants to find out why the new King of the Shattered Isle is here?”
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 very serious. Besides, I will need your help, Carter. If you’re up to it.”
Memphis flushed deeply. “Fine.”
Brokk clapped him on the back. “Excellent. Stratton, can you stand?”
Adair uncovered his face. “Oh, don’t feign you care. I’m coming whether you like it or not.”
Waggling her eyebrows, Emory threw the door open. “Well, there isn’t a moment to waste.”
Filing out, Adair shuffled out last. The door clicked closed, and the hallways were deserted, luckily. Emory set the pace, and they all moved fast and silent as shadows. Memphis already knew she had a plan; she always did. Memphis threw a sideways glance to Brokk, who was warily watching Adair.
Sighing, Memphis 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.
They veered left, and Emory slipped into an unoccupied classroom, waving them 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, Memphis 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 as she absorbed his ability.
With furrowed brows, Emory concentrated at the far corner of the room where screws started to twist and turn, floating down to them. The panel loosened and floated down to them as well. Behind it was a tunnel big enough for them to fit, if they crawled.
Loosening 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,” she said.
Brokk quickly grabbed the other end of the desk, and they slid it underneath the opening.
Memphis muttered to Emory 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 as 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, but he pulled himself up on the desk. His movements were slow and deliberate; Memphis could tell he was swallowing his pain. 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, Memphis 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 said when Adair got too close.
They all moved as fast as they could, following Emory’s lead. The air was cool in the vent, the metal slick underneath their palms. The space curved upward, and after several minutes, Emory stopped and whispered, “Memphis, they are down there.”
Nodding, he knew what to do. Closing his eyes, he dipped into his consciousness, meeting his iron wall... and stripped it down.
Voices barreled into him, but concentrating, he maneuvered, weaving through the web until he found the voice he was looking for.
“Please sit while you inform us on the manner of your declaration, Tadeas.”
Roque’s voice was weary, and Memphis gritted his teeth, holding on to the connection as he pushed the wave of other voices back. He flinched, but his hold held true. 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 at your disposal here. Besides, while you have been 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 stated sharply, “Be careful of what 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 out of line?”
“The students here are to help protect the borders from threats, not become them,” Nei retorted.
Tadeas laughed. “You are blind if you actually think that.”
Roque slammed his fist down
