Blood thrummed in Brokk’s ears, and his heart pounded wildly. The seconds felt like centuries until finally he saw a flash of silver, and Memphis’s smooth voice filled his mind, “Now.”
Brokk didn’t need to be told twice. Springing from the ground like a demon from the darkness, he pulled his curved twin blades out in front of him in seconds as he cut them off. The group stopped in the pale moonlight, exposed.
He tauntingly greeted, “Evening, boys, sorry to interrupt your rounds, but I dare say, you’re a little close for comfort to our home. Convenient for us though...” He twirled the hilts in his hands. “...we wanted you exactly here.”
The leader of Adair’s men took a daring step toward Brokk. Smirking, he readied his blades, and in a flurry of movement, his friends dropped from the tree branches that had camouflaged them. Dressed all in black, their weapons brandished in front of them, the Black Dawn Rebellion acted.
Nyx Astire was a flash of purple hair as she froze one guard in her telekinetic grasp, slitting his throat before he could react. Blood spattered her as she lithely moved on to find her next victim. To Brokk’s left, Jaxson and Wyatt threw their knives, not even having to use their abilities to slay their enemy. Brokk charged, eyes fixated on the two guards that broke away from the fight.
The familiar popping and breaking of bones shivered through his body as animal instinct took over, and the wolf inside him did too. The ground shook from his colossal paws, golden fur rippling like a beacon in the night. His growl rumbled like thunder, and for a split second, he forgot who he was. All that mattered was that he took his targets down.
Paws shredded fabric, bone, and sinew as Brokk ripped apart the soldiers. The screams died in the night, and flicking off his emotions, Brokk did what he was trained to do. What they had all trained to do in the six years Adair Stratton had become the Mad King.
Shifting back, trying to calm the elation of how good that just felt, Memphis snapped him out of his glorified moment. “Brokk! Come here.”
The last guard was openly crying now, forced to his knees, hands shaking behind his head. Brokk almost felt sorry for him. Almost. Up close, he was much younger than Brokk thought, fear replacing the guard’s bravery now. Memphis’s icy blue eyes cut into his, and he didn’t have to say anything for Brokk to understand.
Telekinetic or not, his friend wore his heart on his sleeve. They were all on edge, and who could blame them? Six years of hiding. Six years of losing this war. Brokk swallowed back his thoughts, wearing his mask, one of confidence and anger.
“W-who are you?” The guard’s voice squeaked out several octaves higher than it should have. Nyx kicked him in the gut, making him gasp for air.
Her thick purple hair was pulled back in a high bun, revealing Nyx’s uncanny ability to have stone cold features. Her violet eyes flashed, relishing in the man’s pain, her slender figure ready to kick him again. Nyx had been recruited into their cause when Alby found her in the northern Arken Mountains, her community destroyed by Adair.
Nyx flicked her gaze to Memphis, her lips curling up as she took in her boyfriend and Commander who crouched down in front of their prisoner. His long blond hair was tied back, revealing his severe features.
They all bore scars, some more visible than others.
“It’s your turn to listen. We are your worst nightmare. If you don’t comply with our demands, you will die. If you co-operate, you will return home with a message to your king.”
Brokk didn’t think the man’s face could go even paler. Memphis took a thick blindfold out and, in a gruff manner, tied it over the guard’s eyes. Nyx looked to Alby who looked to Wyatt and Jaxson. Brokk put a hand on Memphis’s shoulder, squeezing lightly before slinking behind the prisoner, smelling his defeat.
He whispered, his voice hoarse in the man’s ear, making him jump, “The Academy is very much alive. I promise you, we are sick of hiding in the shadows.” He chuckled. “Besides, I’m sure your king would like a reunion after all these years.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Memphis
The traces of dawn bled through the tree line as they pressed through the forest, Brokk bouncing beside him, and the rest of his friends wearing smug smirks. It was a huge win for them to finally get one of Adair’s men. The Mad King had an uncanny ability to have his soldiers slip through their fingers.
Memphis’s head spun from the anticipation of information they could finally get their hands on. The first and most important thing being where their friend was hiding after all these years. They were all tired of playing cat and mouse.
We have to move or raiders will be picking us off one by one.
Panic clutched his heart at the thought, as Memphis yelled, “We have to hurry!”
Their hostage grunted as Jaxson shoved him faster, Memphis focusing on making it out of the woods, to where the Academy lay hidden. The trees started to thin, soft rolling hills coming into view. His entire body felt numb as he ran, cursing under his breath.
The group followed tightly around him, always staying in formation and never faltering. Always prepared for the worst.
Breaking from the safety of the woods, Memphis frantically reached out with his ability, the tendrils of his mind expanding. “Bryd, we’re back. Take down your barrier!”
Sprinting full tilt, a shimmer of light reflected with the rising sun, and the empty field before them unveiled a deeper truth. The building was vast. Over
