Chapter Thirty-Six
They jogged down a hallway, went up a set of stairs that seemed much newer than the surrounding stonework, jogged down another hall, and up more stairs until they reached a normal door that opened into a normal storage room full of books.
“Not to be ungrateful,” Bryn said. “But where are we?”
“Through that door is a hallway that leads to the landing and back up through the trap door into the library. Go and make sure Miss Enid locks the door,” Derek said.
“Adden has a key. What good will that do?” Clint asked.
“The lock is on the outside of the door,” Bryn said. “He can’t unlock it from this side, right?”
“That’s right,” Derek said. “We’re leading him into a trap.”
“But you’ll be trapped down here with him.” That didn’t seem like a smart idea.
“Your grandfather installed an emergency exit. If worse comes to worse, I can exit that way. Hopefully it won’t come to that. Now go.”
She did not like this.
The sound of a battle drifted to them from beneath their feet.
“He’s coming.” Jaxon tugged on her arm, so she went. They made their way to the landing, while the sound of fighting seemed to come from all around them.
“With all these damn tunnels you can’t tell where anything is coming from,” Clint said as they dashed up the stairs and through the trap door. Miss Enid stood there. For some reason Janelle was there, too.
“I’m sorry,” Miss Enid said.
“Janelle? What are you doing here?”
“Allow me to show you,” Janelle placed her hand on Miss Enid’s forearm and at first it seemed like nothing was happening. Then Miss Enid’s eyes closed and she swayed.
No freaking way. “You’re a dragon-pire?”
“Do you have any idea how hard it was to act like I didn’t know what I was doing in that stupid Medic class?” Janelle said.
Miss Enid moaned and dropped to her knees.
“Stop it,” Bryn said. “You’ve taken enough.”
“Enough? You think so? There’s never enough power. There’s always more to be had.”
Miss Enid slumped to the side and if Janelle didn’t quit soon, she’d die. Bryn produced fireballs in both of her hands. “Let her go.”
“So sentimental,” Janelle said. “It’s a weakness.” She pushed Miss Enid’s unconscious body through the trap door and down the stairs. Then she locked the door with the librarian’s key. “Don’t worry. She’ll recover just like you did.”
“Why are you doing this?” Bryn asked.
“My IQ is off the charts. Garret is a flyspeck compared to me. But everyone has all these rules which I’m expected to follow.”
“What about Adden?” Jaxon said.
“Now he’s trapped,” Janelle said. “He thinks I work for him, which is hilarious.” Janelle’s eyes changed from brown to steel gray and her hair went from dark to silver.
“They make hair dye for that,” Clint said.
Janelle flicked her hand at Clint and a blast of wind sent him flying off his feet and through the door out into the library.
“Anyone else have a comment?” Janelle asked.
“No,” Bryn said. Maybe she could talk her way out of this. “You’re more powerful than any of us. Adden has what you want. Why do you need us?”
“Well,” Janelle said. “I don’t need her.”
She flicked her hand at Ivy and sent her flying backward into the wall. There was a crunching sound, Ivy cried out in pain, and then she dropped to the floor, clutching her shoulder.
Fire roared in Bryn’s gut. Smoke crawled up the back of her throat. “You crazy bitch.” She blasted flames at her former friend. Janelle blocked the attack with a tornado made of sleet. It extinguished Bryn’s flames.
Shit. How was she supposed to compete with that?
“Play nice,” Janelle said. “And you’ll all walk, or at least limp, out of here.”
“Let Bryn and Ivy go,” Jaxon said. “You only need one of us to guarantee safe passage.
“Sorry,” Janelle said. “One of you is for me and the other is for Adden. He should be along any moment now.”
“I thought we were friends.” Bryn growled.
“Fine,” Janelle said. “Since you were nice to me, Ivy can leave.”
Maybe Janelle wasn’t completely unreasonable. “Thank you.” Bryn turned to Ivy, who looked conflicted. “Go.”
Ivy nodded. Clutching her shoulder, she ran out the door.
The floor shook, and a wave of power came up through their feet.
“Adden is using sonic waves.” Janelle chuckled. “Such a show-off.”
Best to reason with Janelle before Adden made his appearance. “My grandparents will give you whatever you want, if you let us go now,” Bryn said.
“Are you afraid to face Adden?” Janelle said. “Don’t worry about him.”
“Janelle,” Adden’s voice came through the trap door. “Are you there?”
“I’m here, love,” Janelle said. “Did you need something?”
“Let. Me. Out.”
“So crabby,” Janelle muttered. “On one condition. You have to share your toys.”
Bryn moved the slightest bit toward the doorway which led out into the library. Jaxon followed suit.
“I have a lovely sapphire ring for you,” Adden said.
“It’s not an artifact,” Bryn whispered. “He’s trying to trick you. You want the ruby ring.” If she could turn them against each other maybe they could make a break for it.
“I prefer rubies,” Janelle said. “If I open the door, I want the ruby ring.”
“Fine,” Adden said. “Just let me out of here.”
Janelle put the key in the lock. Adden pushed from below and it popped open.
“You had me worried for a minute,” he said, “leaving a librarian in my way. That’s quite rude.” He climbed out and then slammed the trap door. “Still, you’re my favorite conspirator.” He held out his hands. “Pick a ring.”
He wore a ring on almost every finger.
“Oh, they’re so sparkly,” Janelle said. “Which ones are artifacts?”
“Most of them produce daggers,” he said. “Take two if you want.”
She pulled the ruby ring off his left hand and a black pearl ring off his right.
He gasped like someone had stabbed him. The knuckles of both of his now ringless fingers were bleeding like someone had cut him with a scalpel.
“What’s wrong?” Janelle asked.
He stared at her as foam bubbled from his mouth. His eyes rolled back into his head and he started to twitch.
“Oh, one of the rings was poisoned? I didn’t see that coming.” She turned to Bryn. “Did you know about this?”
“No.” Bryn cringed as Adden dropped to the floor, where he gagged and coughed up bile and blood. “But some of the glass cases had poisonous darts. They had the same effect.”
“Well, we should leave,” Janelle said. “I know your cuff links and Bryn’s bracelet are safe to take. Too bad about the rings.” She grabbed Bryn’s bracelet and then started to remove the cuff links from Adden’s sleeves. “This is what happens when you get greedy,” she told Adden.
Wow. Janelle was crazy.
“Now I only need one of you,” Janelle flicked her hand at Bryn. A gust of wind slammed into Bryn’s chest, enveloped her, and moved her forward.
“No.” Jaxon blasted frozen flames at Janelle, but she shot sonic waves at him with her free hand, shattering his ice.
Janelle latched onto Bryn’s arm. “Now I’m going to show you how to really use your Quintessence.”
Bryn felt a strange pulling sensation on her arm. Janelle was going to feed off her? She had to stop this. Dizziness hit her. She could hear Jaxon yelling. Blocking everything out, she grabbed Janelle’s hand like she meant to break her grasp, instead, she focused her Quintessence into Janelle’s veins, reaching into her blood and imagined the blood thickening, moving sluggishly, clotting and no longer flowing.
“What are you doing?” Janelle tried to push Bryn away, but she held on tight.
“I’m ending this.” She reached further into Janelle’s veins, turning her blood into clotted sludge, slowing and then stopping the beat of her heart.
“Bryn.” Jaxon’s tone sounded like it came from far away. “Bryn, you have to hurry. There’s a bomb.”
She released Janelle’s arm and Jaxon shoved her toward the door. “Run.”
She stumble-stepped and then ran. Just as she made it out the door someone tackled her. She growled but went rolling over and over before she could stop. She sucked in a breath to blast her attacker and then realized who it was that had her pinned to the ground.
“Derek. What the—”
K-boom! The floor shook and books toppled off shelves.
Bryn shoved Derek aside, and half crawled, half ran toward the sound of the explosion. Smoke filled the air, obscuring her vision. No. No. No. This cannot be happening.
Clint stumbled toward her, carrying Ivy. Thank God.
“Jaxon?” Bryn tried to push through the Red guards in her way. Everyone was shouting at once. Where was Jaxon? He had to be okay. He had to be.
“Jaxon?” This had all been part of a plan. His plan. He must have known what he was doing. Right?
“Move.” She shoved at a guard.
He turned and blocked her path. “Believe me, you don’t want to see this.”
“No?” Flames ignited in her gut. Sparks shot from her nostrils. “Let me through,” she growled.
Someone grabbed her from behind. “Wait. Let the Medics through first,” Derek said.
Jaxon might be hurt. She could help him. And she was done letting other people call the shots. She shifted into her dragon form, breaking Derek’s grip on her arm. Then she plowed through the guards knocking them aside. “Move,” she roared to the people ahead of her.
Guards backed out of her way. She could see the Medics gathered around someone on a stretcher, but she couldn’t see who it was. When she was within a few feet she shifted back to human form, digging her nails into her palms as she moved close enough to see. The scent of burned flesh filled the air. Bryn clutched at her stomach, afraid she was going to vomit…afraid of what she was going to see. She held her breath and stared at the form on the stretcher. It was Jaxon. His hair was burned down to the scalp and his forehead was blackened and blistered. His eyes were wide open, milky-colored, and staring up at nothing.
“No!” Flames roared in Bryn’s gut. She stumbled away from the image of Jaxon, battling the flames in her gut. This could not be happening. They’d just figured everything out. He couldn’t be gone. He just couldn’t be. She focused on cold and blasted sleet down an aisle of books, roaring out her pain and frustration. She clutched at the edge of the bookshelf and blasted out her grief until her throat was raw and there was nothing left inside of her.
“I’m so sorry about how this all turned out,” Derek said to Bryn as he sat next to her in the medical clinic.
Bryn nodded because what could she say? Jaxon should have told me. I should have been part of the plan. I’m furious at everyone who knew and didn’t clue me in.
“I know this isn’t the best time, but I wanted to ask you something. Did you ever think that history might repeat itself?” Derek’s cheeks colored. “Like with your mother and your father?” Intensity shone from his bright green eyes. “Because when I’m around you it feels like maybe I’ve found my place in the world again.”
It took her a moment to understand. And then she got it. Her mom had married a Red. How much easier would her life be if she loved someone like Derek? She reached over and covered his hand with hers. “I’m sorry. Maybe if circumstances had been different.”
He nodded. “I understand, but you can’t blame a guy for trying.” Leaning in he kissed her on the cheek. “It would be for the best if I asked your grandfather to reassign me. Take care, Bryn.” Derek stood and exited the room.
Clint and Ivy came over to join her. She’d focus on her friends for now.
“How are you?” Bryn asked.
“Much better,” Ivy said. “Thank you for talking Janelle into letting me go. I’m sorry I wasn’t more help.”
“If someone had told me about the freaking plan, I could’ve been more help.” Tears filled Bryn’s eyes. “I’m so mad at Jaxon. He should’ve told me so I would’ve known what was going to happen.” If she’d known she was on a timetable with a bomb going to blow, she would have killed Janelle faster. And that was a disturbing thought. She’d used her medical skills to kill someone. She hadn’t admitted that to anyone yet. And maybe she never would. Who would want to be treated by a Medic who’d taken someone’s life?
“I guess no one counted on Janelle being there. They thought Adden would walk out of the library trading Jaxon for his escape before the rings detonated. And if he tried to take any of the rings off he’d be poisoned.”
Medic Williams came toward Bryn, chugging a container of chocolate milk. “When you’re ready, we need to talk about what happened with Janelle.”
“Not now.” Bryn was barely holding it together.
“I understand, but this conversation isn’t over,” Medic Williams said. “You can see Jaxon now. Fair warning we still have a lot of work to do.”
Bryn swallowed over the lump in her throat. “Thank you.” She walked down the hall to the private room and put her hand on the doorknob. How bad would this be? She pushed the door open and walked in. Jaxon lay on the bed. They’d healed the blisters, but his exposed skin was still red. They hadn’t bothered to regrow his hair. His eyes…his eyes were open. They were back to their normal bright blue and they were looking at her.
“What in the hell were you thinking?” she shouted at him.
He smiled and then grimaced. “That’s my line.”
“That’s not funny. We’re supposed to be partners.” Flames ignited in her gut. Smoke drifted from her lips. “We’re supposed to be a team.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“That’s not how this works.” She growled and sparks shot from her mouth.
“It’s my job to protect you,” he insisted.
“No. Wrong. It’s our job to protect each other. And I can’t do that if you’re running around making half-assed plans without me.”
“So you’d rather I make full-assed plans with you?”
“Not funny.” She took a deep breath and focused on cold. She walked over to the bed and reached for his hand but stopped when she saw how red it was.
“I probably look like you did after the explosion at your grandparents’ estate.”
She gently laid her hand on his shoulder which was medium pink rather than bright red. “Please. They just had to regrow my eyebrows. You’re practically bald.”
“Yes, but I’m a Westgate, so I’m sure I look fabulous.”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course you do.”
“Listen. I really am sorry I didn’t tell you. I was hoping to keep you out of the battle. Then Clint and Ivy showed up. Once Adden had them I knew you wouldn’t be far behind. If it makes you feel any better, this wasn’t my idea. My father and your grandfather approached me and told me about the poisonous rings they’d planted, knowing Adden would try and take them. It was my job to lead him to the library. They thought the poison or the explosive in the rings would do the rest.”
“Once you’re fully recovered, I’m kicking your ass,” Bryn said. “When I saw you on that stretcher I thought you were dead. I grieved you. I destroyed an entire aisle of books with ice because I was trying not to burn the damn building down.”
“Hey, I’ve seen you look pretty bad, too,” Jaxon said.
“Yes, but you didn’t love me back then so it doesn’t count.” And holy shit, had she just told Jaxon she loved him?
He stared at her bug eyed. “Did you just—”
“Nope. Rewind. That never happened.”
“Yes, it did,” he said.
Okay. He was right. It did. And now was the time he needed to chime in and say that he cared about her, too, but he was just staring at her. Great. This is freaking fabulous. She stood and stalked out the door.
“Bryn, get back here.”
“Nope.” She’d had enough drama for one day.
“I’ll call your grandmother,” Jaxon shouted.
“Seriously?” Bryn turned around and stormed back into the room. “You’ll call my grandmother and tell her what?”
“I’d tell her you’re stubborn and you have a terrible temper, and it’s almost like we were made for each other. Which is probably why I love you, too.”
“Really?”
“I’m not saying it again.” Jaxon gestured. “Get over here.”
She walked over and stared down at him. “You’re a mess,” she said.
“Right back at you. Mentally, rather than physically, of course.”
She arched her eyebrows. “Another trait we share in common.”
“Probably.” He grinned. “Stay with me for awhile?”
“Sure.” She sat in the chair next to him. “I’m going to tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a cute princess and a handsome prince. When they first met, the prince hated the princess because his father was still mad at the princess’s mother. Once they became acquainted, they went on many adventures together and became friends. Then the prince did something really stupid and scared the crap out of the princess, forcing her to see that she loved him, but that was okay because he loved her, too, and he swore never to do anything stupid ever again. The end.”
“Never again? That might be a hard deal to keep.”
“But you’ll try, right?”
“I’ll try,” he said. “And now I’m going to tell you a story. Once upon a time, a prince thought he understood how the world worked. He believed everything his father told him. Then this strange princess with multicolored hair barged into his life and threw everything off course. She showed him there was more to life than shiny objects and fast cars. Not that those things aren’t awesome—because they are—but she showed him that sometimes, all you need is someone who will sit with you, read books, and share their cookies and milk. Although she wasn’t very good at sharing cookies, but that’s a story for another time. The End.”