Chapter 2 #2
“I know but that was a pretty significant slip of you can’t tell us anything,” I say.
“Well, that’s not entirely accurate. My father sent a dire warning.”
“He picked a helluva time to send you careening into a vision.” I shake my head.
“He said you would say that.” Adrian chuckles. “He needed you guys paying attention because this new vision could be the difference between success and failure.”
“Not here.” I stand up, dusting myself off.
“But we need the whole group together.” Adrian pushes himself up but winces as his shoulder pulls.
“You need the healer.” I grip his uninjured arm and haul him up from the ground. “I sent Thad and Draven to take that guy to the dungeon. We’ll grab them on the way to the healer.”
“Fine,” Adrian grumbles, wincing.
I wave a hand for Kira, Dax, and Greyson to join us. “We’re going to the healer. Adrian has news we all need to be present for.”
“That’s not good.” Kira sighs. “More dire warnings and bad news. Don’t you ever have a good vision?”
“Not so far. The only time they come is when it’s bad.” Adrian moves ahead of us, his head hanging low.
“It’s not his fault,” I say. “He’s the messenger. Don’t shoot the messenger.”
“I can see all the outcomes now and there are timelines when we win and everything is good, but I can’t tell you about those because it may negatively impact the outcomes. This is the only way. Vague warnings and letting you guys make your own decisions.”
“I know. It sucks but we’ve come this far and we can last a little longer.
The visions won’t be as important once we win this war.
And we will win because unlike the enemy, if we lose, we lose everything.
There’s nothing worse than an opponent who has nothing left to lose and everything to gain.
” I tug open the door to the academic building.
“That’s true.” Kira nods, falling in step beside me.
We make our way through the building to the hidden door for the basement and Dax cocks his head to the side. “I thought we were going to the healer?”
“Thad and Draven are securing an asshole.” I yank the door open and yelling fills the quiet space.
“What in Hades, Draven?” someone shouts. “You’re taking their side over mine? We’re brothers.”
I rush down the stairs before another fight can break out but there’s no contest here because the guy is already in the cell, screaming about family loyalty.
“What’s going on? Why are you still down here listening to this shit?” I ask.
“He had some interesting things to say about us and I was deciding whether I should kill him or not,” Draven says casually, but his hands are balled into fists at his sides and his whole body is trembling with rage.
“Who gives a shit what he says, Draven.” Dax shakes his head. “He’s an asshole with an overinflated ego.”
“You don’t know what he said.” Draven leans back against the stone wall.
I glance at Kira, realizing what this is about. He said something horrible about her. My gaze snaps to Raven and she nods understanding without words what’s happening here.
“And you’re not going to tell him,” I say, stepping forward.
“Why in Hades not?” Dax asks.
“We have bigger shit to worry about right now than some asshole’s comments about things he knows nothing about. Right, Kira?” I widen my eyes at her.
Kira cocks her head to the side before her jaw drops open and she spins on Dax. “She’s right. I don’t care what he said and neither should you guys. It’s not important.”
“What am I missing?” Dax asks.
Jayden wraps an arm around his shoulders and tugs him back up the stairs. “Nothing, buddy. They are protecting people like they always do. You can beat him bloody after the war.”
“Or maybe before,” Adrian mumbles and I shoot him a glare.
“You need to shut it and get to the healer.” I poke him in the chest. “C’mon, guys, Adrian has news.”
Draven deflates as Thad leads him forward. He takes one last glance over his shoulder at the guy before trudging up the stairs past me.
“Not a word, Draven. You know Dax. He will lose his whole temper,” I whisper.
“I know. I didn’t think before I spoke.” He shakes his head.
We’re all quiet as we make our way to the healers’ office. Adrian takes a seat on an exam cot with a sigh.
“What is it, Adrian? What did Apollo tell that you can share with us?” I ask.
“The battle is coming to the academy. There is no stopping that outcome.” Adrian glances to the side.
Jayden raises a brow. “We kind of already figured that out from your last vision. The academy burning was a clue, ya know. What aren’t you telling us?”
“The time frames don’t line up.” Adrian scrubs a hand down his face. “If you all go to find the hammer, we will lose everything.”
“What?” I ask. “We won’t be here for the final battle?”
“Not the start of it. There’s a chance you get there, but we won’t have much of an academy left if you all go on the mission.” Adrian’s shoulders slump.
“Who?” Raven asks, practically vibrating. “Who has to stay behind?”
“This is why this is so hard for me to tell you because no one is going to like what I have to say,” Adrian whispers.
“We aren’t shooting the messenger, remember? Adrian already volunteered to stay behind to help us.” I glance at everyone in the room. “He’s telling us for the good of everyone what he’s seen. He can’t control it or the outcomes.”
“But we have to split up?” Kira asks. “We’re stronger together.”
“We do,” Adrian confirms. “It cuts our chance of failure by more than half.”
“Who?” Raven asks.
She steps up next to me, her arms crossed over her chest. She will lose her shit if Adrian says she has to stay behind.
We are ride or die and she won’t like having me gone on a mission without her.
I glance at Jayden but he’s staring a hole through the side of Adrian’s face, waiting for what we all fear is inevitable.
We have to split our group and none of us knows how we’re going to save the world if we’re torn apart.
“I’ll stay.” Thad steps forward. “I’m one of the strongest because of who my father is. I can help hold the lines if we need to.”
“Are you sure, Thad?” I ask my friend. “We may need the strongest with us. Ares and Athena students can hold the lines.”
“No,” Thad says. “We need at least one leader from the big three here. Right, Adrian?”
“He’s right.” Adrian nods. “You stay behind in every timeline that we win. You’re needed here.”
“Good. I’m always happy to go where I’m most needed.” Thad steps back.
“Is that it?” I ask but my hopes are quickly dashed when Adrian shakes his head.
“Dax has to stay,” Adrian says.
“What?” Dax roars and lunges for Adrian.
As all hell breaks loose, I can’t help but wonder if we’re about to kill each other before the queen even gets a shot at us.