Chapter Forty-Three
T ime was fleeting, a thief of the good and the bad, and lately it had been taking more of the good than the downright tragic.
Training days were the hardest. Mostly because Josh only spoke to me when he gave instructions or yelled when my form was off. Other than that, it’d been radio silence, especially mentally.
I tried some days during training when he was distracted by our zealous workouts to peek inside, only to be met with a brick wall the height of a skyscraper.
I shouldn’t have tried, not after how we left things, but it hurt knowing our connection would probably never be the same.
Then again, I tended to jump the gun sometimes.
At nine in the morning, I received a message from the Order to meet in fifteen minutes. Since the weather had finally let up against the pestering heat, I yanked on a simple blue shirt and some jeans before I made my way to the stunning cathedral.
Josh and I met up at the same time. He nodded to acknowledge my presence, but other than that, we kept to ourselves.
But what we didn’t expect was Captain Harrison and the entire fleet occupying every pew.
Our Order stood in the back, while the Aces joined Captain Harrison on the dais, their faces stricken with worry. Father Benedict and Collin were nowhere to be found.
Never in my life would I witness an entire fleet inside the cathedral on school grounds. Each member, from Scarlet to Saint, wore a stoic expression, statues in fighting gear. There must’ve been over forty occupying the space.
None of it looked good.
“A horde of Olemaks was seen outside of 116 th Street station last night around one in the morning. Luckily, we had a curfew in place and patrols stationed around to keep the demons at bay. However, it does not explain the horde being on campus grounds.” He removed himself from the dais, wiping his face with a handkerchief.
A horde? On campus? I sent my thoughts straight to Josh, shocked to find the wall that kept me out wide open.
I can’t fathom it either.
Emilia stepped up, looking fully recovered and ready to kill. “You’re missing a valuable piece of information.” All eyes were on Emilia; her dark eyes blazed with fury.
Captain Harrison cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable at being called out. “Right, well, that information is still being discussed with the Spades—”
Dean Poverly appeared from the back. “If it’s on my grounds, I have a right to know.”
If Captain Harrison was intimidated, he didn’t let it show. Rather, he clasped his hands behind his back and stalked forward down the middle aisle, grabbing the attention of everyone in the pews. “The Olemak horde entered the school grounds, and we have footage showing their… odd behavior. Someone might be… controlling them.”
Nobody uttered a word at this possible revelation.
Can that happen? I asked Josh, panicked.
If it’s true, then we’re looking at a whole new enemy.
Toke, for the first time in his life, looked somewhat okay compared to his usual sweaty appearance. “What you’re suggesting can’t happen.”
Captain Harrison ignored Toke, continuing his speech. “It’s time the trainees of this Order step out into the field with us. If hordes keep showing up, then we need all hands on deck to prepare for what could come.”
“They’re finally old enough to train properly and you want them out in the field to get slaughtered like cattle?” snapped Thatcher.
“They have one hour to gear up and report back here.” He didn’t give anyone a chance for a rebuttal, leaving down the aisle, each pew emptying single file.
Emilia was last, stopping in front of me. “Suit up, Watson. You’re with me.”
I changed with the other Scarlets, listening to their conversation.
“I hope I’m in Owen’s squad. The guy is deadly with the crossbow,” said Zoey.
Anna rolled her eyes, shimmying her pants over her hips. “We’re about to invade a horde of Olemaks, and you’re horny over a dude with the same crossbow the rest of the fleet has.”
Zoey braided her long brown hair. “He’s on the market, so yeah, I’m gonna shoot my shot.”
“Girl, you’re insane,” laughed Anna, throwing the scarlet hood over her head.
Chloe snorted beside me. “Anna may be a twat, but she has a point.”
Lacing up my combat boots, I sheathed my freshly polished dagger. “I don’t know. It’s nice to hear some sense of normalcy before we head out to die.”
“Wow, you’re super optimistic tonight.”
I shrugged, tucking the amethyst stone inside my shirt. “We’re constantly trying to stay alive. I think a negative attitude deserves a pass.”
Before she could respond, a soft knock came at the door, and Kal’s voice was heard on the other side. “Are you ladies ready?”
Filing out of the changing room, Kal lingered by the threshold until I was the last to exit, taking an easy stride to match my pace. “How are you?”
Kal was kind enough to bring me home the other night, vomiting several times on the road, but Josh’s warning always stayed with me whenever he was around. “Better. I’m sorry I never got to thank you for that night.”
His sandy blonde hair was gelled back from his face, giving a clear view of the freckles dotting his nose and cheeks. “A thank you is not necessary. I should be the one apologizing for my actions at the beginning of the year. I never wanted to paint you as some—”
“Whore?”
Kal’s dark, hazel eyes bulged. “No! I wasn’t—”
“Relax,” I said as we made our way upstairs to the main floor. “I just want you to know, what happened between us, it was a one-time thing.”
“Probably should call it a two-time thing,” he joked.
“Right, the night of Summerfest.” That night felt so long ago. Less complicated, less everything .
When we arrived back on the main floor, some squads were already set and ready, and others were starting to call names to join the remainders. I’d never seen so many members in one room, dressed in all the same attire, right down to the shoes.
Josh stood with Emilia and Cillian and two other members of Captain Harrison’s fleet.
Emilia caught sight of me before anyone else and smiled. “There you are, Remi. This is Silas and Jules. They’ll be a part of our group.”
Silas’s dark skin and hair in contrast to those light green eyes were breathtaking. He stood no more than six feet tall, slightly shorter than Josh’s towering build. He waved sheepishly, and a stunning set of teeth flashed my way.
Jules’s white-blonde hair hidden underneath her cape came down in long waves, and eyes the color of mahogany brightened at my arrival. “Hello, Remi. Nice to finally meet you.”
We shook hands, her grip tight and confident.
Josh’s voice filtered inside my head. Emilia boasted about you slaying that Magidoz.
A sharp whistle blew, followed by Captain Harrison’s voice booming through the cathedral. “Each squad is labeled with a number. Everyone will acquire a Bluetooth earpiece, the frequency matching only the members of their squad.”
Cillian handed us each an earpiece, and I secured mine in place, turned it on, and heard a soft buzzing of static.
Emilia tapped hers, testing it out. “Making sure everyone hears me okay. We’re squad number seven.” Her voice came in nice and clear, though a little echoey because of us being so close. Captain Harrison continued. “Your squad leaders were all given a map of the campus and surrounding areas of New York City. Coordinates are highlighted where you’ll be stationed. You’ll dispatch on arrival and wait for your next instructions. To infiltrate and eliminate successfully, we all must work together, and make sure to follow the instructions promptly.”
Why do I get the vibe that he’s trying to run a play with a high school football team? I asked.
Probably trying to prove to Dean Poverly what a shit job he’s doing.
Speaking of Dean Poverly, none of the Aces were in attendance, not even Father Benedict, to watch us depart on our mission. Where is everyone?
I was just thinking the same thing. Something’s off. Keep your guard up and your head on a swivel. I have a bad feeling.
That made two of us.
Squads began to whisper the word falach, preparing for their departure. Cillian recommended that we do the same, double-checking our attire and making sure weapons were secure one last time before opening the map.
Emilia pointed a finger at one of the coordinates highlighted in yellow. “It says we’re stationed at Sunset Park… in Brooklyn?” She looked around, searching for someone, probably Captain Harrison, but he’d gone MIA.
Cillian rubbed his chin. “I wonder if another horde was located here.”
Josh, however, wasn’t convinced. “If the horde was last seen here on campus, then why are we being stationed miles away?”
By now, all but us had left the cathedral, making it difficult to ask anyone if they were also stationed near us.
I guess we’re about to find out , mumbled Josh.
Emilia folded the map and looked at us with a smile. “So, who wants to drive?”