Chapter 26
My blood ran cold. “How—?”
He cut me off. “Stop. The Dean is losing power. A new order is forming among the Skulls, and we want you. Return to campus. Comply, or your mother will pay the price.”
“Wait, what?” I nearly dropped the phone. My mother, Ambrosia, was on the road with Rock, traveling. The idea they’d track her was horrifying. “She’s not even in the state.”
A sinister chuckle. “You’d be surprised what we can do. Last chance, Nubia. If you want your mother safe, meet us tomorrow at dawn in the old chapel behind the Boathouse. No police. Come alone…or your golden boyfriend can come too, but you must submit. The new order demands it.”
Rage and fear warred inside me. “How do I know you’re not bluffing?”
“We have resources. Look at your phone in two minutes.” The line clicked dead.
My hand shook as I lowered the phone. Anubis leaned in, alarmed. “What is it?”
I told him, voice trembling. “They threatened my mom. They said to come to the old chapel by the Boathouse tomorrow at dawn, or else. They claim a new order is forming within the Skulls.”
He rubbed a hand down his face, jaw tight. “These bastards don’t stop.”
Just then, my phone dinged again. A text from the same unknown number: A photo attachment. I opened it with dread. My mother, Ambrosia, in a candid shot outside some concert venue, Rock by her side. The timestamp was from last night.
“They’re not bluffing,” I whispered, tears stinging. “They must’ve followed her. They could do anything.”
Anubis set down his fork, fury and concern etched on his face. “We can’t risk letting them hurt her. But going back to campus is insane. The watchers or the new faction might trap us.”
I nodded, pulse hammering. “But if we don’t, they’ll do who knows what.”
He squeezed my hand again, trying to steady me. “We need backup. The Undercurrent, Kate, maybe the police who are starting to investigate. If we can set up a sting… But that’s dangerous. They said no police.”
I grimaced. “We can’t blindly trust them, either. Even if it’s a new Skulls faction, they’re still the same people who brand novices, kill whistleblowers, and manipulate from the shadows. They’re using my mother as leverage.”
Quiet settled, disturbed only by the clatter of dishes in the diner kitchen. My stomach churned, appetite gone. I can’t let them hurt Mom. Even if she and I have had a rocky relationship, she’s still my family.
Anubis exhaled. “We’ll figure out a plan. We have until dawn tomorrow. Let’s finish here, pay, and head back to the motel. We’ll reach out to Kate, gather what intel we can, then decide.”
I nodded woodenly, shoving the plate aside. My world had turned upside down yet again. The Skulls had a thousand ways to coerce compliance, and threatening my mother was the most personal blow yet.
The walk back to the Redwood Inn felt endless under the midday sun. My phone occasionally showed one bar of signal, letting me refresh messages. Kate hadn’t sent anything new since her “Sophie missing” update, which left me tense.
Back in our motel room, the stale air greeted us. Anubis locked the door carefully, then paced across the worn carpet. “We can’t do anything,” he repeated, voice taut. “And we can’t just hand ourselves over. Could we contact Dr. Lansing? She seemed conflicted. Maybe she knows this ‘new order’ faction, or at least how they operate.”
I shook my head. “We don’t have her number. She’s off the grid as far as we know.” Still, the idea lingered: Lansing was pivotal to the biotech fiasco. If the new order had formed around controlling that research, she’d be in danger or a key participant.
Instead, I typed a quick message to Kate, telling her about the threat against my mother and the summons at dawn. My phone’s battery flashed low, but I tapped send. A moment later, my phone beeped:
Message Failed: No Service.
“Dammit.” Frustration ignited. “We’re offline here. We might have to leave the motel to find better reception.”
Anubis’ brow furrowed. “That’s risky, but we might not have a choice. We need help from the Undercurrent or someone. If the watchers find us alone, we can’t fight them off forever.”
I slumped on the edge of the bed. “What about the caretaker’s cottage? The Skulls have probably searched it by now, but maybe the phone lines or a campus kiosk are still open. Or do we try a public library or cafe with Wi-Fi in town?”
He considered. “Town might be safer. Lots of people around, less chance of watchers abducting us in broad daylight.”
I nodded, mind racing. “Let’s do that. We’ll find a library or coffee shop, get a stable connection, and try to call Kate or the police detective investigating Toccara’s murder. We won’t mention we’re going to the chapel, but maybe they can be on standby if things go bad.”
Anubis’ features softened. “That’s a plan. Then we decide how to handle the meet. Because if we don’t show up, your mom’s in danger.”
A swirl of dread, guilt, and resolve churned inside me. I’ll do anything to protect her. Even if it meant stepping back into the Skulls’ jaws.
A quick search on Anubis’ phone’s GPS (which flickered in and out of coverage) pointed us toward a public library in the city, about twenty minutes by bus. We checked out of the motel, leaving nothing behind. I felt naked and vulnerable walking to the bus stop, but the midday crowd offered a shield of anonymity.
We boarded an old city bus, found seats at the back, and tried to blend with the half-dozing midday commuters. My chest tightened each time the bus slowed, expecting watchers or black SUVs. But no sign of them emerged.
At last, we reached a modest public library in a tired part of town. The building was all concrete walls and tiny windows, a relic of 1970s architecture. Inside, I was hit with the faint smell of old books. A few patrons worked at computers or perused shelves. It was quiet, normal, an oasis of calm.
Anubis led us to a corner with a cluster of public-use computers. We had to sign in with a library card, so I quickly registered as “Sarah Divore,” a slight tweak from my real name, hoping not to raise suspicion. The librarian behind the counter hardly blinked.
Once logged in, we checked email and various safe channels. I typed a note to Kate, explaining the threat and the dawn meet:
“Kate, they threatened my mom. Must meet them at an old chapel near Boathouse at dawn tomorrow. Possibly new Skulls faction. Send help or lay a trap? Not sure. We need your advice. —Suede.”
I clicked send, praying it went through. Next, we found a contact form for the local police’s tip line. We typed:
“Re: Toccara murder, the Skulls. Urgent meeting at the old chapel behind Edenvane Boathouse, dawn tomorrow. Suggest covert presence. Danger high. Signed, Concerned Students.”
Anubis hovered at my shoulder, nodding. “We’re not giving away our identity, but hopefully the cops might keep an eye out. If they’re serious about investigating.”
We browsed news sites. A wave of shock rippled through me to see headlines referencing “Mystery Group Exposed at Elite College,” “Dean Under Scrutiny Over Famed Student Death.” Some sites used the word “cult.” Others cast doubt. But the conversation was out in the open now, no longer a rumor.
Apparently, Toccara’s millions of Instagram followers had been demanding justice. News outlets were hungry for a story. Being busy infiltrating the skulls, I’d had little time for social media, so it was an angle I hadn’t considered, but was to our great benefit.
Anubis clicked an article from a local paper:
“Police sources confirm arrest of several suspected ‘Skull Society’ members. Dean of Edenvane denies wrongdoing, cites external agitators. Student activists claim to have leaked documents proving the group’s role in sabotage and intimidation. Osiris Edenvane’s whereabouts unknown.”
He exhaled, skimming. “It’s happening. The world knows. My father probably fled the country.”
My throat went dry. “But knowledge alone won’t stop them from retaliating, or from harming my mom.”
We shared a weighted silence. The library’s overhead lights buzzed. At least we weren’t alone in the dark anymore. The Skulls couldn’t hide behind secrecy like before.
I checked my new email again. A reply from Kate:
Kate : “I can mobilize the Undercurrent. Some detective is open-minded, but not all cops are. If we can’t arrive in time, be cautious. Cameras capturing them meeting you might help. Stay hidden until then. Will try to find your mom’s location to protect her. —K.”
My eyes teared up. “Kate’s trying to keep my mom safe. Thank God.”
Anubis read over my shoulder, then gently squeezed my arm. “That’s something. So maybe they can intercept the watchers or the new faction’s move.”
I typed a brief response, telling her we’d remain in hiding until dawn, then attempt the meet. No immediate response. Enough for now.
We exchanged looks of mutual exhaustion. “We have the rest of the day and tonight,” I said quietly. “We can’t go back to the caretaker’s cottage or the dorm. Another motel?”
Anubis frowned, scanning his phone’s battery. “We have limited cash. My accounts might be frozen if my father is threatened. We can try a cheaper place or crash somewhere else. Maybe we stash ourselves in the city until the morning.”
I nodded, lips pressed together. “Yes. We need to be invisible until dawn. Then we see if the cops or the Undercurrent can help us corner these new-order Skulls.”
Yet a shard of dread whispered: What if no one shows? What if the watchers kill us on sight? But I couldn’t voice it, not when we were so close to possibly freeing ourselves.
We lingered in the library for a while, reading updates, half-dozing in the reading chairs. Eventually, near closing time, we decided to slip out. The cool late-afternoon air greeted us, the sun dipping low in the sky. Another day nearly gone.
Anubis flagged a taxi on the street, and we found a cheap motel deeper in the city. This one was even seedier than Redwood Inn, but it took cash, no ID required. We hunkered in the small room, hearts heavy with anticipation.
The hours crawled. We dozed in shifts, fearful of watchers busting in. My mind reeled with the possibilities of tomorrow’s confrontation. Would the new Skulls faction come armed? Could we actually get out of this unscathed? What about the gene therapy formula?
At some point, we found ourselves sitting on the bed, side by side, the only light coming from the neon motel sign blinking outside the window. I rested my head on Anubis’ shoulder, inhaling his familiar scent. Despite everything, a hush of comfort settled over us.
“It’s almost over,” he murmured, voice rough with fatigue. “One way or another.”
I wrapped an arm around his waist, pressing closer. “I keep thinking about Toccara,” I said softly. “I wish she could see this. I wish I could apologize for not saving her sooner.”
“You tried,” he whispered back. “You exposed the system that killed her. That might be the best justice we can give.”
A tear traced my cheek. “And the brand on my shoulder, the pain, it reminds me I’m not free yet. But maybe soon. With you.”
“About Thad. I might have to answer for that.”
“You were forced.”
“So was whoever offed Toccara.” He tilted my chin, gazing into my eyes. Moonlight spilled over the worn bedspread, highlighting the fierce protectiveness in his face. “I love you,” he said, words trembling with sincerity. “If we make it out tomorrow…maybe we can finally live, not just survive.”
My heart surged. I pressed my lips to his, a soft, lingering kiss loaded with exhaustion and hope. We parted gently, foreheads touching in the dim glow.
We curled together on the bed, clinging to a semblance of peace. My fingers tangled in his hair as he grazed a soft line of kisses along my jaw. Every touch resonated with the longing for a future beyond fear. The brand might scar us, but here, in this quiet bubble of raw emotions, we shared a whispered vow to make it out together.
“I need to fuck you, hard,” he said in my ear. “So hard, I forget all this shit for tonight.”
“I need it too.”
When our breathing finally steadied, we drifted into fitful slumber, lulled by the heartbeat beneath my cheek and the promise we’d see another dawn side by side.