Page 72 of Resolve
Boots crunch on sand next to me, and Reid is suddenly standing beside Jackson and Raegan. Now that her job’s done, it looks like she’s passed out. “Is she hurt?”
“She’s exhausted,” I reply. “Is Charles up there?”
“He’s gone.” Reid places his hand on Raegan’s shoulder. “Grab on. I’ll take you to the others.”
We claim a spot on his arm, and then the hole of dirt and metal vanish.
Everything spins, and then slams to a halt.
I take a firm step from practice with these jumps, catching and steadying myself before my face meets the glittery black floor. Jackson has Raegan in his arms, while Kellan and Dane are both on the floor. Kell grimaces when he heaves to his feet after landing facedown. Dane’s no longer keeping his gift active, so he’s returned to his usual state.
A quick glance around the room tells me exactly where we are.
Black bench seat tables line the back wall up to a stage. A bar is on the opposite wall, and large glass boxes dangle over our heads for dancers to make some cash in a touch-free setting.
The Hype bar and nightclub.
Dane struggles to his feet with a groan.
“Why are we here?” I demand, mustering the strength from pride alone.
“Where else were you planning to go?” Elias asks, strolling from the hallway behind the bar. “You can’t return to the Tower now that you’ve shown your hand to Gifted Enterprise.”
He’s one of the last people I’d like to see when I’m feeling this rundown, and it spikes a bit of temper that I don’t have the energy to control. “I’m merely surprised you’d accept us into your home when we all have targets on our backs. You’d kicked Raegan out for that very reason, after all,” I counter with smooth vehemence.
Elias’s smile doesn’t falter. “Yes, and that was a mistake I’ve since learned from.”
Kellan throws his arm around my neck, leaning on me in what might look playful, but is actually seconds away from flooring me. I don’t have the strength to hold up his full weight on a good day, let alone now. Thankfully, a cushion of air catches me before we both collapse.
“Alright, you two,” Kell drawls. “Let’s get past the posturing bullshit and move to the part where you tell us where the beds are so I can crash. Or else I’ll park it right here on your dance floor, then good luck moving me.”
“The rest of your Guild is already here and settled. I’ve put aside apartments 367 and 368 for you,” Elias says, holding out two cards. “Once you’ve scanned those cards, you can enter a code to use moving forward. Raegan can return to her apartment.”
No one steps forward to take the cards.
I answer instead, “You can give those to someone else. We’ll stay with Raegan in her apartment.”
Elias doesn’t look surprised by that admission. He tucks the cards into his inner jacket pocket and nods. “There’s a spare futon in the closet. We’ll talk after you’ve had time to rest.”
Dane slips under my other arm, and with Jackson’s gift also helping with some of Kell’s weight, we somehow manage to trek upstairs. After getting Raegan and Kellan in bed, I call Cassandra to stop byfor a quick healing, and then finally allow myself to sleep.
Habit dictates that I wake up after only four hours of rest, despite my body needing far more. My head throbs mercilessly while simultaneously feeling stuffed with cotton. And I’m parched.
Forcing myself upright, I hold my head as if that might help stabilize it. Sunlight peeks through the drapes in a thin sliver, and even that small burst of light makes me cringe and turn away from it.
Something nags in my periphery. Drawn behind me, I stare at Jackson’s hoodie.
Metal.
It’s not much. Maybe a throwing knife or two. I tell myself it wouldn’t have made a difference in protection even though a small part of me is annoyed he’d withheld any metal when I needed it. But one small blade he’d given Raegan saved her life from Creighton, so I should be grateful he always keeps a stash for emergencies.
Another flicker.
I’m drawn to Kellan’s belt on the floor.
More flickers.
There’s metal in the walls. Pipes. Wires.
