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“If you can help get us in contact with Monarch Denver, I’ll consider us even.”
Lyra rubs her lips nervously as she brushes her hands over her skirt and stands. “Come.”
She rushes to the corner of the room and I frown. There are just walls, but with one sweep of her hand, a door appears.
“You’re expecting us to go into some random room?” Brax states, not moving an inch as he cocks a brow at her.
“Sorry, this is my… space. It’s concealed in case I need to hide. It also allows me to use my magic when people think I’m not here,” she adds, looking at Raven, who smiles in understanding.
“Thank you, Lyra.” Raven steps into the small space, not bothering to see if we’re going to follow or not, but that’s probably because she knows for a fact we will.
“Use this system here. It’s set up separately from the rest of the academy,” Lyra explains as we all filter into the room. It’s a lot bigger than I expected, with a desk, sofa, and access to a bathroom.
I murmur my thanks as I take a seat beside Raven on the sofa, pressing the necessary keys for my father. The tone fills theroom as the others get comfortable too, but it doesn’t last very long before my father appears in front of me.
Fuck.
Relief bursts from me as he comes into view. It might be a projection, but it’s still him.
“Zane. Damn, Zane, is that you?” His voice booms around us, embracing me in an invisible hug, and I smile. “Are you all okay? Raven, Brax, Eldon, and Creed? All of you?”
I nod, as do my girl and friends, and the smallest light of hope forms in my stomach. “Hey, Pops.” My father smiles from ear to ear, but it’s not lost on me how tired he looks. He looks as if he’s aged ten years since I saw him just a few weeks ago. “Are you okay?”
“Fuck that shit. Am I okay? Areyouguys okay? You’re the ones trapped in there, nevermind me.”
“Have I mentioned before that you’re the coolest?” Eldon interjects, wagging a finger at my father, who chuckles.
“Maybe a time or two. At least it doesn’t seem to have knocked your spirits,” he replies, but his brows bunch together when he takes a closer look at us. “Or maybe it has.”
“We’re surviving, Rhys, but it’s all fucked to Hell,” Raven admits with a scoff as she tries to contain her own emotions, and my father swipes a hand down his face.
“Tell me. Tell me everything.”
So I do. I recap every last detail, even though recapping it again is hurting my brain. He curses at the villagers from Pinebrook, he sighs at the lack of leadership from Burton and the others, and he gapes in horror at the mention of the Drake this morning. I even explain what happened to Lyra and how she’s helping us now.
“You were right, Raven. It is all fucked to Hell,” he replies when we’re finished.
Raven hums in agreement. “Can I ask if you’ve heard anything about my parents?”
Her head dips down, like she’s embarrassed to ask, but the second my father glances away for a moment I know there’s something there.
“Pops?”
He turns back to us with a sad smile. “I have, but unfortunately, Raven, things are a little difficult with your father right now.”
Raven huffs. “I’m not shocked.”
“No, no. He’s… his mind has been tampered with,” my father blurts, swiping a hand down his face. “Your mother is at our home, and so is your father, but he’s… we have him sedated and confined until we can remove whatever is controlling him.”
“Controlling him?” Raven sits straight in her seat, gaping at the projection.
“Yeah. We can’t tell how long it’s been going on, but what’s important right now is getting you guys out of there. I’ll handle him, I need you to remain focused.”
Clearly, a lot is happening that we don’t know about, but he’s right. We’ve got enough to handle already.
“Okay. Thanks, Rhys,” she murmurs, and my father nods.
“On the outside, The Monarchy is putting together an army,” he starts to explain, and the five of us glance at each other in surprise. “The Monarch you brought back hasn’t been returned, and even if he had been, they wouldn’t have upheld the agreement. We’re days out still, that’s the only issue, but I’m riding the other Monarchs hard to make sure this is everyone’s priority,” he insists, and my heart swells.
