“Bree, Vic, and their friends have their own rooms. But they wouldn’t want to go home. They want to help Isobel.” Trey’s expression reflected his disgust.
My stomach twisted. “Are you sure?”
He nodded. “Vic and Bree have already been altered. They look human now.”
I swallowed. Regardless of what they thought they wanted, I’d try to Jump them back, if I could find them. “Do you know where they are?”
He shook his head, and I gritted my teeth. Nothing for it. I couldn’t exactly go traipsing around looking for them.
I pulled the bag of crystal dust out of my pocket, and swallowed a bunch more. My entire body tingled. Then I moved amid the next group of six.
“Okay, everybody, hold onto me.”
As soon as the little hands took a grip, I reached, and the white noise engulfed us.
Snap.
Another spectacular landing in the puddle. I hoped it didn’t contain anything toxic. This time I barely waited for Cara to approach before leaving again. Because I’d caught a glimpse of my arms. And there were black scales popping up all over them.
Where the hell were they coming from? They looked like what I’d seen on Marcus. What the fuck? But I had more pressing issues.
I kept my arms beneath my cloak as I popped back into the library. Trey and the last four children waited for me, but Maddy and Lucas needed to come too. We hugged the shadows as Lucas slipped through the doors. A Bellati stepped just inside to scan the room.
We all held our breath, and I heard Maddy hiss through her teeth, but whatever the Bellati saw, it wasn’t a huddle of nervous Centaur children with me and Maddy. He withdrew again, and I was able to breathe.
Lucas shifted back to himself and pulled on his clothes. Then the kids held onto me, along with him and Maddy.
Snap.
This time, I face-planted. Spluttering, I pushed myself upright amid Centaurs jumping to their feet, and stared down in horror at arms covered in scales, with fingertips sprouting talons.
I quickly rolled over, sliding my shaking arms beneath my cloak. Caught Lucas frowning at me, but then he was distracted by an approaching Tuli.
“Trey!” Tuli trotted to her brother and embraced him.
Havoc grabbed me by the elbow and lifted me to my feet. “You good?” he asked.
“Yeah. I’m good.” I shook him off before walking to the twins and handing Tuli her necklet.
“I thought that was gonzers,” she said.
“Nope. Only misplaced.”
Her happy grin gave me a much-needed confidence boost. Because the children were the easy part of this mission.
The next time the Bellatis looked into the library, they’d see empty cushions.
We had minutes, no more, to get to Rafael.
I quickly explained about the older kids. Cara’s mouth pulled straight as she and Anna gathered up the children. Rafael’s twin spoke softly to them, and I saw how their tense little faces relaxed around her. I’d wondered why she’d made the mission list, now I had my answer.
“We will gate these ones to the academy first,” Cara said. “And take them home in the morning.” Her concerned eyes met Lucas’s. “If things don’t go according to plan, you will have to abort Rafael’s rescue. And you can’t do anything about the teens. If they see you, they’ll sound the alarm.”
My heart twisted, but it was all true. I met the concerned bicolored gaze of Rafael’s twin.
“We’ll get him. Don’t worry,” I reassured, even though I really didn’t know if we would.
“As soon as I fully activate this gate, Isobel is going to feel it,” the Watcher said. “I will delay for a few minutes, to give you time to get to Rafael. It will help distract them from you.”
