Mantle of the Gods

Trent was waiting at the front door.

I got out of the RV first and ran over to him. "We have a problem. Fray got…” I had no idea how to phrase it. “Broke?”

The old man motioned for everyone to get off. "Go ahead and go in. Rix will take everyone up to the room.” He looked at Gesai. "You. Stay.”

That was enough incentive that not even Aelin offered a quip as she fled the RV. Justia on the other hand, was not so lucky. He caught her shoulder as she started to get off the RV. “You’re staying too.”

Justia nodded and backed up as Oz and Ether were the last to get off.

Ether leaned in next to me. “Do you need me to stay?”

Did I want her to stay? Yes. “No, I think they need you more. Don’t worry, We’ll be up in a little bit.” I kissed her, then got back in the RV.

Trent got in the driver’s seat. "Why don’t we have a change of scenery?” He started driving. "Have any of you ever been to the ocean?”

“No.” I shook my head as I sat in the booth with Justia. Gesai was in the passenger seat, but I didn’t hear her response.

“Why are you here?” I lowered my voice. “Me and Gesai, I understand. But what did you do?”

Justia shrugged. "I have no idea.”

I tapped my knuckles on the table. There was something going on that I didn’t know about. Some piece of information I was missing.

I got up and went to the front of the RV. "Where are we going?”

“Somewhere away from prying eyes.” Trent turned the RV towards the harbor. “I feel like listening to the water. It’s so relaxing.”

I didn’t buy that for a second, I mean, that might have been some of it, but that wasn’t the main reason. I had a feeling that no matter how much I pushed, he wasn’t going to tell me what that was.

We reached a place below the Palace that we could see from our room. The only reason I knew vaguely where we were was because I could see the two lighthouses from where we were parked. Otherwise, it looked like a normal parking space overlooking the harbor below.

“Okay, what are we doing here?” I looked at my teacher as he parked the RV.

“It’s a peaceful place.” Trent waved out the front windshield as he moved past me.

“That’s what this place is.” I countered as I followed him to the bunk where Fray was still sleeping. “What are we doing here?”

Trent ignored me as he picked up Fray and laid her down on the floor. He motioned at Justia. "Hold her head please.”

“What are you..?” There was something familiar about the way he held his hand. “No! She doesn’t need you poking around in her head!” I pointed my hand at him. "Siph..!”

I felt really tired before I could finish casting Siphon on him to interrupt him from using his mind reading magic on her. Considering how much pain it had caused Gesai, I did not want him using it on a member of my team again.

Gesai caught me and guided me down to the floor. I could hear the waves and birds as my eyes got heavier.

“I’m sorry.” The redheaded teacher caressed my face.

I wanted to call her a traitor, but the only thing my body would let me do was sleep.