Page 130 of Hero of Havoc

With wide eyes, I gape around the space, expecting people to be staring at us, but no one pays us any mind. Curiosity gets the better of me, and I glance back in the corner again, but it’s only to find Professor Carbon alone, tapping away on her device.

“Something isn’t right.”

“Archer, we can’t tell them what they can and can’t do,” I insist, and he shakes his head, his pace unwavering as we head toward the exit. “Archer, the ceremony,” I mutter, tugging on his arm, but he pays me no mind as he steps back out into the night air, eyes darting in every direction. “What the hell is going on?”

“Whatever that was, it’s not right,” he states, and I roll my eyes.

“I already assumed you came to that assumption, Archer, but⁠—”

“No, not how you’re thinking,” he interrupts, dragging a hand down his face. “Professor Carbon is married.”

“Well, that’s definitely not⁠—”

“To a woman.”

“Oh.”

“I told you there was something off with Silas. I fucking knew it. Now we’re going to find out for ourselves, and maybe then we can reveal the leak among us,” he declares, clenching his hand tightly around mine, and I don’t fight it this time as he drags me into the night, leaving the rejuvenating ceremony behind us without a backward glance.

“Have we lost him already?” I whisper, and Archer shakes his head.

“He’s going to think he has a safe escape route because we’re all in the Rejuvenating Ceremony, so we need to keep our distance. He’s up there,” he explains, pointing up the winding hill that leads off toward the forest.

“Does he not know I’ve had enough nightmares formed from the forest already?” I mutter with a huff. “Can we not ask him to go about his villainous ways elsewhere?”

Archer scoffs. “Villainous ways?”

“Well what else would you call it?” I retort, but it doesn’t shake the grin from his lips as he ups our pace.

I want to complain about it, my legs tired from today’s events, but I can’t now. Not when I said I was fine for the ceremony. Besides, if Silas is a back-stabbing asshole, I want to see it with my own eyes.

To my dismay, as he nears the forest, he steps off the pathway and into the unknown.

I hold back my growl of frustration, squeezing Archer’s hand tighter instead as we follow him beyond the tree line.

“Wait, won’t the Land Protectors be around here?” I whisper, and Archer’s jaw ticks as he nods. “Wait, does Sax get all hot and bothered in here like⁠—”

“No,” Archer interrupts before my mind can spiral. “Well, I wouldn’t be shocked if he sticks his dick in the dirt or something, but it’s only really the Fire Protectors that are known for generating heat in unconventional ways,” he explains, and I nod, digesting the information as my jealousy-infused racing heart starts to calm. “Land Protectors connect with the earth, Water Protectors connect with the water, and Air Protectors give in to the sky.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem. It’s hot when you’re jealous. Hotter when you’re jealous over me, but hot nonetheless.”

“You can stop saying hot now,” I grumble, and he grins, but it doesn’t last long because he looks off in the distance and his narrowed features return.

His finger clenches around mine, holding me in place as he nods.

Following his line of sight, I have no idea what I’m searching for until I spy the silhouette of Silas dropping to his knees.

I gasp, and Archer presses a finger to his lips. I hold back my eye roll as I take his lead, mindful to be as quiet as possible as we grow nearer, but the closer we get, the more I want to turn and run.

It’s not just Silas on his knees; there are others.

I can’t make them out from here, but the pinnacle moment of knowing everything is about to change sears through my veins, tainting me forever.

I startle at the press of bark against my back as Archer shields me behind a tree, crowding my space as he glances toward the random group.

“It looks like Silas, who is obviously a Fire Protector, but the other three I believe are each from the other sodalities.” I glance around the tree to see for myself, but it’s difficult from this angle. “Fuck.”