Acropolis (21 page)

"Watch what you say, Em."

He barely gets the warning out of his mouth
before the door opens, and we step through to find Durand, Roach,
Rachel, Will, and a powerful looking man I've never met before
standing around the circular office. There is a single massive desk
within the room with smaller tables to the side, and there are
books everywhere, rolled documents scattered sporadically among
newer hardbound texts. It smells like paper and dust.

"Conor," the older man says.

He has black hair sprinkled with white, and
he wears a dark suit that sits well on his broad shoulders. He
wears the dress clothes casually as if he is more comfortable in
them than he would be pajamas. His shoes are so shiny, they reflect
the late afternoon sunlight slanting in through an arrow slit
window. His gaze moves to me.

"Emma Chase. I've heard a lot about you," the
man says.

He smiles, but I don't miss the coldness in
his gaze. He is a leader, and he is used to issuing demands. This
much is obvious. I don't answer him, and I don't think he expects
me to.

"I'm Ronald Gibson, Director of the gargoyle
Council. You have been quite the focus of our group lately, my
dear," Gibson says as he approaches me.

I want to back into Conor, but I stand my
ground.

"I-I'm not sure why, sir," I stutter as he
stops in front of me.

Gibson's eyes are sharp, his gaze intent as
it searches mine.

"I honestly don't think you do, Ms. Chase. If
you did, I'd be forced to kill you."

His voice is so smooth, so even, it causes me
to shiver. His eyes move to Conor, and I'm finally able to
breathe.

"The reports I've received over the past
couple of days have been startling. Channeling Demons, a late night
ocean journey, borrowed magic, healing abilities, and controlling a
drex. And all in less than a week. Frankly, I'm impressed."

Conor meets Gibson's gaze without
flinching.

"She's learning control."

There is a snort near the desk, and I catch a
glimpse of Roach coughing carefully into his hand. Conor doesn't
move, his eyes still locked on Gibson's.

"I'm not sure you're right for this job,
Reinhardt," Gibson says finally.

My heart falls to my feet. If I move,
I'll stomp all over it. I can't have another Guardian. I don't
trust anyone else. Enepsigos' words ring through my head.
Trust your gargoyle, Sweet One. He's worth
trusting.

I glance between the two men. Gibson's eyes
are hard, unrelenting. Conor is stoic, but I am suddenly afraid he
won't win this battle.

Don't let them separate you, Emma.

Enepsigo's words are sharp in my head, and I
almost fall backward. It's important I don't falter, and I manage
to stay still, my eyes on the Director as I force myself to calm
down. I'm not sure how Enepsigos is managing to communicate with
me, and I don't care. Her words make sense. I need Conor, and he
needs me. How I know this is beyond me.

"No," I whisper.

No one looks at me. Conor and Gibson are
still locked in their unspoken battle while the rest of the
gargoyles are focused on the upcoming fight. They expect resistance
from Conor. I don't think they expect it from me.

"No," I say, my words louder this time.

Gibson's eyes move to my face,
narrowing dangerously. My heart is beating too quickly, and I count
to myself.
One, two, three . . .

"I don't want another Guardian," I say
evenly.

"You don't have a choice, Ms. Chase," Gibson
says.

I feel the stares on me now, but I ignore
them. I will lose what little confidence I have if I look up.

"Conor Reinhardt
is
my choice. I won't be alone with another
Guardian. I have felt their anger."

"She's right. They'll kill her," Conor
says.

Gibson shakes his head.

"They know the law. The Council's punishment
for murder is harsh."

"And yet they'll risk it. This school hasn't
been in operation long enough for prejudices to be dulled," Conor
argues.

He has taken the argument up for me now, but
I stand defensively next to him.

Don't let them separate you.

"You're getting too personally involved,"
Roach says from the side of the room.

Conor looks up, his eyes dark, deadly. Roach
doesn't know about the kiss. There is no way he knows about the
kiss.

"And what do you mean by personally, Roach?
Because I'm defending my mark with my life? I took an oath. We all
did. In it, we offer our lives up for mankind, for the people we
are assigned to protect. I'm doing my job, and I think I'm doing it
pretty damn well."

"You're protecting a . . ." Roach begins.

"A Demon?" Conor finishes. "And that attitude
is the reason why Emma is safer with me than she is with any other
Guardian."

"Emma?" Rachel asks softly, and I know Conor
has made a mistake. He's given me a name.

"This job is finished, Reinhardt. You've done
well. You'll be reassigned. Be prepared to return to Paris for
briefing," Gibson says quietly.

I don't see the defeat in Conor's bearing or
in his face, but I feel it. I start to move forward, but Conor's
hand finds my arm, and I see the barest shake of his head.

"Who will be her new Guardian?" Conor
asks.

Gibson looks away.

"None of your concern. You leave tomorrow.
The new Guardian will take your place then."

Conor nods, and I pull at my arm. His grip
tightens.

And then I feel it.

Patience. The feeling is a weird one. It has
a hard feel. Like steel. Conor needs me to be patient. I quit
struggling.

"And the drex?" Conor asks.

I snap to attention. The news about Conor has
distracted me. Gibson's eyes are hard when he turns to us.

"It dies tomorrow."

I have to bite my tongue to keep from crying
out, but I feel the tears prick the back of my eyes. I have bound
the Demon to me only to sentence it to death.

"You're dismissed," Gibson says.

He turns to Durand, and Conor pulls me to the
door. Will follows us quietly. Rachel and Roach remain, although I
feel Rachel's eyes on our back as we exit.

We are downstairs when Will takes Conor by
the arm.

"I know you. What are you planning, Con?"

Planning? Is this why Conor wouldn't let me
interfere in the meeting? Conor looks at Will before his eyes move
to the hall.

"Not here. Meet us in Emma's room."

Will gives Conor a long, hard look before
nodding and walking away. And then Conor looks at me, and I see
something new in his eyes. Defiance.

Chapter 31

Conor

I knew as soon as I saw Gibson's eyes that
Roach was going to be assigned as Emma's new Guardian. He isn't at
the Acropolis because of me. He's here for her. She'll be dead
within hours under his watch. Out of all of us, Roach holds the
biggest grudge against Demons. His resentment runs deep. His sister
was raped and murdered by a Demon, and he has been full of hatred
ever since. Gibson knows this. It makes me wonder why he assigned
Roach in the first place. Do they fear Emma that much?

"We've got to get you out of here," I say as
soon as the door shuts behind us in the small room at the back of
the residence hall.

Emma stares at me.

"What?" she asks, her eyes wide. "Are you
suggesting we run?"

"Yes," I answer.

She sits down heavily on the edge of the
bottom bunk.

"Where would we go?"

I sit down next to her, my hand moving to her
back. She doesn't pull away. If anything, she leans into my touch,
and I let myself enjoy it.

"To Italy. To Alessandro."

Emma's eyes meet mine.

"You can't do this."

I know she feels what I'm feeling, know she
recognizes my resignation.

"I am more gargoyle in this moment,
sweetheart, than I ever would be if I stayed. Understand me?
Gargoyles don't allow the innocent to be murdered no matter the
blood that runs through their veins. I am not making a decision I
will regret."

"And he won't be alone," a male voice
adds.

I look up to see Will standing in the open
doorway. The residence hall beyond is empty. Will smiles.

"You're getting sloppy, Cuz," he says with a
wink.

I know he's referring to his entering the
room without me noticing.

"You're not coming," I argue. "I'm breaking
the law, Will. They'll write an Extermination notice for me and
Emma. I won't let you do that to yourself."

Will crosses his arms.

"I'm not asking, Con. You know as well as I
do that the gargoyle system has got to change. This is a new age.
We need new laws. More tolerance. This could be our chance to
change things, to make the Acropolis great."

I see idealism in Will's gaze, and I don't
want to be the one to shatter it.

"It's three of us, Will. Running now isn't
going to change the system."

"There's four of us," a soft voice adds, and
I groan as I recognize Marion's lilting tone.

She moves into the room with Deidra clinging
to her.

"Five," Deidra squeaks.

Emma stands up.

"No, they'll try to kill all of you because
of me. I can't live with that. Just let them reassign me to whoever
they are planning to reassign me to. I'll take my chances."

I stand next to her, my hand taking her chin,
and I force her face in my direction. I see the red haze in her
eyes, and I know she's fighting not to cry.

"You will not die. Not now. Not on my watch.
Will's right. As much as I hate to admit it, Will's right. The
system has got to change. The older generation doesn't want to
accept the fact that the lines are becoming blurred."

I am repeating Luther's words. Damn him! The
Demon had been right. He had been trying to tell me something in
his own narcissistic, insinuating way, and I had ignored him.

"The Acropolis will become a killing ground
if we don't try and do something now. I've seen the documents in my
father's office. Guardians are lying about their hybrids' violent
tendencies," Marion adds.

I have new respect for the quiet girl.

"And they'll kill me if I stay," Deidra
whispers fearfully. "Without Marion, without Emma, they'll kill
me."

I am not a fan of the imp, but she has a
point. I drop Emma's chin, letting my eyes gaze into hers a moment
before turning away.

"Fine," I say. "We all go. We leave near
dawn. Anything earlier will garner attention."

There are nods of agreement around the room,
and I am sculpting a plan of escape in my head when Emma touches my
arm.

"We can't leave the other hybrids," Emma says
quietly.

I look at her in surprise.

"Emma . . . we can't take them all."

"Not all. Just the ones willing to leave,"
she argues. I see the resolve in her gaze, and I know I'm defeated.
"You talk about change, but if we leave them here then it won't
change anything."

"She's right," Will says quietly.

I sigh, my eyes meeting hers.

"You have until lights out to convince
them."

She looks triumphant. It's a good look for
her.

"They'll turn us in," Deidra says
fearfully.

Emma shakes her head.

"No, they won't."

"And what makes you so sure?" Marion
asks.

Emma looks at our three co-conspirators with
a grin.

"Because they all want freedom. I've felt it.
And those who don't will fear death from retaliation either from us
or the gargoyles they'll be left to face tomorrow. The Acropolis
doesn't have to be a school. It's a cause we take with us."

Chapter 32

Emma

I have twenty minutes to convince as many
hybrids as I can that leaving the Acropolis means more than
survival, it means starting over. I've never been good at talking
with others, and now I have to be more than a good
conversationalist. I have to be a revolutionist.

Fiona is brushing her hair in the bathroom
when I approach her. I step behind her awkwardly and her eyes meet
mine in the mirror. Two more she-demons move behind me. Hesther and
Gwenyth. They have their arms crossed. No one here confronts
another hybrid for friendly conversation. I hold my hands up in a
gesture of peace.

"I need to talk to you," I say quietly.

Fiona's eyes meet the twins.

"We don't talk here, Chase. It would be best
if you back away now," Fiona warns.

I don't heed her warning.

"I'm leaving the Acropolis," I say
bluntly.

Fiona's brush clatters into the sink, and the
twins' eyes go wide. Fiona spins.

"What?" she asks.

I have her attention now, and I take
advantage of it.

"They are reassigning me a new Guardian.
Conor Reinhardt says they fear me, that this means they are
planning to kill me."

Fiona's face falls.

"And you want us to care? Any games you play
can get us killed too. Move it, Hybrid."

I remain motionless.

"Conor's helping me leave the school."

The twins' mouths fall open as they rush
toward me, one on each side of me now.

"You're going to run with him?" they ask
simultaneously.

I nod

"And I want you to join me," I say
firmly.

Fiona laughs, her gaze moving over me
slowly.

"There aren't many of us here, Chase. Have
you seen the gargoyles at this school? Even with our abilities, we
are outnumbered and still mostly untrained. It's suicide."

"It's hope," I breathe.

Hesther and Gwenyth's eyes are bright, and I
know they don't need much convincing.

"Where would we go?" they ask.