Tala Phoenix and the School of Secrets by Gabby Fawkes

Author:Gabby Fawkes [Fawkes, Gabby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dragonfire Press
Published: 2019-02-19T16:00:00+00:00

19

Apollo dug the tip of his sword into the center of Axel’s chest. “Let’s start with why you are here.”

Axel slapped away the blade with his arm. “I’m here to help with the attacks. And help these girls find out who and what they are.”

Apollo’s glare didn’t budge off Axel. He only lifted his blade again, digging it into the same spot on Axel’s chest as before. “Let’s try this again. Why are you really here?”

“You two,” Dion said in a petulant voice. “Can you not do this elsewhere? You’re ruining the party!”

Sure enough, all around us people were whispering and beginning to edge away.

The air crackled, and the very clouds themselves were going gray. I chewed my lip nervously. Inside me, my voice growled.

“Screw your parties,” Apollo said evenly, giving him the most cursory of glances. “When there is death afoot. Speaking of….”

When his gaze squared off on Axel, Axel let out a jabbed out laugh. “Really – such attacks as that, and you thought me responsible?”

“He didn’t,” Dion said quickly. “Not really.”

“He was there investigating, same as us,” I cut in.

Apollo eyed me. “And you are?”

“A shifter,” I said. “Although I didn’t know I was one until recently.”

Luckily Apollo didn’t seem interested in pressing just what type of shifter I was out of me, and returned his gaze to Axel.

“Come now,” Axel said. “Let’s not solve this the way we both know I’d win.”

With that, he stepped forward, the blade sinking into his flesh. As I goggled at the horrific scene, Axel’s only reaction was his upper lip twitching.

Apollo held his blade firm, sneering. “Oh, I don’t know about that. Things have changed since you’ve been gone. I’ve changed.”

“As have I,” Axel returned. “Why is that so hard to believe?”

Apollo only shook his head. “What you did…”

“Was unforgiveable... monstrous, even.” Axel bobbed his head. “Set off a chain reaction of carnage and loss. All this I can attest to. Just as I can attest that I have suffered for it. Suffered greatly.”

Apollo leaned in so that his navy eyes were boring into Axel’s. “Perhaps. But not enough.”

“Precisely,” Axel said quietly. “Carrying this burden for a thousand lifetimes won’t be enough to atone for what I did. And yet, this is all I know how to do now. Help how I can.”

A few tense moments, where man to man they stared each other down. Like two panthers about to pounce. Then, finally, Apollo released his sword and stood back.

As Axel’s skin sealed itself back together again, it seemed like my friends and I were the only ones gaping.

“Fine,” Apollo said. “I don’t trust you. Nor do I trust these newcomers you’ve brought. But Hera is insistent about keeping our people out of the mainland’s affairs, so the others and I need all the help we can get.”

With that, he turned on his heel and strode off.

“Everyone here is pretty up in themselves, aren’t they?” Kian whispered as we followed him.

From up ahead, Dion bust out laughing, before Axel elbowed him.

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