Let the Storm Break (Sky Fall #2)(39)

He sweeps back his loose hair, smearing a thin stripe of blood across his forehead. “I have my orders, Vane.”

“Yeah, well, this is my family, Gusty.”

His eyes flash when I full-name him. Guess he thinks it sounds as stupid as I do.

“And let’s not forget that I’m the only one who knows where you’re supposed to take me,” I remind him. “So . . . you’re kinda screwed.”

“How about this?” Solana asks, stepping between us as Gus lunges for me. “I’ll go with Vane’s parents to keep an eye on them, and you can take Vane underground.”

“You don’t have to do that,” my mom tells her, but it’s actually a pretty good idea.

Gus doesn’t seem to agree, though. “You’re not a Gale—”

“I know how to fight,” Solana insists.

She does have muscles to go with her curves. I could see her beating the crap out of a few people. Though it’s hard to imagine her doing it in that dress. Well . . . without something popping out.

Gus still doesn’t look convinced though. Not until Solana adds, “I’ve been without a guardian for two years now. And the only reason I survived that attack—”

Gus holds up his hand and she falls silent.

I can’t tell if he looks like he wants to strangle something or curl up in a ball and cry. All he says is “My orders were to take both of you underground.”

“Screw your orders.”

“I think what Vane means,” Solana says, jumping in, “is that sometimes it’s better to protect the most people we can. Let me do this. And keep in mind that this is probably the only way you’re going to get Vane to cooperate.”

I can’t help grinning, and when I meet Solana’s eyes, I kind of want to hug her. But that would be ten thousand kinds of awkward so I just mouth thank you and leave it at that.

Gus throws up his hands. “Fine! If you want to go with them, go with them. But keep an ear to the winds and don’t come back until you hear the all clear.”

“I will,” Solana promises.

“And call Dad and tell him to come home from work now,” I tell my mom.

She nods and smothers me with a hug. “And you be careful. Do you have your phone? Can you text me when you get there safe?”

“I’m pretty sure I won’t get cell service where I’m going,” I tell her, hugging her tighter.

I don’t even carry my phone with me anymore. I don’t have anyone who calls me. I’ve cut off my friends, and the Gales aren’t exactly big on technology.

“Are we done wasting time?” Gus asks.

I let my mom go. “For now.”

“Good. Then tell me where we’re going.”

“Why? Aren’t you the expert at following me?”

I coil a few Easterlies around me and launch into the sky before he can respond.

Gus catches up a few seconds later and we head east. But every few miles I notice Gus glancing north.

I don’t see any sign of the storm. The sky is clear and the clouds are feathery and the winds feel steady and normal. If Gus didn’t have Feng’s blood on his hand, I never would’ve thought there was any danger.

“So . . . how do you know Feng?” I ask, remembering Gus’s earlier tear.

He’s quiet for so long I wonder if he heard me. Then he says, “He’s my father.”

Whoa—how did I not know that?

“I’m sorry,” I mumble, hating how lame it sounds. “I didn’t realize.”

“That’s because I look like my mother. She was the pretty one.”

He forces a grin, flashing perfect dimples. I want to smile back, but I can’t help noticing that he used the word “was.”

“And your mom, she’s . . .”

“She was Solana’s guardian.”

Oh.

Oh.

Well . . . that explains why he reacted so strongly to her mentioning that attack.

“So that’s what you meant about your families having a history?”

“Yeah. My mom sorta left us when she took the role as Solana’s guardian. Feng had begged her not to. He knew Solana’s last guardian had been killed and that it was only a matter of time before the Stormers tracked Solana down again. But that’s what my mom wanted. She was angry and she wanted to do something big.” He sighs. “I guess it doesn’t make much sense unless I give you the whole tragic history. You ready for it?”

I nod—stunned at how little I know about Gus. He seems like such an easygoing guy—but I guess I should’ve figured he had some darker crap. Why else would he be a guardian so young?

“My mom was ambushed by a Stormer when she was eight months pregnant with my sister. He left her alive, but the baby . . .” He clears his throat. “The worst part was, my mom wasn’t even a guardian. Feng was, and he’d just won a big fight against Raiden—one of the only victories the Gales have ever had. And apparently, if you make Raiden look weak, he comes after you personally.”

He’s quiet for a minute and I struggle to figure out something to say. I mean, I thought what happened to my family was tough but . . .

“Anyway,” he says, “not surprisingly, my mom never got over it. All she wanted was revenge. She joined the Gales, signed up for every risky assignment she could. She actually volunteered to protect you, but the Gales went with Audra. So a few weeks later, when Solana needed a new guardian, my mom jumped all over it. By then I’d already enlisted in the Gales, so she left me there with Feng, promising us she’d be careful. But she only lasted two years before the Stormers caught up with them.” He glances to the north again. “Feng never got over it.”