Tales & Time (Lost Time Academy #1)(18)

"We had a pact, you know that?" Knox informs me, but I didn't have a clue.

"No. What was the pact?" I enquire.

"That we don't touch you. None of us. Quin was part of the pact, too, because he was a brother to us. Still is, though we can't tell him about this place and our world," Noah explains to me. Quin thought the same thing about them, he always did. We had each other, and nothing else mattered. Now Quin is alone, and I'm here with the brothers.

"Quin broke that pact then," I whisper, before taking a deep bite of my sandwich.

"It means there are no rules anymore. Does that scare you, Madi?" Sin asks. His voice is teasing, but I know Sin well enough to know he isn't joking one bit. They are all silent, watching me closely for the answer, because even if Sin is the brave one to ask first, they all want to know. We were best friends, closer than I am to even my family. They are my family, I always felt that way. Though as we grew older, it became more than anything we could have prepared for. I always wondered if that was the reason their parents took them away from me.

"No," I answer, knowing that the answer is so important to us all. Tobias pushes away from his table and walks away like he has done since he saw me this morning.

"Ignore him. He will come around soon," Knox says, watching Tobias walk away.

"Why is he mad?" I ask.

"Tobias fought the most not to leave you. Our parents had to lock him up for a month when we got here because he kept trying to leave. Give him time, because I tell you now, everything has gone to shit since we got here," Sin explains to me, and I sit in silence.

"Tavvy told me to stay away from you guys," I mutter, watching them. "That you are dangerous. Is that true? Have you changed that much that you are now dangerous?"

"She should tell everyone else that, but not you," Knox tells me, not seeming concerned at all about Tavvy's warnings.

"I hope not," I say, leaning back in my seat. I turn my gaze away from them to see everyone looking at us still, watching our every move—especially the girls, and one in particular, Ella. I might not need to worry about the brothers being dangerous, but Tavvy was right; it's the people that follow them who are dangerous.





Chapter 11





“Hey, new girl!” a voice shouts behind me just as I’m about to open the door to my room after Noah walked me back to the main corridor after dinner, a dinner at which Oisin and Knox sat with us. Tobias sat with us too, but he didn’t say much to me. It was awkward as hell, and I have to find a way to talk to them alone, I think. Noah told me we would see each other tomorrow in class before he went up to his room. I look back to see Ella walking down the corridor towards me, her arms crossed tightly, matching her tense smile.

“Ella, right?” I say, leaning against the wall and waiting to see what crap she comes out with. I’m used to girls like her by now. Most of the pretty, popular girls at school always hated me because I was close to the only hot guys for miles. Some tried being my friend to get close. Others tried flat out being a bitch to me from the start and hated that I didn’t care or listen to them. You get tough skin being friends with guys that most of the schoolgirls want to date. Though the guys did date some of them at times, it never lasted more than a week, and they never chose girls that tried to be a bitch to me or use me.

“Madi, right?” Ella mimics me, and I roll my eyes at her petty response. There isn’t much chance of us being friends at this point. “Look, there is a party this weekend, and you should come.” I almost laugh at her inviting me to a party. Seriously?

“Why the hell would you invite me?” I ask her, playing along for a moment.

“The Tale brothers have never come to a party here. Not once. If you go, so will they,” she says. I raise my eyebrows in surprise. I didn’t expect her to actually give me an honest answer rather than just lying and claiming she wants me to go as her friend. I somewhat respect her honest answer.

“Ah, I see. You’re trying to use me to get to them,” I muse. It’s been done before.

“I heard you grew up together. You can’t blame a girl for trying?” she replies, and to my surprise, I laugh. Ella hands me a white envelope about the size of my hand, and I sigh as I accept it.

“I will come—with Tavvy—but no promises the Tale brothers will follow me,” I say. “I like parties with booze though. There will be booze, right?”

“Yeah, the pixie girls are making it. Trust me, the human stuff can’t compare,” she says, and I smile at her, forgetting for a moment she is using me and not actually being my friend. Ella straightens up, losing her smile before continuing with her reason for coming here. “None of the Tale brothers have even looked at a girl since they got here, but they watch you like a hawk. Even when you don’t see it. They will come if you do.”

“Fair warning, I think you need to find someone else to crush on,” I warn her. “You are gorgeous and wasting your time.”

“Is that a threat? Are you really claiming them all as yours?” she asks me.

“I never said that,” I say, holding up my hands.

“Then until you tell me they are yours, they are fair game,” she says with a grin. “I think I might actually like you, new girl.” A brief flash of jealousy flitters through me as I watch her walk away and go into her room at the start of the corridor. I can’t be jealous of someone liking the brothers. I mean, they can do whatever they want. Whoever. Even perfect red-haired mermaid girl. I shake my head as I walk into my room and see Tavvy sat on the window edge, reading a book with a woman covered in snow on the cover.