Tales & Time (Lost Time Academy #1)(29)

“Alright. I’m down to join you. Let’s go,” Sin says, and I was hoping he would change his mind. I don’t know how well the guys are going to take me talking to Quinton. Either way, my heart beats a little faster at the idea that I will be able to speak to him. It feels like it has been years when it has only been days since I got here. I open the lid to the drink Sin gave me, as he shuts the door behind us, and take a long sip. The drink is warm with a minty flavour that somehow makes me feel so much better with only a few sips.

“What is this stuff?” I ask as he gets to my side and wraps an arm around my shoulders. The academy is pretty cold this early, and I’m happy to snuggle into his side.

“We like to have parties in our room, mainly the guys only though, so we have this stuff to fight the hangover off. It’s a mix of the healing gel and herbal tea. Pretty good shit, right?” he replies, and I grin around my cup lid.

“You’re right, it’s pretty good shit. Thanks,” I tell him, and he kisses the side of my head.

“Anything for you, my sleepy Madi.”





Chapter 17





“It’s a pretty view,” Sin comments once he helps me up the final steps of the ladder to the roof. The roof is mainly flat, with tiny walls around the perimeter and several chimney tops dotted around the stone roof. I glance around at the pink, orange and spots of red sky as the sun rises over the forest that surrounds the academy. It is stunning. “Now tell me why we are really up here, Sleepy.” I glance over at Sin, seeing his arms crossed tightly against his chest, the tight expression he has on his face makes me think he already knows. I pull the phone out of my bra, and he sighs, shaking his head.

“Knew it,” he says. “You want to call Quinton.”

“Yes,” I reply, avoiding his gaze. I don’t know why I feel guilty about it, but some part of me does. Maybe it was just the way Sin asked. Maybe it was something more.

“Go on then. Call him,” he suggests, even when he doesn’t seem happy about it. I nod and walk over to the middle of the roof, sitting down with my back resting against the brick chimney. Sin comes and sits next to me as I turn the phone on, reading the dozens of messages from Quinton first. Each one breaks my heart, each one is worse than the last until the final message which only confuses me:



Sleepy, just call me when you can. Or I will come for you. Don’t trust anyone and remember I love you.





“What do you think he means by that? He sent it on the day I left, and there hasn’t been a message since,” I ask Sin, knowing he read the message with me.

“Neither of us will know until you call him,” he replies, nudging my shoulder. “Just remember you can’t tell Quin anything about this world. I know it will be hard, because there were so many times I just wanted to pick up a phone and call you, tell you everything. But I wouldn’t risk someone’s life that I care about more than my own.”

“You can be super sweet at times, Sin,” I say, sadly smiling as my heart beats loudly.

“Don’t go telling that to anyone else. It might ruin my reputation,” he says, and then his lips tighten as he looks at the phone in my hand. “Call him.” I don’t say anything else to Sin as I press call on my phone and put it to my ear as it rings. On the fourth ring dial, Quin picks the phone up.

“I didn’t expect to ever hear from you again,” he says, his voice gruff like I just woke him up, but I can hear a longing in his voice that matches how much I wanted to hear his voice too.

“I’m sorry. I wish I could explain,” I start off, but then I just pause because I can’t explain, and I don’t even know what I want to say.

“I know you can’t,” he tells me. “I know everything.”

“I highly doubt that Quin,” I reply, because he couldn’t know everything. That wouldn’t make any sense.

“Don’t call me again, Madi. Never. Do you understand me?” he asks, not sounding one bit like my Quinton. My heart breaks at his cold words with their tone of finality.

“I didn’t leave to hurt you. Don’t hurt me like this. I only wanted to speak to you for a moment. Check that you are okay,” I explain to him, my voice is more desperate than I expected to sound.

“I’m bad for you. For everyone. I mean it, Madi, don’t call me again…because I can’t stop myself from answering. Be safe. Keep the Tale brothers close, and always remember I love you,” he says, and then the phone beeps, signalling he hung up. I let the phone drop from my hand in my confusion and shock.

“He knows, Sin. I think he knows everything, but how?” I ask Oisin, who looks as shocked as I do, as he must have heard that conversation just like me.

“I don’t know, that was strange. How could Quin know we are with you?” Sin asks, picking up the phone and turning the phone off before handing it back to me.

“I miss him,” I admit.

“Do you love him that much? Enough to let him go?” Sin asks me, and I rest my head on his shoulder, looking at the sun rising high in the sky. I don’t have an answer.

“Maybe.”

“Is there room for more than one person in your heart, Madi? Because you are not alone. We will figure it all out if you will let us help you,” Sin assures me. I tilt my head up, seeing that he is looking down at me. I don’t know why I do it, but I move closer and brush my lips across his. Sin makes this content noise at the back of his throat as he slides a hand into my hair and kisses me back. I don’t know how long we are on the roof, but I do know one thing. I’m not alone at Lost Time Academy, even if my heart feels lost. Time will tell what happens, but as I kiss Sin, I know it can’t be that bad, no matter what happens. After all, I have the Tale brothers.