Tales & Time (Lost Time Academy #1)(32)

"How was your chat with your parents?" he asks me, making me fully aware that the Tale brothers are seriously keeping an eye on my butt. I knew they were taking turns watching me, because there is nowhere I can go without a Tale brother nearby, and they told me as much. I want to tell them to chill, but I'm clueless about this world, and everything I'm learning isn't making me trust it any more.

"Good. It helped, but I still miss them," I admit to him, keeping my voice low as I don’t want anyone else hearing that. Though the corridor is quiet, and I can hear people talking nearby and in the classrooms we pass.

"You were always close to your parents, it's normal to feel that way," he states, trying to make me feel better.

"Do you miss yours?" I ask, almost predicting the answer straightaway he gives me.

"No. We get letters from them weekly, so it is hard to miss them when they are still so involved in controlling our lives," he coldly replies, though that tone is and always has been there when he speaks of his parents. They never talked much of them growing up, and I don’t blame them. It was my mum or their nanny who gave them hugs and loved them. Money and a big house don’t make a happy home.

"They are on the Masters’ council...and you will be one day, I presume?" I ask, starting to understand how this all works a little bit. For the last week, I’ve been staying up late at night to read as much as I can to understand the world I’m now a part of. It’s pretty simple from what I have figured out. The Masters rule, their children take over, and then they rule. It’s been that way for a long time, and all the laws are from the Masters.

"One day, and maybe we might stand a chance at keeping us all alive. Right now, as it stands, they are going to get us all killed," he remarks, sounding angry and cryptic at the same time.

"Why?" I whisper as we pass a group of students and start climbing the stairs. Knox tugs me closer at the top of the stairs, keeping his voice low. My body presses against his, and my hand somehow finds its way to rest on his flat stomach, his thin jumper doing little to hide how firm he feels. Knox doesn’t seem to notice the effect he has on me, he just keeps talking as I try to hide my feelings.

"The dark tales have a new leader who isn't attacking us anymore, and he has pulled his army back. My parents and the others believe that they have given up, and they are hoping for peace. Yet, it isn't logical. I believe the leader is gathering his army and making a plan. God help us all if he is, because my parents and the whole tales community isn't ready for an attack," he whispers to me. “We are weaker than ever, too lost in the old ways.”

"If that doesn't frighten you, then I don't know what else would," I say, because that scares me and makes me want to run away, hide in the human world with my family, and pretend I’m nothing but human. I’ve not even met a dark tale yet, but they sound terrifying.

"You don't need to be frightened, Sleepy. I would die before letting a dark tale anywhere near you," he fiercely tells me. We both pause at the end of the staircase to the guys’ room level, staring at each other as I believe every single one of his words. In this moment, I forget how my heart still hurts for Quin, how I’m confused about my feelings for Knox’s brothers and everything other than how much I want to know what it is like to kiss Knox. Not the brief first kiss we had at eleven, no, I want to know what it would be like to really be with Knox. The moment is broken when a guy clears his throat from behind us, and we quickly move out of the way as I instantly feel guilty. Damn, this is all confusing. Knox tugs my hand with a cautious smile before leading me up the stairs and to his room. Knox pushes the door open with one hand, letting go of my hand so he can turn a lamp on which is near the door. The room is empty, though a little messy, but then four guys live in here, so that could be expected. It doesn't smell bad; that's a small bonus.

"What is the favour then, Knox?" I ask him as I shut the door, and he clears his throat, looking awkward as he turns to answer me.

"I need you to put me to sleep. With your powers," he requests, and I really didn’t expect that. He does look tired, but putting him to sleep is dangerous for me. I have no control. I could accidently put the whole school to sleep.

"Why?" I ask.

"Let's just say I have bad dreams, and I can't sleep well since..." he drifts off, clearly not wanting to tell me what haunts him. "I haven't slept more than an hour in a long time. I'm exhausted, getting paranoid, and I can't take this much longer. Though when you used your powers, I finally slept well and peacefully. I can't forget it. Please, Sleepy. I need you."

"Knox, maybe talking about what happened will help too," I say, wanting to help him more than just put him asleep. There is also the problem that I have zero idea how to use my powers. What I did in the fight class was pure instinct.

"I c-can’t," Knox tells me, and I try not to feel hurt that he is keeping something from me, but when I look into his eyes, I know it's something that is bad. So bad that he is trying to protect me from it.

"Okay, but I eventually want the truth. The only problem left is that I don't know how to control my powers," I say, knowing this all could go wrong, but there is no way I will walk away from Knox when he needs my help. Maybe if he could sleep for a while, he might tell me what is haunting him.