Alchemist Academy: Book 2 (24 page)

BOOK: Alchemist Academy: Book 2
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I didn’t need a stone.

Axiom glanced behind me and ducked down with his sister, then grabbed Leo and disappeared.

I couldn’t catch my breath. My body gave in to my commands, but my lungs couldn’t pull in enough air. I felt dizzy and turned around to see what had changed.

Angela was standing in the front, her eyes blazing with anger as she looked at Brett on the floor in front of her. Behind her stood President Foster, Sarah, Gwen, and Kylie.

I fell to the floor. Mark’s blank face stared back at me.

Hands were lifting my limp body.

“Mark,” I called.

“We’ve got him,” Sarah said.

They carried me from the kitchen into the family room. Angela’s face appeared as she and another girl laid me down on the couch. She smiled, but the pain never left her eyes.

“You helped me, and I’ll never forget that,” Angela said.

“She’s the one who turned,” President Foster said. “She told Carly to warn us.”

I tried to sit up, but my head swayed and I fell back to the couch. “My mom?”

“She’s going to be fine.”

I closed my eyes and rubbed them. “I told them things. Things I shouldn’t have.”

“We’ll get that sorted out. You just take it easy. I’ve never seen anyone do what you did before, but I’m sure you’ll be feeling better soon.” President Foster patted me on the knee, then walked back to the kitchen.

Sarah had Mark under her arm and walked him out of the kitchen. Seeing him pulled some of the fog from my mind and I sat slowly up on the couch. He was moving his legs like a tin man without oil but it gave me a smile. Sarah sat him on the couch and went back to the kitchen.

“Sorry. I should’ve been watching out for Leo and Brett.”

“I never suspected it. Jackie….” I dreaded seeing her. I didn’t want to see her face, the pain and rage she’d have. I was just starting to get used to the nicer Jackie.

Jackie stiffly walked out of the kitchen, shoving away a helping hand from Gwen. The rage on her face was beyond what I’d expected. She swayed from side to side and I thought she might fall, but Gwen put a hand on her and kept her upright. Jackie punched and pushed at Gwen, spit flying from her mouth.

“That’s enough,” Gwen said.

“A hundred years won’t be enough. I will find him and
end him
,” she said through thinned lips.

Gwen sighed and returned to the kitchen. My mom came out next, with the help of Carly.

“Carly?” I asked.

“Did you think I just left you guys?” she said. “Who do you think brought the bus here?”

I forced my legs to work and got to my feet. Mom let go of Carly and met me halfway across the family room.

“I’m sorry, Allie. We got ambushed like a couple of amateurs.”

“Mom, I told her…. She used a stone on me to make me talk.”

“I know,” she sighed. “Take me outside. I want to make sure those carts are still there.”

My mom and I walked arm in arm, supporting each other as we opened the front door and walked past the porch.

People were standing around on the lawn, the sidewalk, and the driveway. Many of them I recognized from the Dark Academy. A white bus, left running, sat with its front tire on the sidewalk and the back end sticking into the road.

“They all came to help?” I asked. A few of the kids glanced back at me but they all kept an eye on the surrounding area.

“The carts.” Mom pointed to them, still sitting on the edge of the sidewalk. She staggered as she turned to face me. “I know you told them about Blane, but you didn’t tell them everything. I don’t know how you did it, but you were able to take control over that stone. That’s not possible. I mean, we saw Verity try, but it failed. It always fails.” She looked at me once again, as if for the first time. “You
are
something special, Allie.”

“I know.”

“We’re going to have to find Blane before they do.”

“I know.”

“Are you ready?”

I looked back at the house. The front door was open and Mark was leaning against it. I knew he wouldn’t want to go, but we had to. This was bigger than me and him. This was keeping the whole world in balance, and if we ever had a chance of finding that time together, it wouldn’t be until this war was over. Verity wouldn’t stop, Axiom would never quit, and none of it was ever going to end unless we
made
it end.

Mark stepped away from the front door and into the light. He still took my breath away, but our time together would have to wait a bit longer.

I nodded and met my mom’s gaze. “Let’s go find Blane and end this.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for reading the second installment of
Alchemist Academy
. I appreciate the time you’ve given my characters’ story. If you enjoyed this series, you might check out my other series,
The Preston Six
, available on Amazon.

 

For the latest information about releases, or if you have questions for me, visit me at:
www.authormattryan.com
or
www.facebook.com/authormattryan
.

 

Never miss a new release from Matt Ryan by joining the mailing list
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http://eepurl.com/btCx_P

 

 

 

 

 

BOOK: Alchemist Academy: Book 2
4.55Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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