Drew
Drew dropped the phone and stared at it as it lay on the desk in front of him. The Knights at the campus had all been found. School must be allowing students to return for some late summer courses. Simon must be pretty confident. He had also learned that the forge had been destroyed but was being rebuilt as fast as they could manage.
With the campus protected, he could concentrate on helping Maddie. The girl had already run into a Knight while out and about with Beca and Max. She hadn't done anything because he hadn't come up to her and kneeled. What concerned him was the pull he could feel. It was as if she was broadcasting who she was. He knew she couldn't help but what if one of Casey's goons found out? Then they'd all be screwed.
The door to the library opened and he watched Sam poke his head in. In the last three years, Sam had been his primary person to relay all of his insecurities and other crap to. The poor man was a good guy. He was just very confused about his duties. He didn't know whether he should listen to Merlin or follow Maddie. Drew didn't have the heart to tell him to listen to his heart because he would possibly be losing a good friend.
Sam plopped his happy butt down in the chair and looked at him in the eye. He was the only male he allowed to stare at him like that.
"What's on your mind?" he asked suddenly.
"Nothing," Drew replied reflexively.
"Don't give me that bull. I know you better than most people. What's on your mind?"
"They're finding more Knights at school than we are here."
"It's not for lack of trying. I have a question." Drew cast him a look as he scrolled down the page. "Why can't anyone see the wolves on campus?"
"I don't want them to be seen so they aren't," he replied as he typed something.
"You're a nut, you know that?"
"Why? Because I don't want our animal guides seen on campus?"
"No, because you don't tell anyone what you're thinking. You have to start letting us in, Drew."
"Don't you think I know that?"
Sam narrowed his eyes. "Don't snap at me. I'm trying to help you. You're one comment away from losing it all."
Drew sighed. "I know. I just want Maddie to do some of this on her own."
"If you haven't noticed, she has been. She's been doing a good job without your help. It's time you stepped up and started helping." Sam stood and stretched. He stopped on his way to the door. "Oh, and by the way. Max is hitting on Maddie big time and she's not shying away from it. If you're not careful, you're going to lose her."
Drew literally stopped typing and stared at the computer screen. He was really screwing up if he didn't notice what was going on in the house. He must really be secluding himself in a hole if he didn't see any of this.
Ignoring the warnings shifting through his mind, he shut down his computer and left the office. Everyone was in the living room. Well, everyone except the two people he really needed to keep an eye on.
"Where are Maddie and Max?" he asked as he leaned against the couch.
Parker looked over his shoulder as he sat on the couch with Beca. "They went to meet that cop we saw the other day. If anyone should go with her, it's Max. He's the best fighter here."
Drew caught Sam's gaze and held it. He knew the other guy had been right. It was going to kill him when he had to back off. Maddie wasn't the type to be pressured into anything, especially dating a guy. He was just going to have to back off and see what happened.
Maddie
Max opened the door for me and I just stared at him for a moment. He was being odd lately. I thought I knew why but I wasn't going to bring it up. He would when he was ready and until that time, I was happy to act as if I didn't know a thing.
I stepped out and looked around. We were at a coffee shop on the other side of town. Max had called the guy who had given me his card. I was kind of nervous to walk into something that was as shaky as this whole thing.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when Max's hand landed on the small of my back. I looked up at him sharply but didn't say anything when he didn't look my way. He must be trying to protect me.
Well, duh! He was supposed to protect me but there felt as if there was something else going on in his head. Since I couldn't read minds, I couldn't tell. If he opened his mouth, I would be able to tell if he was lying but he hadn't said a thing.
The whole thing gnawed at me as we walked in. Max ordered coffee for both of us while I got a table. I put my back to the wall so I could see who walked in the building. The smells got to me immediately. Someone was lying about something but I couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from. That was the bad thing about my little quirk. When it wanted to work, if I wasn't directly across from the liar, I couldn't tell where the stench was coming from.
Max came to the table and sat down. Not a minute after that, a policeman I recognized came in followed by a firefighter. They ordered coffee and looked around while waiting on it to be made. The policeman noticed me instantly and I nearly choked on the hot liquid I was drinking. Tyler had brought a friend.
"They're both Knights," Max whispered.
I nodded as they made their way over to us. Tyler slid into the chair beside me while the other guy sat beside Max. The latter made a face but didn't say anything.
"Thanks for meeting us," Tyler said.
"No problem. Care to say who Mr. Fireman is?" I asked.
He laughed. "This is my best friend Dylan Gardner. We went to high school and college together. The only time we separated was when we went to the academies."
"Does he know?" Max asked.
"Yeah, he knows." He looked at me when I made a face at me. "What is it?"
"I already know your names without you having to kneel. How is that?"
Dylan curled his arms around his cup and looked at me, brown eyes glinting with humor. "The Lady of the Lake Knighted us."
Max and I looked at each other. We knew the Lady of the Lake had forged Excalibur and given it to Arthur. Why couldn't she knight those who I hadn't met before now? I vaguely remembered her saying something along the same lines as Drew about this being the last cycle. She must have felt it dire enough to take some matters into her own hands.
I bit my thumbnail and wiggled my fingers at the same time as I thought. If things were this bad, we had to get back to the school. It had to be even worse than that. Darren couldn't be doing well. It felt as if he were a little unstable. If that were the case, I had to get back and see what I could do.
Max stopped my fingers from drumming on the table. I jumped as a spark went through me. Something was going on between us and I had a feeling I knew what was going on. Right now I didn't have time to face it. I had other things on my plate I had to deal with.
He didn't say anything when I pulled my hand away from his.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked.
I released my bottom lip and looked into his eyes. "If the Lady of the Lake's Knighting people here, she must be here. That means things at school have gotten even worse. We need to get back."
He frowned at me. "We have to find the others before we can head back. Drew said there were a few here. We can't go back until they are with us."
"We know where they are," Dylan said. We both looked at him. "Petey and Chase are a couple blocks away. I can have them come here in a few minutes if you want."
"Yes!" Max and I replied instantly. Once again we looked at each other but didn't say anything.
Dylan laughed and pulled out his phone. When the person answered, he talked quickly and precisely. I watched as his face never changed. There was something about this man that was efficient. I liked him. Now only if we could get Drew to be like that all the time while we were with him.
He hit the end button then looked at me. "They're on their way. Chase was in class. He should be getting out pretty soon." I frowned at him. "He's only twenty."
I nodded then. "Makes sense."
It wasn't long until two more really good looking guys walked in the door. The four of them looked so much alike it wasn't even funny. The only difference was their eyes. Tyler's were hazel, Dylan's were brown, Petey's were an amber color and Chase's were really blue. I swear you would be able to see them in the dark.
Max kicked me under the table.
"Sorry," I said. "I'm Maddie Bates."
Chase smiled. "Bill Bates' only daughter. I remember you from the People's magazine article a couple years ago."
I made a face. I hated when people brought up the old stuff.
Max took over. "We need the four of you to come with us back to Oklahoma."
They looked at him then every eye turned to me. I made a face as I tried to swallow and the liquid burned the back of my throat. I really needed to quit drinking hot liquids around these guys.
"What?" I gasped.
"Are we going with you or are we staying here?" Petey asked.
"I guess you're going with me."
They shrugged and all stood. Apparently they had been waiting on this. I made a face at Max and he shrugged. So he had no idea what was going on either.
As we walked outside, I noticed there were four motorcycles parked side by side. My mouth literally started watering. I looked at Max.
"No," he said.
I crossed my arms and popped my hip. "You can't tell me what to do."
Tyler hit me in the chest with a helmet. "You can ride with me. I'll make sure she gets home safely."
Without waiting for an answer, I followed Tyler to his motorcycle, sliding behind him after he got on. The sound of four motorcycles starting at the same time sounds like a loud clap of thunder. Chase and Petey took off first. Tyler went in the middle. I figured they did this so I was in the middle in case an attack came.
I laughed when I turned around. Max was fuming behind the wheel of the car. Serves him right for trying to tell me what to do.