Page 146 of The Tribes of Magic
“Hey, that’s what big brothers are for.”
“Big brother? You’re only a few minutes older than me.”
He winked at me, then wrapped his arms around me again. We hugged some more, I cried some more, and I tried to forget how much Bronte’s betrayal hurt.
CHAPTER 7
POSSIBILITIES
After the gut-wrenching revelation about Bronte, I spent the rest of the afternoon alone in my cottage, lying on the sofa as the rain pounded down on my rooftop. Just after sunset, a knock on the door drew me out of my stupor. I answered it to find Conner and Kato outside, holding grocery bags. I stepped aside, and without a word, they came inside, headed for the kitchen, and started making dinner.
Soon my cottage was filled with the scents of freshly-made dough, sweet tomatoes, garlic, basil, and cheese. They’d made pizza.
We ate dinner by candlelight. No one spoke until we were finished eating, and the boys had cleared the dishes. Then they returned to the table.
Kato was the first to break the silence. “Bronte has left the Castle. I thought you’d want to know.”
“Thank you.”
I took a sip of my water, then set my hands on the table. I folded them together one way, then the other. Finally, I gave up and just laid them flat on the tabletop.
“What will happen to her?”
“Nothing terrible. Don’t worry.” Kato set his hand over mine. “The General stepped in to protect her. The story is Bronte was on an official mission for the Government to root out any rebellious activity at the Castle, so she will not be punished. She cannot be a Knight, of course, not without magic. The General has sent her to the Paradise Academy, a prestigious Government school for Gaia’s brightesthumanteenagers.”
“I’m glad she’ll be all right.”
Conner folded his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. “You’re too forgiving.”
“Bronte is…wasmy friend. I know she betrayed me. I certainly don’t like what she did, but I get why she did it.”
“And the other Apprentices? The ones who are missing?”
“I don’t think she knows anything about that, Conner.”
“She was working for the General.”
“If the General is the one working with the Order of Kings to kidnap Apprentices, Bronte doesn’t know anything about it.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because she said she doesn’t know anything about that, and I believe her.”
Conner sighed. “You’re too trusting as well.”
“And it’s a good thing for you that I am. I took a chance on trusting you, Captain Rogue.” I wrangled up enough energy to manage a smirk.
Which Conner returned, bigger and brighter. “I told you, Red, it’sMajorRogue.”
I chuckled. “Of course. Forgive me,MajorRogue.”
“Perhaps you’re right about Bronte, and the General never told her he was involved in the Apprentice kidnappings. The Generaldoesuse people as he sees fit, and he doesn’t believe in sharing. Information only ever flows one way with him.”
“Or the General isn’t involved at all,” Kato pointed out.
“That is unlikely.”
“But possible.”
