Trust: The Hero Chronicles (Volume 2)

Once outside, I was able to see that Elle looked okay. She only had a bump on her head and a few scratches.

  “Elle, does anything hurt?” I asked.

  She didn’t answer. She pointed behind me. I turned to see Oliver there, leaning over Coach Miller. I ran to him and bent down. Coach Miller wasn’t breathing. I started to do CPR. Oliver sat frozen, just staring down at him.

  “Nicholas, you can stop. He’s gone. I have been doing CPR for the last ten minutes,” Oliver said.

  Elle grabbed the back of my shirt and I stood up, backing away. We just stared at this great man lying there on the ground, dead. The school was engulfed in flames behind us, with emergency vehicles and personnel swarming around, but none of that mattered. Coach Aaron Miller was dead.

  Riley, Genevieve, and Cora found us. Genevieve put her arms around Elle for support and led her away. Riley and Cora pulled me away from Oliver and Coach Miller because a group of paramedics had arrived.

  “We have to go, it’s not safe for us,” Riley said, leading me to Cora’s truck where Genevieve and Elle were already waiting. We all climbed in. I wanted to hold Elle, but she was being taken care of in the back seat by Genevieve. I didn’t know what to make of anything. Almost everything I thought I knew was a lie, one that Xavier had planned from the beginning—and I had believed it all.

  Back at my house, Cora and Genevieve took Elle into Cora’s room. I sat down on the couch, still wet. My lungs and eyes burned from the smoke. It was the only thing that made me believe this wasn’t one of my nightmares. The image of Coach Miller’s body lying there, not moving, was etched into my head.

  “What happened to you in there?” asked Riley. “One minute I saw you and then you disappeared.”

  “I went to make sure Elle had gotten out and then went to check on Coach Miller.”

  “And?”

  I then explained to him about Bryce. I told him all about how he pretended to be the 4th, but was actually working with Xavier. I had just started telling him about the book, when I saw the girls walking into the room. I stopped.

  “Go on,” Riley said.

  “Don’t worry about Elle. She knows some of the Thusian stuff. Genevieve told her last night,” Cora said.

  Elle didn’t look at me.

  “Genevieve, how dare you tell her! You had no right to do that. Now there is no way to keep her from getting involved. Do you know what you have done?” I screamed. Genevieve didn’t look at me.

  Elle walked over to me, leaving Genevieve’s side, and took my hand. The anger inside me was gone. I took a deep breath, regaining some composure. She put her hand to my face and looked into my eyes. Her hypnotizing eyes calmed my soul, which felt like it had been burning.

  “Nicholas, please tell everyone what else you discovered at the Thusian Vault,” Cora said calmly.

  I turned to them and explained how Mr. Weathers was a Keeper and how he helped me discover that I was the 4th, the one we had been looking for. Then I ended by telling them that I told the Council.

  Riley jumped up. “What? We have to get out of here right now. We don’t have much time left. I’m surprised they haven’t been here already.” He went to the window to look out of the blinds.

  Just then the front door opened and before we could move we were surrounded by a dozen people including James Caldwell, Walter Reed and Ester. They walked right into the middle of the room. Walter was closest to Elle and me. He put his large hand on my shoulder.

  “Nicholas Keller,” James Caldwell said, “your declaration to the Council is something we are taking very seriously. Everyone on the Council has voted to keep what you said quiet, to protect you and the others. But if any Thusian or Seeker finds out what you said at the meeting, there will be dire consequences for all of you.” James stepped back and Ester spoke.

  “You are all forbidden to talk to anyone about this, and that goes for you too, Ms. Canan. Do not disobey this order and please, Nicholas and Cora, be careful, because there is very little I can do for you now,” Ester said.

  She gave both of us a sympathetic look and walked out the door, with the group following behind her.

  “Nicholas, a group of us are going to help protect you now. I will do everything I can to keep you all safe,” Walter said, following the group out the door, leaving the five of us alone.

  Riley, Genevieve and Cora walked out of the room into the kitchen, leaving Elle and me alone.

  “Nicholas, I don’t care where I have to go or what I have to do now. I will do whatever it takes for me to be with you.” How could she say that? She was willing to give up everything for me.

  “I can’t put you in danger. You have already gone through too much. These secrets have ruined my life. I don’t want them to ruin yours.” I fumbled with the pack of Tic Tacs that was on the coffee table. Elle slowed my shaking hand and got the Tic Tacs out for me.

  “Shh, relax,” she said, holding my hand and pulling me close to her. Her breath was calming. I had missed her effect on me.

  “I know that you didn’t place that bid at the dance—Genevieve told me,” Elle said. “She also explained how she forced you to dance with her, Nicholas. I thought about you a lot during the snowstorm. Genevieve explained that you were always watching over me, protecting me, even after I broke up with you. I don’t completely understand what is going on, but I want you to know that I love you and Genevieve cares about you too. She wants you to be happy, even if that means you being with me. She loves you, Nicholas, and I can’t be upset with her because of that.”

  Elle was more concerned about Genevieve than any of the Thusian stuff. I closed my eyes and put my head on her shoulder, wondering how much she really knew. I finally had Elle back, but at what cost?