Bloodline Secrecy: A Young Adult Urban Fantasy Academy Novel (Bloodline Academy Book 2) by Lan Chan (best e ink reader for manga TXT) 📕

He went rigid for a second before he relaxed and pressed me to his side.

“I know you’re aware of the dangers,” he said. He ran a hand through his hair. “But I still don’t like it.”

“Since when do we only get to do things we like?” I shot back before boarding the bus. I didn’t look out the window, but I knew he stood watch until we were out of sight. Sophie nudged my shoulder with hers.

“You’re still not made up?” she asked.

I wrapped my arms around myself. “It’s hard to explain.”

For once she didn’t pry. I had a hard-enough time sorting through how I felt about everything. At the same time, I understood Kai’s obsessive need to protect and control everyone he cared about. It was trying to navigate that which was proving to be the difficult part. If one day I was meant to go up against Lucifer, I didn’t want Kai to lose his mind. If the devil was coming for us, Kai needed to be clear headed. We both had a lot of growing to do.

When the bus slowed around the perimeter of the iron watchtower, I pushed my turbulent thoughts to the side. As we got closer, I felt a soft caress of tingling sweep over my body. Sophie shuddered beside me.

“That always gives me the heebie-jeebies,” she said. It had been the same when we’d left the shifter compound in Zambia to go to the market or on the drive to Zimbabwe. It was like the feeling of having a wave of water spill over you.

Funnily enough, I almost felt relieved. It never occurred to me that my mind and body had become accustomed to the feedback of magic.

The logistics of the surveillance equipment was pretty standard. Inside the watch tower, the human consultant showed us how to arm and disarm the alarm system. He glanced furtively at Sophie and me. Then at two of the junior campus students, Joyce and Rodrigo, who were both only fifteen. That was where Jacqueline had decided to draw the line. No doubt he was wondering why he was giving a security briefing to kids.

Nora stepped into his eye line to break off his train of thought. The consultant shook his head of whatever he was thinking and returned to his instructions.

“The barrier is programmed to register the movement of an individual,” he said. He pointed to the screen on the wall in front of us which showed an illuminated infra-red sensor that swept over the landscape. When it detected movement, the sensor scanned the body and determined whether it was a threat. I watched as it pinpointed a rabbit, scanned the body, and then displayed an image that it determined not to be a threat.

While the instructions weren’t hard to commit to memory, the training to use the equipment was extensive. I took notes and scribbled a bunch of questions that I was only able to air after the consultant had driven off in his car.

“We can program the sensors to detect someone of para-human stature,” I said. “But there are lots of magic users who are humanoid. How are we going to guard against that?”

Jacqueline and Nora grimaced. I got the hint. “So there’s going to be no separation of intent,” I said. “We’re just going to fire on anything moving around here?”

“We have no choice,” Jacqueline said. “On the other side is a wall of magic. Anyone who gets past that is a threat.”

Peter was leaning against the control console. His hands were tucked into the pocket of his coveralls. If ever someone was out of place, this was a perfect example.

I went to stand beside him. “I don’t like this,” I said.

He nodded. “Unfortunately, we have very little choice. All attempts to reach out to the Sisterhood have been fruitless.”

I didn’t know that. “There’s a way to contact them?”

This time he shrugged. “There are ways to broadcast general messages to the wider supernatural community. As much as they might not like it, the Sisterhood is part of that community.”

I sighed, suddenly feeling so tired. “I don’t understand any of this mumbo jumbo,” Peter said. I couldn’t help smiling. It reminded me of the way Nanna used to get so frustrated when we got that second-hand cell phone and I tried to teach her how to use it. “How are you going with your showcase project?”

It figures he would try to use the first opportunity we’d had to speak to weasel in that question. I imagined my not going to class for a few weeks might have thrown a spanner in the works with his plans.

“It’s not bad,” I said to allay his fears.

“It’s not something huge and flashy, is it?”

I contemplated the question. “Not in the general sense.”

The same sceptical look Sophie had given me crossed over his face. “Oh, well, I suppose that’s good.”

At least he was more diplomatic than Sophie had been.

With everything armed and in place, we were on our way back to the Academy when Bran and Astrid materialised in the centre aisle. Jacqueline was on her feet in an instant.

“Now what?” Sophie hissed.

The Nephilim spoke in hushed tones that had everybody else on the bus straining to hear. Joyce and Rodrigo were two rows behind us, but I swear I could feel them breathing down my neck. I shrank back when Jacqueline and the Nephilim turned their heads in my direction. Now what indeed.

We had been lurching along at a reasonable speed but one word from Jacqueline and the driver was suddenly a Formula One racer. The gears screamed but he put his foot down, nonetheless. Bran and Astrid sauntered down the aisle and took seats amongst us. Like anyone was fooled by their terrible show of nonchalance.

Astrid refused to look at me when she stalked past to plonk herself down on one of the back seats. A minute later, Jacqueline settled herself into the vacant seats in front