Chapter Nine

Piper

I wrapped my arms around Math’s neck and my legs around his waist. His bare chest connected with my partially clothed one causing sparks against my skin. The heat between us flared. Our gazes connected, protective and exciting. I wanted to lean closer, close enough to feel his sculpted muscles and smell his intoxicating scent.

“Hold on.” His strong voice filled with confidence. He flattened his palms against the wall. “Ready?”

I gave a short, scared-excited nod. His muscles bunched under my tight grip and his hands and feet suctioned to the concrete. Resembling a spider, he crawled up the wall so fast a breeze rushed through my hair. My stomach flipped, like when a car hits a rough bump, and landed at my feet.

Except my feet weren’t on the ground anymore. They dangled in the air as if I was on a carnival ride, except I was riding Math.

We reached the ceiling and his hand reached over head. “Hang on tighter.”

I gulped. We were going to hang upside down from the ceiling, and the only thing between my body being flattened on the floor was him. I plastered my body to his, not wanting to lose my grip.

But it wasn’t my grip I was worried about.

Both his hands pressed against the ceiling. His feet scooted higher and we hung like a chandelier. We were hanging from the ceiling. My head spun. I struggled to control my breath as he crept toward the middle of the room toward the skylight.

The glass skylight.

Images of flying glass stabbing our skin, much worse than when Uncle Louie shoved me into the mirror, had me breathing hard. “Math?”

“Hold on. I have to cover my hand.” One of his hands unstuck from the ceiling.

We wiggled and dropped. I heaved and closed my eyes tight. When we didn’t fall, I opened them again. My shirt was wrapped around his hand.

“Cover your head. I’m going to smash the glass.”

A scream died at his tough tone. I tried to make myself smaller even while I clung to his neck. Burying my head into his bare chest, I waited for the pain.

His covered fist hit the glass with a plunk and a shatter.

The shattering glass sounded like tiny crystal clinking to a toast of our destruction. Shards rained around us resembling frozen snow. Tiny slivers pricked my skin. The pain was nothing compared to the fear. Fear I’d die tonight.

He gripped the edge of the skylight and pulled us through. “You okay?”

“Yeah. I don’t…I can’t believe…how did you…”

Standing on the roof, he righted my body, but my world stayed tilted.

“Are your hands always that hot?” There was a smile in his voice. Did he find my sweaty hands amusing? “You can let go now.”

Dazed, I opened my eyes and nodded too stunned to speak. I unwound my legs from his waist and dropped them to the roof of the museum. Once I felt a little settled, I unwrapped my arms from around his neck. “Sorry, I…”

I couldn’t believe this was happening. He’d clung to the walls and ceiling, like he had suction cups on his hands and feet. Like a comic superhero. Like he had superpowers. My heart missed one beat, then another. We stood on the roof of the museum. The foggy night air whorled around us similar to my foggy thoughts, making this seem unreal. My heart skipped another beat.

Math. Had. Powers.

I shook my head. I didn’t believe in the Order’s hocus-pocus. Didn’t believe any of the members had powers. Didn’t believe the trumpet could heal. Yet, I’d been in Math’s arms as he’d done the impossible. I’d experienced his magic.

“Halfway.” His lips changed to a boyish-adventurous smile. A smile that said he was enjoying the experience and lightened my thoughts. “Then, we can take care of those new scratches.”

He had healed my injuries the other day. I hadn’t imagined it. I’d blown it off believing I hadn’t been injured that bad. But I had.

Math. Had. Powers.

Healing powers. Strength powers. Climbing powers.

What else could he do?

Trembles worked their way through my stunned body, making my knees quiver and my limbs shake. From the activity, sure. But also, from the realization.

Powers and magic were real.

I’d witnessed the fact and my cynicism faded away. No, faded was too gentle a word. My disbelief blew a gasket, steaming high into my body, incinerating my bloodstream, boiling in my head.

“Hold on tight again.”

“Are you going to crawl down the building?” I didn’t know if I was ready for that. Plus, guards might come running outside at any moment. We’d be an easy target. Yet, we had to get off the top of the museum and away.

I wrapped my hands around his neck and my legs around his waist. The intimate position felt familiar and right.

“Not walk or crawl. Jump.”

Before I could process his words, his muscles tightened beneath my fingers. He bent at the knees and we were airborne. A simple jump that wasn’t so simple.

We went down, down, down.

A scream built in my lungs. I swallowed the sound, not wanting to alert the museum guards of our location outside. They’d be searching inside the museum until they saw the broken skylight.

We fell like one of the water fountains the Order had constructed around the outside of the museum. Except we weren’t really falling. It was a controlled jump. My belly flipped and flopped. Not from fear. From exhilaration. Trees whizzed past from the top down. Leaves, branches, trunk. We went from sky to ground.

Our feet touched the wet grass. My knees collapsed, and I started to fall.

Math grabbed me tighter. “Are you okay?”

Real concern in his voice. Real sympathy in his expression. Real warmth in his eyes. I didn’t remember feeling that protected in years and it drew me to him. Placing my palms on his bare chest, I leaned closer. I didn’t break our connection. His green gaze softened. His mouth opened and his head angled.

Our bodies touched. My soul reached out to his in a desirous throb. I didn’t know if it was the adrenaline or the excitement. My quivering lips touched his in a soft caress, initiating a kiss. At contact, energy flashed between us. We were connecting on a completely different level. Physical, emotional, spiritual.

Our first kiss. My first kiss ever.

And I initiated it. Female power roared.

I’d never been exposed to guys before. There were no other kids living below the museum. I’d never attended school after first grade. Math was my first. And it felt like he should be my last. My forever.

Screeching broke my thoughts. Put on the brakes, Piper. I was getting ahead of myself. I didn’t even trust him. Sure, he’d saved us from being caught by the guards, yet I had to think about my goals.

His lips moved against mine and I couldn’t think at all. Only touching, tasting, feeling. His tongue coaxed me to open my mouth. A moan worked its way through my body, turning my muscles to mush. I slanted into him, using his body to support mine.

“This way! They can’t be far!”

Shouting brought me out of the fog.

His body stiffened, and he stepped away. “We need to get out of here.” He opened his arms wanting a hug. “Come here.”

“Um, I thought you said we needed to go.” As much as I’d enjoyed the kiss, we couldn’t get caught.

He dropped his chin in an are-you-serious expression, then grabbed my hand and pulled me toward him. “We do. We’re jumping.”

Once he had me in his arms, we leapt into the air above the trees. My eyes glued open. I wanted to fully experience the movement. Not as shocked this time, I enjoyed the ride. I was flying.

We soared over the museum’s manicured garden and thrills feathered along my skin. My hair whipped into my face. We crossed the road and excitement jolted like caffeine. Landing between two houses, joy bubbled within me. We were safe from museum security and temporarily from Aaron.

Math steadied me and then dropped his arms from around me. “Let’s go.”

Contact disengaged, and my brain engaged, rebooted. Being out of breath didn’t stop me from asking, “How did you do that?”

“Do what?” He prowled ahead, trying to avoid my question.

“Jump. Fly, really. And the crawling thing, too. Sticking to the wall and ceiling.” I hurried my pace to catch up.

“It wasn’t flying. For it to be flying the upward force must be greater than the gravitational force imposed on an object. It’s a combination of Newton and the Bernoulli Principle.”

“What?” I’d kissed this guy. This superhero. This super-brain. I had no clue what he was saying. “Never mind.” Wonder and stupidity short-circuited my thoughts. I was the exact opposite of smart.

After being pulled from school, I spent a lot of time reading. It was the only way I was going to learn about the real world. From fiction, I turned to non-fiction trying to teach myself so when I escaped from the Order I’d be educated.

Obviously, I’d failed.

Maybe Math wasn’t a superhero. Aaron said the Warriors used their powers for evil. After everything I’d seen, how could I believe that? He’d protected me and shown concern. More than Aaron ever had.

Why did Math want the Trumpet of Peace?

One question at a time. I snatched his hand and yanked him to a stop. “Tell me.”

His entire body stiffened, and his mouth formed a grim line. “You don’t believe in magic.”

“I don’t…I didn’t…” The synapses in my brain tangled and crossed. What did I believe?

Before today I hadn’t believed in magic or powers or any of the ideals the Order professed. Being raised by the Order should’ve made me a devout follower, except I’d seen the backstabbing and conniving by the members. I’d heard them ridicule Mom. I’d been treated as a servant, not a daughter. And I hadn’t witnessed any magic.

I’d also seen Uncle Louie and his employees fall asleep at the sound of a trumpet and I’d been in Math’s arms when he stuck to the ceiling and flew through the air. “What you did, was that magic?”

I had to be sure. Confirm what I saw and how it happened.

“Not magic, really.” His hesitant tone told me he didn’t want to confess. “A power.”

The word settled in my mind. I had no choice but to believe. Excitement pulsed through my veins. With power he could—

He tugged on my hand and dragged me forward. “Keep walking.”

“Why can’t we fly?” A smile tugged on my face. I couldn’t believe I asked about using his superpowers.

My head buzzed. If Math had powers and could heal, maybe he could help Mom. I bit my lip, holding myself back from asking. If he couldn’t help and he knew I wanted the trumpet, he might not include me on the quest. I wasn’t ready to share my entire truth.

“I only jump when necessary.” Red flushed his cheeks and he hurried his pace.

“You’ve done that before?”

“Yes.” His monotone didn’t explain anything.

Of course, he’d flown before. He’d known exactly what to do.

“Tell me.” I wanted to know every fantastical thing he could do.

Huffing, he knew I wasn’t going to give up by his tight expression. “Did you hear about the ancient Egyptian amulet stolen from a museum in San Francisco a few months ago?”

“Yes.” The Order had talked about the theft nonstop. They’d been angry, wanting it for themselves. They’d even worked with the Society of Aten after the fiasco.

“The amulet held powers from King Tut and the sun god Aten. I was exposed to those powers.”

My stomach dropped, dropped more than when we’d flown through the skylight. I thought about Mom. “Exposed? Is it dangerous? Will you die from radiation or something?”

“No. I received powers by being exposed.” His expression stilled showing his seriousness.

Anticipation had me flying higher and higher. Doubt brought me down to the ground. How could I believe these crazy things? After what I’d seen, how could I not? “What kind of powers?”

“Enough.” The harsh sound of his voice told me he’d reached a breaking point.

I pushed, needing to know. “Enough of what?”

“I’m not at liberty to tell you more.” His response came out between clenched teeth.

“Or what, you’d have to kill me?” I forced a chuckle, trying to make a joke.

Except it wasn’t funny. Aaron had told me the Warriors were wicked. They wanted to create chaos in the world, not peace. I should probably be more worried. And yet, Aaron obviously wasn’t telling me the entire truth. I didn’t know whose crazy story to believe.

“How are your scratches from the skylight?”

“Changing the subject?”

“Yes.” The single word brooked no defiance. “Give me your arm.”

The demand and the ask-no-questions attitude rubbed salt in my small wounds. And yet, Math’s gentle touch sent a toasty hum down my skin. He ran his fingers up and down my arm, cruising over the injuries. The scratches stopped bleeding. The skin around the wound puckered, tightened.

Healed.

The flying sensation returned, except my feet were firmly planted on the ground. I couldn’t believe what I’d seen. Experienced. “Did you heal me?”

“It’s my fault you were injured.”

Which wasn’t really an answer but showed he took his responsibilities seriously. Another heroic trait.

Aaron had said Math was a bad, probably crazy, Warrior. Now, I knew he had powers from an ancient Egyptian amulet. Knew the magic Aaron and the Order professed to believe in was real. What I didn’t know, who was telling me the full truth?

Did Math plan to destroy the trumpet so peace could never happen on earth? Was Aaron poisoning Mom with the intent to sacrifice her? Who should I believe?

The biggest question: could Math heal Mom?

The urge to ask clogged in my throat. I wanted to spew out the question. I snapped my mouth shut, caution holding me back. If I told Math the truth about Mom, he might realize I wanted the trumpet, too. That I wasn’t just an innocent teenage delinquent working for my uncle. He might abandon me, and I’d never get my hands on the instrument. I couldn’t risk it. I needed to use him to find the trumpet. The sooner the better.

I took the photo I’d taken from the museum security room out of my pocket.

The grainy photo was taken outside of a large house with a gated driveway. A man stood beside a car and held the trumpet case as if it was a precious object. The distinctive black case with worn leather and gold buckles was the case taken from Uncle Louie’s shop.

“This is definitely the trumpet case.” I pointed, thumping on the photo. “The question is whether the trumpet is inside.”

“And your Mom’s jewel.”

The lie, my lie, stabbed in the gut. How would he react when he discovered my deceit? I needed a graph to remember what I’d told him, what Aaron had told me, and what I now believed. “Right.”

Math took the photo from me. “This is the Society of Aten’s house. They must’ve stolen the trumpet. Searching the Order’s museum was a total waste of time.”

Which was what Aaron wanted.

Squeezing my eyelids closed for a second, I let shame wash through me. I’d done what Aaron wanted because I needed to prove my loyalty. I’d led Math around so Aaron would get a head start on finding the trumpet, and he had, by the evidence of this photo. The trumpet might not even be at this Society’s mansion anymore. Math and I might be too late.

My insides flipflopped. I was playing two sides of the game. Aaron thought I was leading Math in the wrong direction. Math thought I wanted a family jewel, not the trumpet.

What I wanted was the truth.

I wanted to know if the trumpet could save my mother. I refused to let Mom become the vessel and die. Even if I had to steal the trumpet from Math and bargain with Aaron to save Mom’s life and buy our freedom.

Most of all, I wanted to know if Math could heal my mom. He’d closed down when I started asking questions. He wouldn’t answer this one. Not yet anyhow.