Chapter Twenty-Two

Math

The secret tunnel leading to the Convergence Ceremonial Room seemed smaller, longer, and more claustrophobic to Math than when he had traveled through the tunnel with Piper. With her the tunnel had felt intimate. Maybe because Olivia, Xander, Aria, Falcon, Ash, and Antony were following behind Math. Maybe because Piper’s life was at risk. Maybe because time was running out.

He feared for Piper’s safety and the security of the Trumpet of Peace and its powers. His frustration came from her betrayal. How could she steal the trumpet and leave without saying goodbye? His blood pressure steamed again. Not that he was upset about the not saying goodbye part. Not really. He was upset about the theft. If she’d told him the truth, he would’ve found a way to help.

His heart struggled to keep an even beat. He and his black-clad Warriors scurried through the secret tunnel. He wanted to run ahead, burst into the ceremony room, fight her captors, and save Piper. He had to be patient. Timing was important. Timing to the tenth of a second. On Pi Day, in the fifteenth hour, at nine minutes and twenty-six seconds.

When he’d first realized the trumpet and Piper were gone, he thought he’d never recover. He believed his feelings for her had blinded him to her lies. That his emotions had taken control of his brain. He’d self-destructed with despair. Fury and foolishness had twined into a knot in his gut.

With his friends’ help, he’d calmed himself and started putting pieces of the intricate puzzle that was Piper together. Every meeting, every look, every word exchanged between them he’d examined as if using a microscope. She’d given him hints. She’d wanted to tell him something yesterday after visiting her mom. She’d truly cared for him. He had to believe.

He’d paid Uncle Louie a second visit. Learned the truth about her background. Antony had used his muscle to force Louie to talk. Math had used his mind to figure out where she’d go and what she’d do.

He stepped into the anteroom outside the secret Convergence Ceremony Room. His Warriors followed, willing to help in his quest to save the trumpet and Piper.

Realization that he needed his brain had hit him as he’d puzzled out Piper’s truth. His smarts were important and part of him. Yes, he’d wanted to prove he had muscle and could conquer a quest but using his intelligence would be part of his success. It was part of him.

He accepted that finally.

And he’d figured out why from the very beginning Piper had lied. She’d worked with him to retrieve the trumpet because she was being forced to steal the instrument. His knees quaked like he was simply a nerd stepping into a fight. He knew that wasn’t the reason for his fear. His knees trembled because he worried for Piper’s safety. Her physical, emotional, and soulful safety.

Even though she’d lived with the Order, she did not understand the cruelty of their practices. She wasn’t knowledgeable about their processes and ceremonies and sacrifices. She didn’t understand that once she knew what the Order was involved in, they wouldn’t let her walk away.

Math had to save Piper, even if she didn’t realize she needed saving.

The harsh, screeching tune of the trumpet entered the small room at the end of the passage. The pulse points at his wrists and neck pounded in a panicky rhythm. His ears hurt from the sound.

The other Warriors scrunched their faces or covered their ears. They all were protected from the trumpet’s effects, a smart precaution taken. They packed into the small, hidden antechamber waiting for Math’s signal. The muscles on their faces were tense. The smell of nervous sweat filled the small space. They had to time this to the precise second to save Piper and her mother.

Math peeked into the ceremonial room and gasped.

Piper kneeled on the raised altar playing the silver trumpet she held in front of her. Her watery eyes and tear-streaked cheeks had his protective instincts ramping up. She wasn’t in a trumpet-induced trance, though. She didn’t seek the power. Her gaze darted around, either searching for escape or vengeance.

She held her shoulders straight and spirited. Her eyes might be wet, but they were determined. His panic soothed. He was proud of her.

A person lay by her side. A thin woman with blonde hair, wearing an embroidered ceremonial tunic. The vessel. The sacrifice. Piper’s mother?

His chest squeezed, knowing how much Piper loved her mother. He could tell by the way she’d talked about her being sick. She was only a few feet away and yet he couldn’t comfort her or warn her about their attack.

Math glanced at his watch. The Warriors had only a few seconds before the exact time of Pi. They needed to make their move soon. He signaled them to get ready to launch.

About a dozen male Order members chanted and bowed, standing around the platform. Aaron, their leader, stood in front of the altar performing ritualistic movements. His tense expression and excited gaze showed he believed he’d won.

He better think again.

Math held in a grim smirk. He and the Warriors were determined to win this fight.

Piper stopped playing and stood. Her mouth pursed into a determined line. Her eyes were wide and clear, as if she’d come to a decision and was at peace.

“What’re you doing?” Aaron’s body stopped moving. “It’s almost time. Keep playing!”

“My mother,” her voice broke. “is fighting for me.”

Horror screeched through Math’s ribcage, shredding his lungs. No! Piper would never know peace if she used the Akh, and neither would her mother. He raised his hand to give the signal.

Antony grabbed his arm. “It’s not time.”

Math shook off the hold, knowing his friend was right. They couldn’t start the rescue attempt yet. Not until the precise time. “If Piper’s on our side, and I know she is, we’ll have an Akh on our side and the fighting should be easy.”

“I don’t sense an Akh.” Falcon would know. His connection to the Trumpet of War gave him extra sensitivity to souls and essences.

Math’s nerves screamed. He was on high alert, so close, wanting to hold Piper in his arms, knowing the timing wasn’t right.

Aaron’s full laugh echoed into the ceremonial room and scoured Math’s back.

“Part of the funeral rights ceremony and playing the trumpet at this precise time gives me control of the Akh and those connected to the Akh.” His evil-gleeful grin sliced and ruptured in Math’s gut. “So I will control you, too.”

A sharp-edged pain shot through Math’s heart. Was he too late to save Piper?

Her expression changed slowly, from challenging the man to fear. Or was she pretending fear? Her bow-shaped mouth had dropped open, yet her gaze assessed the situation and held a determined sharpness.

His lightning-quick thought process assessed and solved the problem. Piper had played the trumpet at the professor’s house to get past Olivia and Aria. So technically, Piper controlled the Akh. If the Akh existed, because Falcon didn’t sense one.

“How can I serve you?” Piper’s voice sounded flat and emotionless.

Was she under the leader’s control? He glimpsed Falcon shaking his head.

“Start by moving away from your mother’s body so we can complete the ceremony.” The leader held out his hand to help Piper off the altar.

The contents of Math’s stomach shifted. Maybe his calculations were wrong, and the leader did control Piper. Maybe he’d lost her forever.

She stepped forward. Her expression blank and staring straight ahead. Instead of taking the leader’s hand, she held the trumpet like a club. She swung at his head.

Surprise shocked Math followed by pride in Piper. Exhilaration electrified his soul. His stomach calmed, and strength sailed to the surface. He gave the signal to the Warriors to attack. “Let’s do this!”