Page 14 of Darkness and Deceit (Obsidian Academy #2)

Eleven

SIMON

“What the fuck—”

The moment the Keeper disappears into the trees with Lilith, the invisible grip holding us vanishes. Breath rushes back into my lungs. Limbs unfreeze. Everything snaps into motion at once.

Kai bolts forward, fast and silent, already vanishing into shadow.

I move just as quickly, stepping into his path, arm out, palm catching his chest. “Stop.”

His eyes, filled with fury, meet mine. Oh, boy. He’s seconds away from slipping past me, and we both know it.

But I don’t budge.

“You need to think,” I whisper forcefully. “Please.”

Meanwhile Vaughn paces behind us like a caged animal, jaw clenched, hands twitching at his sides. They’re both seconds from combusting, and I don’t blame them. Every part of me wants to run after her too.

But if we do that—if we piss off the Keepers—we’ll lose our chance to help her when it actually matters.

“She’s not alone,” I say, forcing myself to believe it. “She’s with a Keeper. And if we get ourselves arrested by disobeying and chasing after her, then she really will be.”

The shadows curling around Kai pause. He doesn’t speak, but he doesn’t vanish either.

“We can be angry later,” I add, locking eyes with him. “Right now, she needs us ready . Not shackled. Not restrained. Ready. ”

Vaughn rounds on me. “She doesn’t need us ready , she needs us there . What if something happens and we’re not?—”

“I know ,” I snap. “I know. But if we storm in, we lose everything. Our access. Our mobility. Our chance to back her when she needs it most.”

And that’s when Kieran steps into view, his hands loose at his sides, his gaze unreadable. He’s calm, controlled, completely unaware of the powder keg he’s walked into.

The moment Vaughn sees him, his posture shifts, his shoulders square, like a bowstring that’s been pulled back. All he would need is an arrow notched to be ready to fire.

I don’t know the full history between them, but I don’t need to. Vaughn’s reaction to Kieran’s presence is enough.

“Headmistress Bennett has requested your return to the academy,” Kieran announces smoothly.

“We’re staying,” Vaughn growls. “She said we were assigned to assist with the perimeter.”

“She’s since amended the directive,” Kieran replies. “You’re to return. I’ll have someone notify you when your friend comes back.”

Friend.

The word hits me wrong. Lilith is not simply a friend to me. Not anymore.

There’s something about her that threads through me like a fuse waiting to be lit. Something I don’t understand, and I hate not understanding. It terrifies me in ways I don’t have words for.

Vaughn steps forward, jaw clenched. “Yeah, no. I think we’ll stay.”

Kieran’s eyes harden. “Then I’ll have you removed.”

Vaughn’s grin turns feral. “Fucking try me.”

I step between them before they can come to blows.

“Vaughn,” I say, loud enough to cut through the tension. “Stand down.”

He stares at me like I’ve lost my mind.

Then I turn to Kieran, keeping my tone steady. “You’re right. We should head back.”

His eyebrows rise slightly. He didn’t expect me to fold that easily.

“We’ll be on our way,” I add. “No trouble.”

A long pause.

Then he nods once. “See that you don’t disobey direct orders again.”

Without another word, Kieran turns and walks away. The silence he leaves behind is louder than any yell.

We don’t speak until he’s gone.

And then Vaughn explodes. “You’re seriously just going to roll over for that smug bastard?”

I glance back toward the tree line.

“No,” I say. “I’m going to wait until he’s out of range. And then we’re circling back.”

Vaughn and Kai both go still.

Kai tilts his head slightly, considering.

Vaughn raises a brow. “You’re serious?”

“Completely,” I reply. “We stay close. Hidden. We don’t interfere—unless we have to. That way, we’re not locked out. We’re not locked up. And if something happens? We’re there.”

The pause stretches between us.

Then Kai nods once. The shadows around his feet settle, and for once, he doesn’t look like he’s seconds from vanishing.

And Vaughn exhales a quiet laugh. “I’ll be damned.” He doesn’t argue. Doesn’t deflect. Just stands there, watching me like he’s seeing me for the first time.

“You actually thought this through,” he mutters. “Used your brain and didn’t completely ruin my day in the process.”

I roll my eyes. “High praise from you.”

But underneath the sarcasm, something shifts. We’re not just reacting anymore. We’re planning. Preparing.

Protecting.

We move quickly, melting into the tree line just inside the edge of the ward. There’s a narrow outcrop past the perimeter—a sliver of land cloaked in undergrowth and half-shadow. It’s enough to give us cover, to keep us close if we need to step in if something goes wrong.

We settle into the silence, the kind that feels too still. Too careful.

I glance up once and catch wings slicing the sky.

Bennett’s crow. Watching.

She’s been quiet lately. Distant.

But distance isn’t the same as disinterest.

And the thing about crows?

They don’t circle unless something’s about to die. Or unless they’re waiting to see who does first.

“She’s going to be fine,” I murmur, mostly to myself, trying to shake the feeling in my gut.

Kai doesn’t look at me, but his voice cuts through the quiet like a blade. “She better be.”