Page 30 of The Tribes of Magic (Paragons #3)

NEWS

T he news was playing on the TV in the Castle’s dining hall when all the Apprentices gathered there for dinner that evening.

After thoroughly questioning the witness and the mercenaries, the Watchers discovered the culprit behind the stolen Government supplies.

It was a man named Jeremy Rubin, a storage facility site manager and underling of Governor Melanie Meyer.

Suffice it to say, the Governor was not pleased. She’d spent the last few hours making the rounds on the TV networks, doing damage control.

“Mr. Rubin has betrayed this office, betrayed this city, and betrayed humanity. He put his own avarice ahead of Gaia’s well-being, and he will be punished for his crimes.

During the course of this investigation, it’s come to light that Mr. Rubin is a member of the Brotherhood of Earth, the terrorist organization that attempted to poison the Spirit Trees just three days ago.

We believe the Brotherhood used Mr. Rubin and his connections to steal supplies from the Gaian Government.

To what end, we do not know, but one thing is clear: we have not seen the last of the Brotherhood.

They will strike again, and we will be ready. ”

I frowned. “That doesn’t make any sense. The supplies weren’t stolen from the Government. They just appeared.”

The TV screen switched to an interview with a Government official. I sat down at one of the long dining tables, sliding onto the bench beside Nevada.

“I hear you were there again, Savannah Winters, right in the thick of things. You really are a complete calamity, aren’t you?” Zoe laughed, and so did her friends Rhett and Georgia.

Nevada looked up from the flower necklace she was weaving and shot a glower at Zoe’s table. “Ignore them, Savannah. They’re just jealous you caught the bad guy. And that you got to work with the White Knight. The only thing they did today was clean the toilets at the Black Obelisk.”

“I can’t believe Rhett is still even allowed in the Black Obelisk after what he did to Bronte.”

“You need to stop worrying about them. They’re just annoying. They’ll get what’s coming to them.” Dante reached over and stole one of my chicken wings.

“Hey!”

He licked his fingers with relish. “Delicious.”

“If you don’t watch it, bro, you will get what’s coming to you.”

“Which is what exactly?” He swiped another chicken wing off my plate.

I snatched it back. “My wrath.”

“Careful, Dante,” Nevada warned him. “Savannah set off a tsunami at the swamp today. You do not want to annoy her.”

“A tsunami at the swamp, you say?” Dante glanced at me, his eyes twinkling with mischief. Not that they ever twinkled with anything else. “A tsunami is a definite step up from setting the curtains on fire.”

I groaned. “Are you ever going to let me live that down?”

“Nope.”

I didn’t think so.

“I’m your brother. It’s my job to humiliate you.”

“Swell.”

“Speaking of humiliation…”

“Must we?”

“Oh, we must. We really must, Savi.”

“Fine. Get it out of your system then.”

“People are saying you and the White Knight worked together to catch Jeremy Rubin.”

“Yes,” I said cautiously.

“Do you really think it’s a good idea to be hanging out with him so much?”

“Kato is cute,” Nevada said. “I wouldn’t mind hanging out with him.”

“Sure, his magic is cool and all, but he’s a little too much of a show-off. Jareth has stories about him, I’m telling you.”

“Jareth always has stories about everyone,” I told Dante.

“He also has stories about your other boy?—”

“I’d be careful about how you finish that sentence, brother dear. Rumor has it I like to set the curtains on fire. And dump avalanches on people who annoy me.”

“Funny, I thought you only dumped avalanches on yourself.”

I stuck my tongue out at him.

Dante guffawed. “I still say Kato’s a show-off.”

“That’s an interesting comment coming from you.”

“When have I ever shown off?”

I smiled over my braided fingers. “How about the three times you apparently tried to do a backflip off the roof?”

Nevada laughed. “I totally forgot about that. Yeah, that wasn’t one of your best moves, Dante.”

I looked at her. “Wait, how do you know about this? I only found out about it last week.”

“I think most of Bayshore knows about it. I was actually there when he did it.”

“And you didn’t try to stop him?”

“Since when has your brother ever let anyone stop him from doing whatever stupid idea he got into his head?”

Dante nodded along, like he was very proud of that. “She’s right, of course.”

I sighed. Then I returned my attention to the TV. Senator Gaines was on the news again, and he was absolutely livid about the stolen supplies situation.

“Security is General Lynch’s responsibility, and he failed at that.

He allowed criminals to go unchecked in the city.

After the Brotherhood of Earth was revealed to be a terrorist organization, the General should have hunted down every last one of them.

He said he would hunt them down. He promised he would hunt them down.

But did he hunt them down?” Senator Gaines laughed tightly.

“No. He did not. The General failed this city. He should be removed from all positions of power, effective immediately.”

I looked at Dante and Nevada. “It seems Senator Gaines is aiming to take Prince Fenris’s place as the General’s number one enemy.”

“Yeah, well, can you really blame the Senator for hating the General?” Dante said. “The General is not exactly the most likable guy. And besides, Senator Gaines is right. Security is the General’s responsibility.”

Dutch sat down next to him. “It’s not that easy. The Fortress is a big city. And the General has a lot to do. He’s in charge of the Watchers and the Knights.”

“Yeah, I’m totally hoping the President takes some of that responsibility off his plate,” Dante said. “Surely, there’s a better choice to run the Castle than a man who hates teenagers. Maybe we’ll finally get someone reasonable. Like that Senator Gaines fellow.”

“Ok, but what do we actually know about the Senator?” I said.

Dante shrugged. “Only that he seems way more reasonable than the General.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

“And you’re basing that on what?” Dutch asked him. “Thirty seconds of seeing him on TV?”

Dante poppied a grape into his mouth. “Na, I already knew he was better than the General within the first five seconds.”

“Shh.” Dutch looked around to make sure no one was listening. “The General will hear you and punish you. And punish all of us by association, just for hearing your treacherous words.”

“Relax, man. Who here is going to tell the General that no one likes him?” Dante’s brows lifted. “You?”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. You just seem like the sort of guy who might snitch.”

Dutch turned bright red.

“Leave him alone, Dante,” Bronte said.

My brother lifted his hands in the air. “Hey, I didn’t start this. It’s not my fault that he is paranoid.”

Dutch shot him an icy glower.

“Besides, he’s way off base. The General is not going to punish him for what I say.”

I snorted. “Uh, have you been paying any attention at all to the General these past few weeks?”

“Yes. When someone misbehaves, the General punishes their teammates. If the General’s got beef with me, he won’t punish him or you or Nevada. He’ll punish me and my charming teammates.”

Dante’s gaze slid across the dining hall to Team Victory.

Rhett and Wayne were in the middle of a pushup contest. Meanwhile, Zoe and Sara stood on their backs, trying to stay balanced.

That did not look easy. The boys were doing the pushups so fast, staying on them must have felt like trying to sit on one of the bull-riding machines the Metamorphs had in their castle.

I’d passed it the other day after training with Kato.

When I’d asked Kato why it was there, he’d replied, “Because it’s safer than letting the Metamorphs throw each other around their castle.”

And that just said it all, didn’t it? Metamorphs were kind of crazy.

Bronte looked at Dutch. “He’s right, you know. If the General is angling for some collateral damage, he won’t punish us for hearing Dante. He’ll punish Team Victory for being his teammates.”

“I don’t think he’ll punish any of you guys, actually, Dante. He’s too busy rewarding you for Rhett framing Bronte.”

Bronte’s expression soured. She was obviously still sore about that too.

Eris strolled up to our table and sat down. “Good news.”

“The General is retiring and throwing a big goodbye party for us, full of cake, balloons, and circus performances?” I smirked at her.

“You’re partially right.”

“About the General’s retirement?” I said hopefully.

“About the circus performances. The Government managed to book Portia and the Circus of Dreams . This is a big deal. It marks the first time Portia’s show has come to Gaia.

All the Knights and Apprentices are invited to the dinner and show, which will take place at the conference center on Wednesday evening. ”

“Wednesday evening… but that’s in only two days!”

“I hope you have a nice dress.” Eris winked at me, then left.

The news spread like wildfire across the dining hall. Soon, Portia and the Circus of Dreams was all anyone was talking about. The show. The costumes. The music. The food. And, most important of all to a room full of teenagers, who would be asking out whom to go to the show.

I yawned, standing up. “I think I’ll go home and turn in for the night.”

“Already? But it’s so early.”

“Let her go, Nevada. She’s probably heading off for a romantic evening stroll with one or both of her boyfriends.

” Dante winked at me. “So how does that work anyway, Sav? Do they throw magic at each other for a while until one emerges victorious, winning the honor of escorting you home? Or do they do something more civilized—but way less fun—like roll a die? And just so you know, I’m totally not judging here.

Except to say that if they’re going to blow stuff up, can I come and watch? ”

I rolled my eyes at him. “Good night, everyone. See you tomorrow.”