Wisteria (Wisteria Series) (20 page)

“Wisteria.” He reached out to her.

“Thank you for apologizing.” She ran into the library.

He wanted to follow her.

“Bach, let her cool off.” Garfield stopped him.

“No,” Bach replied, feeling frustrated. “Why is she still upset? I have apologized!”

“She’s a girl. They don’t behave like human beings,” Garfield shrugged his shoulders.

* * * * *

“I warned you. Apologizing would not change much,” Felip reminded him when Bach told him what had happened outside the library. Felip stood in the corner of his room. He had stood there several hours, trying to adjust to the new environment. This would be the first time he had really lived among humans. And while he despised the way Enric trained Piper, Felip never interacted with free humans.

Bach had during his childhood, so this wasn’t a complete shock to his system. “So, I am supposed to beg her to tell me what I need to know?” Bach seethed. “Oh—forget it!”

“How do they live like this?” His steward scanned the room.

“You are part human. You tell me.” He unrolled a large white sheet of paper onto the mattress that was supposed to be Felip’s bed. “This is the plan of the island so far. I have twenty percent of it mapped. I will have more time tomorrow. I should have most of it done then.”

“You actually lived among them. How did you do it?”

Bach was too young to remember.

“I am starting to suspect that Enric was right about not coming here,” Felip commented.

Bach remembered the discussion, days before in Hammond Village.

“If she brought her people here, going back to the Isle of Smythe would be foolish,” Enric warned Bach and Felip, as Wisteria stormed back to the SUV. The three Famila had returned to the mansion and Enric dismissed his unstable Thayn, leaving the guys alone.

“That is not how Red Phoenix discovered us. We lit up the tower all the time because we thought Red Phoenix were gone.” Felip added and took the pink GPS device from Bach. “We were really, really stupid.”

“He is right, the dungeon dwellers knew we were up there,” Bach agreed.

“We expected to be fine if random Terrans tried to break in from the ground. Did it occur to either of you that they would come from the sky?” Felip continued. “No, because only Red Phoenix would be that determined.”

“Still, she could have summoned them anyway. Why did they show up when she did? When they knew Felip was weakened?” Enric demanded. “Why?”

“The telephone?” Bach took it from Enric. “When exactly did you find this? Maybe the Red Phoenix left it behind after their attack. She brought almost nothing with her.”

“She is dangerous, Bach.” Enric stepped in between Felip and Bach. “And as a full blood, I am telling you not to go back to the Terran village. Remember what they did to your mother?”

Reminding him of his mother was low, even for Enric.

“We were careless not to black out the windows and throwing balls off the roof,” the steward continued. “Or not to live underground since that was where we were supposed to live.”

“And I wanted us to live underground when we arrived. Felip convinced you it was a bad idea. I was right then and I am right now. Stay away from the Terran rats,” Enric seethed. “Or have you allowed that Terran to infect you, Bach? How can you, after the way your mother—”

Bach slammed Enric against the wall. “Say that again and I will break you. You think you can bait me into doing what you want by insulting me?”

“No, I am trying to warn you.”

“Enric, putting your theory aside, we have a bigger problem which you seem to have forgotten. There is obsidian coral on the Isle of Smythe.” Bach let him go.

“Since when?” Felip asked while he sat on the stairs.

“Wisteria wore it on her neck when she arrived,” Enric relayed. “It was decorative.”

“They are primitive people.” Felip seemed amused. “And you think there is more on her island?”

“It is either on the island or nearby on one of her tracking routes,” Bach explained.

“How did the Terrans even get it?” Felip asked.

“They stole it. They must have,” Enric concluded.

“I do not know how they got it and right now I do not care. We need to get it back and send it home,” Bach stated.

Bach shook the memory of why they came here away. “Felip, focus on what we are here to do. Then, we will be gone.” He studied the map he had started to create. “All of us.”

“All? You still plan to renew your Terran?” Felip looked surprised. “That will help our plan along.”

Bach wasn’t sure it would be that simple, but he wasn’t about to discuss it with Felip or anyone else. “We will map out the town and then we can plan our search.”

“Ask her where she got it from. It is the fastest way.”

Bach couldn’t ask her. She was hurting and it was his fault. Even when she smiled, he sensed her pain at his words. “She will not tell me.”

“Then renew her and she will have to tell you. You were planning on doing it anyway.”

The door to Felip’s room opened and Garfield appeared, carrying a pile of clothes. The Terran boy scanned the room and then walked in uninvited. “Got you boys some fresh towels, courtesy of Hailey. And those hot girls were kind enough to send over some fresh clothes for you.”

Bach looked at the clothing. No one cared what they dressed like, but if they were going to be here for a while, a change of clothes wouldn’t be a bad idea. Rolling up the map, he moved and took the clothes from Garfield.

 
But the Terran boy remained in the room.

“Okay, this is interesting. Why is he here?” Felip commented in their dialect.

“What language is that? Is it Zulu or something? Are you guys like from South Africa?” the human chattered.

“No, we are not. Thank you for the clothes.” Bach tried to usher Garfield to the door, but he wouldn’t budge.

“Which room is mine?” Garfield asked.

“Interesting,” Felip quipped in the dialect. “He lives here now?”

“Use the room downstairs.” Bach inched the human boy back toward the door.

“Cool, I’ll grab a shower and we can hang out later.” As Garfield headed out, he stopped and turned to Felip. “Oh, I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

Felip nodded and Garfield left the room.

“Okay? Eminent, explain why this Terran is here?” Felip asked.

“I do not have to explain myself to you.”

“Not as your steward, but as your friend? You do.”

Bach was not going to admit it was because he was jealous. Because he was not, he could never envy a Terran. “He had nowhere to stay. I thought having him here would make Wisteria more open to talking to me. That would make finding the coral easier.”

His friend snapped his fingers. “Or you could just renew her. It would be the fastest way. You want to. I can see it.”

Bach scowled at him.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“Children,” Mrs. Reynolds, the year eleven English teacher cooed from behind her broken desk as she read a tattered romance novel. “You’re supposed to be reading.”

Wisteria could barely hear her teacher over the noise. Not that she minded or that it mattered. It was Mrs. Reynolds’s class and everyone loved her class because she couldn’t be less bothered about teaching. Since her husband was on the leadership council she was given the English teaching job because she thought it was an easy one. “Keep it down,” she pleaded.

Watching her classmates talking, making out, and smoking from her windowsill seat, Wisteria couldn’t believe she been back on the Isle of Smythe for over a week. Nothing had changed here and she was beginning to feel like she’d never left. Somehow, being on the outside was less stressful than dealing with these kids.

“Look at them, can’t they get a room?” Garfield, who sat next her, whispered, “I know he’s your brother.”

“So, then, don’t talk about him.”

In the doorway, David and Amanda were making out. Since her brother was a year below them, he’d only come to the year elevens to see Amanda.

Totally enamored with Amanda, Garfield watched in disgust. “I don’t see them working out.”

“Give it time, you’ll find someone. Maybe Hailey will look your way. I hear she and Steven had a fight.” She was happy to have a friend in her own class now, even if he was obsessed with the prettiest girl in school.

“Hailey’s far too distracted by Bach to even care,” he whispered back, still gaping at Amanda and David.

Wisteria tried to laugh at Garfield’s statement, but she was boiling inside.

“Mrs. Reynolds, aren’t we going to learn something today?” Garfield shouted out in frustration while looking toward Amanda and David.

Many students groaned and a couple threw pens and paper at him and Wisteria.

“Not getting any action from your girlfriend, Garfunkel?” Gareth heckled, tossing a book at them.

It almost hit her, but she ducked and it hit the window.

Suddenly, the class became subdued as Coles and the stubby Corporal Kyle Blair appeared at the rear door of the class.

“Major Coles.” Mrs. Reynolds quickly rose to her feet and put away the novel. “Good morning. Okay, class, we need to open up act two, scene three, of Macbeth.”

“Mr. Hubbard, pick that up and apologize to the lady,” Major Coles commanded Gareth. “Amanda Weiss sit down. David, get lost.”

Without a word, David vanished and Amanda rushed to her seat.

“Sorry, Ria,” Gareth muttered.

“What’s the deal with him?” Garfield whispered to Wisteria.

“Shh,” Wisteria responded.

“Why’s everyone afraid of him? He looks like a clown.”

“New boy, Garfield Simon.” The senior officer focused squarely on him. “Come here.”

“No way,” Garfield protested. “You’re not my teacher and you can’t tell me what to do.”

Wisteria gaped at him. “Shut up and just go.”

“Get over here now,” Coles repeated himself.

The boy shrugged, as though he could care less.

“Major, he doesn’t know how things are.” She got up. “He won’t speak again.” Garfield had no idea what he was getting into. No one crossed the soldiers on the island.

“Stay out of this, Wisteria,” the man said. “Mrs. Reynolds? I’d expect more control over your class.”

“Major, they’re just still a little excited that Wisteria’s back,” the teacher explained. “Also, Garfield is still adjusting to the way things work here.”

“Is that true? You’re still adjusting, Mr. Simon?” Corporal Blair sneered.

“Whatever, I’m not some stupid kid. You can’t talk to me any way you want to.” Garfield rolled his eyes. “I lived on the outside of Never-Never-Land and there’s nothing you can do that can scare me.”

“Man, shut up,” Steven pleaded.

“Mr. Hindle, you’ve something to add?” The Major now turned to Steven.

“No,” Steven replied energetically. “Mrs. Reynolds, did you say act two, scene three?” He tried to sound innocent.

“Yes, I did. Okay children, act two, scene three,” Mrs. Reynolds repeated.

“Mr. Simon, because you’re new, I will let this slide today.” Coles stared at Garfield for a moment. “Have you seen Mr. Cheung?” He seemed to be asking the teacher, though his eyes remained on Garfield.

“Idiot,” Garfield snickered.

“Oh!” Wisteria hit him in the ribs.

Garfield scowled at her, but before he could speak, Coles had him by the neck, slamming him up against a wall.

“Major Coles,” Mrs. Reynolds protested lightly. “He’s just a child.”

“No, he’s a man. Right? Because he’s been outside. So, I’ll treat him like a man. Right, son? You want me to treat you the way I treat the
men
on this island?”

Garfield tried to answer, but he couldn’t speak because Coles was holding him too tightly around his neck.

“Major, he can’t breathe!” Rushing to grab the man, Wisteria was intercepted by Corporal Blair who knocked her to the ground.

“Corporal!” Coles barked, and then turned his anger on the fallen girl. “Wisteria, just go and sit down.”

She hurried to her feet again and charged at the soldier.

Steven grabbed her and she tumbled onto his lap. “You don’t want to get into that,” he uttered in her ear.

“Smart man, Hindle,” the Corporal teased. “Simon, you need to learn to be a lot more like him and less of a loser.”

“So, you still think you’re a man?” Coles asked Garfield. “When the biters break through that wall, what are you going to do?”

She tried to break free from Steven’s grip. “Let go of me, Steven!”

“Wisteria, calm down.” Steven held her waist tightly.

How could she? Garfield came to the Isle of Smythe because of her, so she was responsible for him.