House of Darken (Secret Keepers #1)

“House of Darken today, right?” Mr. Perkins had mentioned that we were going to start on the founders straight away. “That should be illuminating. Do you get an instant A?”

He chuckled, both of us staring toward the door as the classroom started to fill. As more students stepped inside, more gaping faces were directed toward us.

Jero showed not an ounce of discomfort. “They have most of the facts incorrect,” he said, picking up the conversation about today’s topic. “But that’s not the teacher’s fault. Humans only know the history we allow them to know. You’ll have to come to us for more accurate information.”

“How long do you think I’ll have to stay with you guys?” I asked. “Like glued to your sides?”

Some of his humor dried up. He leaned back in his chair, letting his arm finally fall off my shoulders. “By the end of the week we should have an answer. The council is full of ancient, powerful, think-they-know-everything bastards. The members are chosen from all four houses. They have been known to take a long time to reach decisions, but this has a sense of urgency about it. They won’t screw around.”

It was Tuesday, which meant I was stuck with them for five more days. I wasn’t sure I could handle five more days of this. I needed answers. I needed them now.

I leaned in so as not to be overheard by the dozen or so students fixing their gazes on us: “Is there anything we can do? Places we can search? Surely there’s a way to track my guardians’ last movements.”

The Darkens had been pretty confident in their abilities to keep information off computers and the internet. If they were that good, surely they could trace Michael’s last online activities. He would kill me if he found out I let anyone touch his computer, but I’d deal with that. As long as he was alive, the rest was inconsequential. There was very little I wouldn’t do to get my family back.

He patted my arm. “I’ll talk to Lexen. We might be able to try something on our own.”

I sensed Jero was just placating me. And … it worked. For now.

“So … what happened to your parents?” He blindsided me with that question.

I swallowed roughly, took a few deep breaths, and when the tears were under control, said, “They were killed in a fire … last New Year’s Eve.” I kept it to basic facts, which was an additional help with the tears. “I must have crawled out into the yard, even though I don’t remember a thing before waking up on the pavement out the front.”

I had tried to go back in, screaming for my mom and dad, but some of my neighbors who had arrived to help held me back. They’d seen what I refused to: there was no way anyone was still alive in there. The house had been fully alight, and by the time the firefighters finished there was nothing but death and ash remaining.

“I’m really sorry, Emma.” He used my name. He sounded sincere. My chest tightened. I pressed my hand to it to ease the ache.

“It’s o—” I choked on the word. Because it wasn’t okay. There was not a single okay thing about what had happened to me and my family.

“I’m dealing,” I finally managed.

Jero sat a little straighter in his chair as he whipped his phone from his pocket and slammed his fingers against the keys. “We’re going to find your guardians. You’ve lost enough.”

It was still hard to talk around the lump in my throat. “Why are you being so nice to me?” My words were shaky. “I’m not … one of you.”

He dropped his phone back into his pocket, shrugging. “I know what it’s like to be dragged into a world you don’t want to be part of. I know what it’s like to lose someone. I understand the burning hellfire of pain and regret which are no doubt churning within you right now. We’re not as different as you think.”

All conversations around us died off then as Mr. Perkins entered the room. Jero and I both faced the front, but my mind was roiling with everything he’d just said. Before I could stop myself, I reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing it firmly and quick. I wanted him to know that I appreciated his kindness, his support. I was probably only dealing as well as I was because of the Darkens. All of them, even Lexen. Last night he had offered me comfort I’d sorely needed.

Something I never expected from the elite. In fact, most humans I met were far less kind than these … supernaturals or whatever they were.

Mr. Perkins drew my attention then. “Today is a very exciting day. It’s one of my favorite parts of the curriculum. House of Darken.”

I heard the low exhalation of breath from Jero, but I was too busy listening to turn to him.

“We will learn much about this magnanimous house, about its illustrious leaders, and the generosity of their family. We will spend the rest of this week, and some of next week, on Darkens, and then you’ll have a small assignment to complete, a paper summarizing your thoughts on their lives, charitable works and such.”

A lot of the class was looking at Jero now, and it hit me that he was really a Darken. Literally part of this legacy that we were learning of. That was more than a little cool.

“Don’t go painting me with a halo yet, sweetheart,” he whispered to me from the corner of his mouth. “This is history, not current events.”

I was still trying to figure out how it all worked. Why were these supernaturals here at all? I mean, why would non-humans want to draw attention to themselves? Did they want people on the ground, so to speak, to curtail any rumors before they even started? I mean … did they get rid of humans who stumbled onto the secret? Was that still an option the council might decide on for me?

I had so many questions, and I was almost too impatient in my quest to find the answers.

Mr. Perkins moved to the board then and wrote “1875” at the top, underlining it multiple times. “This is the year the first Darkens immigrated to America. Tatina and Gregori Darken were the clan leaders. They brought across their people. They were extremely private, even back then, so information on those early days is scarce, but many believe they were part of a pilgrimage from Norway. They brought with them riches, and knowledge beyond anything anyone had seen in this area, and Astoria was extremely blessed to be chosen as their original settlement site. Our tiny fishing village found itself under the care and protection of these early settlers.

“You have a fan,” I side-whispered to Jero. His lips twitched into a half-smile, but he didn’t comment.

One of the girls at the front raised her hand. “Why did they choose Astoria?” she asked.

There was a slight pause, as if the teacher was surprised by this question, but his answer came readily enough: “It was a great area for northern trade.”

“Wrong,” Jero muttered. I knew he hadn’t been talking to me, but I was still desperate to ask him to explain. Of all the places in the world, why had they chosen Astoria?

“What about the other houses?” another student asked. “How do they work with Darken?”

Mr. Perkins grinned so broadly that his ruddy cheeks were practically around his eyebrows. “I’m so glad you asked this. We will of course go more into the Houses of Royale, Imperial, and Leights at another time, but in general reference to Darken, they arrived almost twelve months to the day after the original founders. The history books tell us that they were allies, families who had ties back in Norway. This was the reason for their settlement here also.”

“Wrong again,” Jero said, his voice still no louder than a whisper. “And we’re certainly not all allies.”

I leaned in closer to him, keeping my eyes locked on the teacher so he wouldn’t catch on to our conversation. “Imperials are your only enemies, right? What about Leights? How can they be neutral?”

Jero shrugged. “They choose sides as they see fit. Royale are our only true allies.”

If my math was correct, and since I was a senior one would hope it was, the Darkens were still the strongest house. They had a solid ally. Two of them together versus two lone wolves.