The Conduit The Gryphon Series

CHAPTER 26

Gabe and Kendall met me in the hallway.

“How is she?” They both asked.

“She’s in pain. But still has the strength to hit on her doctor, so I’d say she’s gonna be fine. But…” I shot a quick look around. This was too populated a locale for this conversation. I jerked my head towards the unisex bathroom. We filed in together, and locked the door behind us.

“We could’ve waited to get the update until after you did your business.” Gabe teased, and jerked his head in the direction of the toilet.

“No time for Gabe-isms right now.” I scowled. “Barnabus specifically asked her where I was. She did us a favor and told him I had already left for college, which means we now know exactly where he is—Memphis.”

As soon as the word left my mouth a blaring siren went off in my brain. Alec’s parting words to me, “I have to go to Memphis for a little while, apparently there’s some big story there.”

I tried to be optimistic. It’s a big city, the odds were slim that he would be anywhere near Rhodes. He should be fine. Most likely. Probably. Hopefully. Crap.

“Celeste? Where’d you go?” Kendall waved her hand in front of my face.

“Sorry.” Best to worry about one thing at a time. “Barnabus isn’t restricted by rules and orders like the Seekers are. He has no problem hurting or killing people. We learned that the hard way. So we need to stop him. He wants a war? I say we take it to him. Tonight.”

They fell silent as my words sunk in.

Gabe pushed himself off the sink he had been leaning against. “Hells yeah. I’m in.”

“He brought the fight to our doorstep. Now we end this.” Kendall agreed. “So, guide us—oh, chosen one. What do we do?”

I flipped my phone open to check the time. Eleven o’clock. The drive to Memphis would get us there around two a.m. First, we needed to know what we were walking into. “Keni, you could make the flight to Memphis in half the driving time. But can you do it without being seen and scaring people?”

“It’s overcast and pitch black outside. As long as I stay above the clouds it would, like, totally eliminate the risk of people seeing me and thinking it’s judgment day.”

“Awesome. Get to Rhodes and scope out exactly where Barnabus is hiding. Find out as much as you can. What this dude looks like, how many men he brought with him, what weapons they have, if they display any powers, anything that might help. But stay out of sight! Don’t do anything stupid, like get yourself caught.” My role as the leader felt surprisingly comfortable. “Gabe and I will drive there and meet up with you. Once we get the stats on what we are facing we can come up with a battle plan.”

Gabe’s lip curled up in a growl. “I could run there, Cee! Let the lion stretch his legs.”

I put one hand on my hip and looked up at him in exasperation. “You can’t run seventy miles per hour. We take the truck.”

“You’re bossy now that you’re the Conduit.” He grumbled.

“Is that a problem?”

“Nope, just saying.”

“Good. Then saddle up, gang. It’s time for a showdown.”

They looked at each other, then erupted in giggles and snorts of laughter.

“Exactly which Earp brother are you supposed to be?” Gabe taunted.

“Shut up. Let’s just go.”