The Scroll of Knowledge

Chapter 21

Thomas rested the bags of food on the table. He wondered if Shay was still angry with him. She never stayed angry for long but that didn't mean that she would always be able to forgive and forget when he messed up.

He slowly sat down next to her at the table. Brennan had already filled him in on their plans. The three of them were dressed and ready. Shay seemed more interested in the food in front of her than him.

He watched as Brennan and Amber shared out food for themselves.

"Are you really just going to eat that?" Amber asked Brennan, pointing at his mostly empty plate. "We might be gone for hours. You should eat something more."

Brennan sipped his tea. "Forget about me. Worry about yourself."

"Don't be an idiot," Amber said. She switched his plate with her own untouched one. Brennan didn't say anything. He wasn't showing it but Thomas could tell he liked the attention because he actually picked up his fork an ate something without Shay having to freeze him to his chair.

He felt a hand on his knee. Thomas glanced at Shay.

"Relax Thomas," Shay said softly. "Try to eat something within the next five minutes."

"Why? What happens in five minutes?" he asked.

"Just eat."

Thomas wasn't sure he wanted to know. He took her advice and was almost done when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Brennan said.

"Thomas, try to keep yourself cool," Shay said.

"Wh--" Thomas started. "You!"

An Israeli man with dark blue eyes walked into the room. He smirked at Thomas. "You need me to protect you again?"

"You know I don't speak Hebrew," Thomas spat out.

"Thomas. Your clothes," Shay said.

The man shot out water at him, drenching him completely. Thomas raised his metal hand to punch him.

"You were always a hothead," the man said.

Shay stood in front of him. She rested her hand on his neck. "Thomas, you need to control the fire in the house. You can fight him outside."

"I would rather you didn't," Brennan said. He had resumed his eating. "Axel might be an ass but he is one of the few people we know won't try to kill us."

Amber leaned over to him. "Are you sure about that? They look like they want to kill each other now."

"Well, mostly sure," Brennan said.

"I wasn't told there would be two pretty women here," Axel said walking around the table.

Brennan took out his gun and rested it on the table. "Don't forget who I am," he said slowly. "Junaid can tolerate far more than I can so let's make some ground rules. First one being, anything that offends me will be removed."

Axel leaned down so he was eye-level with Brennan. "Let's see who can shoot first."

"I can shoot a bullet through your eyes before you can raise your hand."

Shay flicked ice at both of them. "I'm not done eating yet and I can't have blood getting on my food. Go outside if you want to kill each other."

"Why are you even here?" Thomas asked.

"Dear Uncle was worried about his weakling of a son so he sent me to make sure he doesn't nearly die like the last time, and all the times before that," Axel said.