The Haven High Book Series (Wattys2017)

Chapter 7

Kelly met up with the gang at lunch time and took her usual seat by Xan. If he wasn't going to worry about it neither would she. It still felt a little awkward, but she was determined to prove to him, or maybe just herself, she was over him. They really were never a love match anyway.

She could see now it was a relationship of convenience. Maybe if she had invested more into it, but no, that wasn't her style. Heck she wasn't looking for anything serious herself just a steady guy she could call her own, and who wasn't a complete slob.

Xan broke through the awkward silence with an announcement," Guys I have some news to share."

Suddenly the banter of the table came to an abrupt stop and all eyes turned to him.

Lauren took a moment to wave her hand to incant her patented anti-eavesdropping spell, and the very air around them seemed to take on an other-worldly vibe.

"What CJ said yesterday got me thinking about the Ankh so I did a little tuning in to the rumor mill and I found out something interesting."

He paused for effect while everyone looked on in complete fascination. She was even curious to hear the news, and she should be, it concerned her after all. If Liam got his hands on the Ankh he'd be coming after her next. He made it perfectly clear last spring during their parley that she was the only one who could wield it.

With that thought she uttered impatiently, "Sugah why don't you just spit it out already?"

Xander turned and looked at her funny . . . AGAIN . . . and if he didn't stop doing that she was going to be setting him straighter than a preacher on Sunday.

If he expected her to hang on his every word like she had before, he had another thing coming.

He cleared his throat and looked a little dejected that she had taken the wind out of his sails, as she thought good maybe he'll learn the whole darm world doesn't revolve around him.

"Rumor has it they moved the Ankh to a more secure location that's even more top secret. I mean next level secret, because if I don't know –with my affinity for gossip – then nobody knows. We can rest easy he won't be getting his hands on it. Nobody will."

There were more than a few audible sighs of relief and a few exchanged happy looks. If Liam had gotten his hands on the Ankh, a tool that could reanimate the dead and control the undead it would have been a real deal breaker. It would have been an all hands on deck situation and every halfblood from here to Cairo would have been conscripted early. Now they actually had a real chance at a normal teen existence.

Well at least as normal as a halfblood could get.

Zach cut through the congratulatory moment to ask, "Have you heard anything about Liam?"

"Yeah actually, I've heard he's over in Europe stirring up trouble there and has been for a couple of months. Apparently he's looking for allies through the magical races for the halfblood cause."

"As if the Berserkers weren't enough," Megan snorted and rolled her eyes as she stuffed one of her fries into Cam's mouth.

Kelly couldn't help, but think -- as her mouth watered -- the misfits eating habits were shameful. Would it absolutely kill them to eat a salad once and awhile? She stuffed her grilled chicken green salad into her mouth with gusto, and swigged back a big gulp of water to trick her stomach into feeling that it was full.

It was back to training today and she had some muscle to lose. Hopefully their trainers wouldn't expect too much of them on their first day back, but knowing them, they'll gleefully put them through their paces as per usual.