Secret Super (Book 1)

22. A Family Matter

They'd been arguing for what felt like hours.

"I was just exploring," Kara kept saying. Just looking for adventure. "I hate being assigned to shitty boring missions. Museum night-guarding? Come on, our talent's being wasted."

Jace may have been too stubborn to see that, but Kara wasn't trying to convince her; she just needed her to think that the only reason Kara had been sneaking out was harmless fun.

Kara's head was swimming and her skin too hot. Purple sparks flew from her sleeves every time she moved her hand. Somewhere in the back of her head she thought, What if I just told Xavier? But she shoved that thought away.

If anything, Jace just seemed more determined. Arms crossed, eyes steely. Sidekicks weren't supposed to be this defiant.

Not that Kara was any better at following rules.

"I traced you to a power plant the day it was destroyed," Jace said flatly.

Kara scoffed, ignoring the flash of panic through her head. "What-- you think I blew it up? Why in the skies would I do that? I'm trying to be a superhero, not a supervillain! I was there because I got news of the attack and I was trying to stop it! I can't believe you don't trust me at all," she added, hoping she wasn't stretching it too far.

Jace seemed uncertain. "Even still, you could get in a lot of trouble for that."

Kara sighed. "Do you think you know better than the Council?"

"Of course not!"

"Well, they cleared me of all charges. And Harrison vouched for me. Why don't you believe them, since you're so in love with the Council?"

"They haven't been tracking you," Jace said stubbornly. And yeah, she had a point. "I can't figure out what you've been doing in some of these places! And you've been talking to a civilian. You're placing her in danger." She jutted her chin up.

Kara didn't have time for this, and she was burning up with restlessness. She lowered her voice. "Okay, I didn't wanna tell you this, Jace."

"Tell me what?" Jace raised her eyebrows but she leaned forward slightly, eyes wide.

Kara glanced away, then looked back at Jace, took a step forward. "I don't know if you're supposed to know this."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the Council's been giving me solo missions," Kara said reluctantly.

"What? Why? I'm your sidekick!"

"I know, but . . ." She bit her lip. "You know, after the whole thing with tracking your family down . . . They don't really trust you."

The shocked and hurt expression on Jace's face almost made Kara feel guilt about her lies. Almost.

Jace brushed back hair from her face. "But they trust you?" she said with something of a sneer.

"Yeah," Kara said, narrowing her eyes. "If they didn't, I'd be a sidekick."

She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth, but it was too late.

Jace straightened her back, her face a strange shade of reddish-purple. "Well, okay. You can't talk to the civilian again," she added, stern.

"I know. It was a stupid one-time thing."

"Well, okay. Talk to you later." She spun around and left the room.

*     *     *     *     *

Harrison flinched when she banged the door open and his head snapped up. As if he shouldn't have been used to Kara's entrances by now.