Alright welcome to the fourth book of the Garde series. This is the first book I've ever cowrited and honestly it probably wouldn't exist without the ideas and encouragement of my cowriter. So please thank Pittacos lore for helping bring this book to life.

Chapter 1

Kat slammed the door shut and marched into the cabin, shifting back to herself as she threw herself onto the couch with a groan.

Taylor raised an eyebrow as Issy scoffed and marched out, shifting into Riley.

Riley was on the floor letting out another moan as Taylor forced her leg down towards her.

Taylor chuckled. "Alright release." She smiled, letting go of Riley's leg.

Riley let out a sigh in relief as she let her leg down onto the floor and righted herself. "What's up?" She asked Kat.

Taylor snorted. "Watch the tube."

Riley let out another moan and flopped back onto the living room floor. "When are you taking this forsaken tube out? I am very capable of eating by now." She huffed impatiently. "I can walk, I can talk, I can even run short distances. When does it come out?"

Taylor raised an eyebrow as she looked at the girl on the floor. "In about forty more pounds missy."

Riley groaned. "Your holding my high metabolism against me. That's not fair." She complained. "I've stopped slipping ribs isn't that enough?" She huffed. "And Malcolm says my ATP levels are back to their normal unreasonable rates. So my metabolism is back to its standard high. Not meltdown high." She argued. "It's been two months, I've regained twenty pounds."

Taylor chuckled. "I wonder if this was what your father was like after losing his arm." She smirked. "And no, you still need to gain forty more pounds." She remarked. "So stop whining."

Riley threw an arm over her face and let out another deep moan. "You are so enjoying this."

Kat snorted and lifted her smirking face over the end of the couch. "You poor thing. Having to eat and exercise and sleep all day." She teased.

"Don't make me hurt you Goode," Riley teasingly threatened, propping herself up on her elbows. "I'm not a complete invalid."

Kat barked a laugh. "That's the thanks I get for saving your butt?"

A pillow whacked Kat on the back of the head.

"Riley Lexa, no legacies." Taylor scolded. "We've discussed this. Physical activity first. Legacies only burn more calories."

Kat snickered. "Ha Ha."

Riley stuck her tongue out. "Bite me. You suffer ten months of the cure and then be subjected to the Sargent over there." She playfully huffed.

"May I remind you of my eczema flares? And all the locations she had to put cream? Her bedside manner is atrocious." Kat shot back with a smirk.

Taylor snorted. "Only because I know you two don't have any bedside manner either." She smirked at the two.

Kat and Riley both feigned offense. Kat clapped her hands and sat up. "Besides we got more pressing manners. Because Phil was bad enough, what's with the new kid? He almost called me out." She scoffed, throwing her hands up. "He doesn't even know the real the Riley, how the heck did he know the difference? With Phil I could understand because he knew Riley before Issy and I took over her life. But this new Jay dude? What gives?" Kat spoke furiously, her eyebrows scrunched in annoyance.

Taylor let out a sigh as she grabbed her tablet off the bar and leaned against it. "Jay is new, you'd get along swimmingly. He has a taste for destruction to" she smirked at Kat.

"I only destroy when I find it necessary." Kat argued, crossing her arms.

Riley got up to sit next to Kat. "Or entertaining." She quipped with a smug look.

"Shut up." Kat smirked at Riley.

"Jay is a confirmed telepath. He probably figured it out just like Phil did." Taylor shrugged.

Riley tapped on Kat's head. "The voice in there doesn't match the voice that comes out of your mouth." She teased.

Kat snatched Riley's hand and grinned. "Would you like me to return the favor?" She remarked with a mischievous grin.

"Bring it Goode." Kat put Riley in a headlock and started giving her a noogie. "Your mouth is troublesome." She laughed as Riley collapsed into a fit of giggles.

Taylor chuckled. "Alright don't damage the invalid." She remarked.

Kat released Riley and leaned back to laugh,

Riley flopped onto Kat lap giggling. "I am not fragile." She remarked unable to stop laughing. Kat's laugh was contagious. "My father didn't raise a porcelain doll." She smirked at Taylor.

"Don't damage your progress. While you two sort it out I'm gonna go make your afternoon protein shake." Taylor chuckled, walking around the peninsula and into the kitchen.

Kat smirked and flopped Riley's hair in her face. "So what happens when we let you out in public with your blue hair?" She teased.

"Maybe I'll be allowed to use my legacies." Riley spoke a little louder than necessary. "And have a handle on shapeshifting." She smirked, reaching up to toy with Kats cobalt blue strands.

"Nah I feel like you'll be dying yours." Kat teased, flopping more hair in Riley's face.

"Probably by the time the Sargent lets me free we'll be taking the Academy." She smirked mischievously.

"You have way more physical therapy and legacy training before that." Taylor reminded, walking in with a glass full of brown mush.

Riley wrinkled her nose at it.

"It's chocolate." Taylor suggested, placing it on the coffee table.

"That worked the first time." Riley scowled, reaching for the nasty drink.


Was she a terrible patient? Potentially but it was her father's plan. And John had powered up her Xithras crystal with his invisibility before he left last week in case of emergency. She was supposed to bring her father some files he forgot. He would be in his office by 10:30 a.m. at the latest. And well it was barely 10 but she was sneaking into the main office building anyways. Clutching the Xithras crystal tightly as she snuck upstairs and went down the hall. But froze when she made the corner and saw his office door ajar. She slowly approached it and tried to take a peek but she couldn't see anything. She could hear papers being moved around though. So she inched the door open to peek.

Was this a friend or foe?

She wanted to curse the door out though as its hinges creaked when she nudged it open wide enough to slip through. Because the boy at the desk wasn't anyone she knew or anyone who belonged in this office alone. She couldn't help but freeze at the sight. She knew she was invisible but it was a reflex.

"I can hear you." He quietly remarked, not looking up from the paperwork he was looking through.

Riley now was definitely irked. Who was he to think he could waltz in and own the place? Besides, her father kept nothing useful in his office.

"If your trying to spy on me why don't you tell your mind to shut up? It's very informative." He remarked casually.

She grinded her teeth and shut the door. Dropping the Xirathas crystal on the table by the couch. "I only have room for one cocky jerk in my life." She growled, muscles tensing. "And regretfully I can't punch him. You on the other hand are trespassing in my father's office so I see no reason to not punch that smirk straight off your face." She threatened.

Jay calmly looked through the papers not affected by Riley's approach. "I wouldn't do that if I were you" As Riley got a few inches closer Jay started talking "I mean if you brought me to security, how would you explain the second you?" Jay put down the papers and looked at Riley full of confidence. "And if you brought me in, I would have to tell them about your legacies." Jay went on. " And your secret meetings with Malcolm, Lexa, and your dad, all the times Number four was here, and all there is to say about your resistance friends. Y'all been doing alot of things, I'm sure you wouldn't want EG hearing. " said Jay as he got close to Riley.

"What makes you think I won't tell." Riley said.

"Cause you're smarter than what people give your record for, and you can see that if you burn me... I burn you. " Jay said with a calm smile.

Riley the room just enters in a moment of pure silence.

"Yeah there's not alot of escapes here." Jay said. "So... why don't you leave this room, close the door, and forget you ever saw me. Ok."

Riley scoffed and snatched her Xirthas crystal off the table. Disappearing from sight. "This isn't over." She growled, marching out and slamming the door behind her.


Kat felt like a walking sore by lunch but she was trying to ignore it. She was going to have to demand to know why the steroids weren't working when she switched out with Issy. It'd been two weeks. Last time it took four days. But she had to focus and ignore all the itching she felt at the moment. She had Riley's Xithras crystal in her pocket if it came down to it. But this was the only free time in the morning to early afternoon where she could corner this Jay character. She'd dealt with know it alls in the resistance and it was all about dominance. Time to put the rookie in his place. And then go switch with Issy and take a nice soothing oatmeal bath.

Focus. Punch the newbie into place and then focus on eczema flare. She found him in the corner reading a notebook. "Jay, a word? Preferably outside?" She asked. But her tone made it clear she wasn't asking.

He didn't even twitch.

"Don't make me drag you. It'd be my pleasure ya little punk." She threatened, leaning on the table across from him.

"I'd think you'd have learned from yesterday's interaction but since you aren't the same Riley I guess I'm gonna have to repeat myself." He casually spoke quietly, never looking up from the notebook. "It'd be a shame if anyone were to find out the one and only Katarina Goode was in the Academy. How would that look for your friends? Here and in the resistance?" He spoke quietly, completely undisturbed by Kat.

Kat leaned forward. "Why you little-"

Jay smirked at her as he finally met her eyes. "Easy Katarina." He quietly mocked. "Don't you have an oatmeal bath to be getting to?" He asked curiously. "I recommend you and your friend get some anger management lessons. Now go switch out with Issy. She seems to be the most docile of the three of you." He suggested quietly as he went back to his notebook.

Kat growled. "I will find out how to hurt you. Trust me."

"You can try Kat, but that won't work." Jay said.

Kat stopped at those words and just got angrier.

"That won't work either. " Jay said. "I mean I don't even know where you'd find a steamroller."

Kat was shaking with frustration. "Stay out of my mind!" She snapped impatiently.

"I would, but it's a very funny place." Jay remarked.

"There is something you care about in this world. I will find it. And I will crush it if you don't knock this act off." She growled, muscles twitching. Everyone had a soft spot. Even the cockiest people.

"Anyone ever told yah, you're cute when you get angry?" Jay said with a grin.

Kat looked confused at that. "Excuse me? What are you playing at?" She snapped. Although she really was confused. What did he mean by that?

"No, it's just that... your angry face it's a little cute, yah know." Jay answered.

Kat scowled at him. Hoping Riley's cheeks weren't burning. Maybe that was just the eczema talking. "Stop saying that." She snapped. "I don't know what you think you're playing at but stop saying that."

"But im not playing anything, it's just the truth. It's really cute." Jay said as he pot down his notebook..

She couldn't imagine why such a small word bothered her. "If only I believed anything you said was the truth." She huffed, plopping down onto the bench. "This must be some odd mind game."

"It's... no game seriously." Jay said as he sat next to her. "Look I think we had a rough start. I don't want to harm any of you, I just don't want you in the middle, ok Cutrina?"

Kat huffed and jerked away from him. "It's Riley." She growled. "No one says my full name." She scowled. "And I'm already in the middle. You're sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."

"Suit yourself, but if y'all ever wanna talk for peace, you know where to find me." Jay said as he went back to his notebook.

Kat simply growled and grumbled as she walked away.

"And for the record... I wasn't playing or lying with that cute thing. So see ya around Cutrina." Jay said as Kat walked away.

Kat tensed. She prayed to Lorien no one heard him say her name. Because if that twerp blows her cover so help her. She would pummel him. But why was the word cute bothering her so much?


Riley dodged Kat's punch and delivered a sharp blow to Kat's sternum. Kat grunted and retaliated with a blow to Riley's side. Riley winced but didn't go down. "Weak." She smirked. "Or should I say cute?" She chuckled.

Kat scowled at her friend which gave Riley the perfect opportunity to punch her in the throat. Kat went down on the wood floor with a smack. Giving Riley a dirty look as she sat up. "Your not letting me live that down are you?" She asked with a sigh.

"That our new irritation is flirting with you? No way." Riley smirked, giving Kat a hand.

Kat accepted it and got her feet under her again. "That is unfair. I have nothing to harass you about." She smirked.

Riley snorted. "I also don't know if I should be offended that he flirted with you and not me. Cutearina." She chuckled. She headed for the stairs to Malcolm's lab. "Come on. Before the warden comes to claim my soul and shove another awful protein shake down my throat." She smirked.

Kat followed her with a snicker. Heading up to the observation deck and into Malcolm's lab.

"So what have we missed in the grand scheme of things?" Riley asked.

"That we better either get a handle on this Jay or risk setting Gia off. Because Ceci in light of this info thinks we should shut the Resistance out of the Academy for now. The macrocosm would be the only line of communication with the resistance and Gia ain't happy. But I see Cecilia's point in the fact that if our new pest finds Gia's backdoor he can have us and the resistance at his mercy. And this isn't exactly the time to put everything at stake." Lexa spoke in annoyance, dark eyes stormy.

"We came to a conclusion that we got twenty four hours to decide if he's a friend or foe before making any drastic decisions." Nine sighed, crystal on the table in front of him.

"Because all the stars are aligned for a strike on the HGA on August 31st. We can't have these screw ups. And I think Gia also mentioned something about we are two months and three weeks away from it." Malcolm remarked.

"Can we talk about something less aggravating?" Lexa sighed.

"Like the fact that EGs cure is made of Mogadorian goop and we don't know where their getting it?" Taylor drawled, looking up from a microscope.

Nine face planted on the table. "How is that less aggravating?"

Taylor shrugged. "It's at least a change of subject. Unless we want to spitball how to get a handle on this Jay kid before he implodes the Resistance and all of us."

Kat sighed and leaned against the doorframe. "I don't think he wants to implode the Resistance. He seemed honestly concerned about me getting in the middle of his research."

Riley snorted and made kissing noises at Kat.

Taylor smirked before sighing. "But that doesn't mean he's friendly. Remember, EG ain't the only people out there interested in HGs."

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "You suspect the Foundation?" He cocked his head.

Taylor shrugged. "If he's researching EG as well the Resistance I wouldn't doubt it. The Foundation would love to see EG fall. Especially at the hands of a bunch of angry teenagers."

"May I point out that last time we thought those two hated each other we found out EG and the Foundation were in bed together?" Nine pointed out with a weary face.

Riley snorted. "What do you think the resistance is a bunch of angry teenagers?" She smirked.

Kat feigned offense. "I am hurt that you think so. We are so much more." She chuckled.

"Ah yes because there's the angsty teens, the sad teens, the morbid teens, and the happy teens too." Nine teased.

Kat stuck her tongue out at him. "Bite me cripple."

Lexa snorted. "Play nice you two. Now doesn't Riley and her other half have some homework?" She smirked.

Riley let out a groan as Kat cracked up. "Then more Resistance planning."


Riley was in the kitchen with a full layout of the Academy on the island. She had the crystal in one hand and was talking to Casey. She was completely alone this morning, Kat would be back for lunch and Issy was sleeping in Taylor's cabin. "So repeat that to me again. We've discussed how to get through the perimeter guards." Riley replied through the crystal.

"Six is leading a group of Terrics up to the airfield to destroy the place so EG can get no air support. I am gonna be leading the main force into the Academy while Ceci, Violet and others are playing with the guards." Casey explained. "Any holes yet?"

Riley chuckled as she checked the diagram of the Academy. "Who in their right mind put Violet in charge of anything? No offense. Isn't she like the crazy chick?"

Casey chuckled. "Sociopath. And yes, she is nuts in her own way but she's got a couple thousand bones to pick with EG and she's good at distracting. Although she does have a tendency to get carried away and break her toys."

"That's nice." Riley drawled.

"There will also be Terric and Strumas guarding the exits and entrances so we don't have any company." Casey remarked. "Lexa is incharge of taking down any and all tech. There will be no communicating with the outside world for EG either. She will also be taking down all the tech defenses so we don't set off any alarms."

Riley chuckled. "This is gonna be amazing. EG is gonna be beside themselves."

Casey snorted.

"Have we decided if we're taking prisoners or just take no prisoners leave no survivors?" Riley asked curiously.

"That is a heated debate because it's a split decision. Yes EG has done some terrible things but they've never killed us. Although Ceci did argue the whole cure thing has killed a total of 30 some HGs. So there is that." He sighed. "But she's a little distracted with this whole Jay situation. Any updates on that?"

Riley sighed. "Not in the slightest. I am not allowed to use any legacies until next week. So I'm clueless until Kat comes back. Although my father was wondering if John could come back before next week. He's worried that Jay might try to investigate the cabin next. He's looking for intel and there isn't much of interest in his office." She sighed.

Casey snorted. "What have you turned into a porcelain doll while you were gone? Scared of a teenage boy?" He taunted.

"Casey Raya I will reach through this crystal and put you in a world of pain." Riley threatened.

"He now has me for that." Destiny quipped. "I hate to break up the fun but Six is requesting his presence on the training field."

Casey gave an aggrieved sigh. "Coming. Talk to you later Riley."

Riley snickered. "Now who's scared?"

Casey scoffed. "Six is a fierce woman. Jay is a little teenage boy you can probably pummel in your sleep."

Destiny laughed. "Goodbye Riley."

Riley sighed as the crystal went dark. Would Jay really try to break into the cabin?