His new stepsister His biggest threat (Claire and Elijah) novel Chapter 240

Chapter 240

Claire’s POV

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The Tuesday morning sun felt like a personal insult. My legs were still caked in dried marsh mud, and my hair smelled like a swamp, but there was no time to dwell on it.

Julian was officially in play, and according to the school’s digital New Student” board, he was already in the building.

“He’s in my European History class,” Felix whispered as we huddled by the lockers. He looked like he’d drank six espressos. “He sat right in the front row. He even brought his own fountain pen. Who does that?”

“Someone who wants to look like they aren’t a high-ranking tracker,” Elijah said. He was leaning against the locker next to mine, his eyes scanning the crowd.

He looked calm, but I could see the tension in his jaw. “Did he say anything to you?”

“He asked me if the cafeteria served organic kale,” Felix said, rolling his eyes. “Then he winked at me. It was the most threatening wink I’ve ever seen in my life.”

I pulled my chemistry book from my locker. “We need to act normal. If he sees us whispering in a corner, he’ll know we’re on edge.”

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“Normal is hard when a Southern Sentinel is stalking the hallways,” Elijah muttered. He reached out and squeezed my hand. “But you’re right. Let’s get to class.”

As we walked down the main hall, the usual pre-class chaos was in full swing. But there was a new pocket of silence near the library.

Standing there, surrounded by a group of curious cheerleaders, as Julian. He was wearing a navy blazer and khakis. He looked like he’d stepped out of a private school catalog.

When he saw us, he didn’t hide. He smiled and waved. “Good morning, friends! Sleep well?”

“Like a log,” Elijah said, not slowing down.

“So glad to hear it!” Julian called after us. “The mountain air really is restorative, isn’t it? Though I hear the southern marshes can be a bit damp this time of year.”

I kept walking, my heart hitting a steady 78 bpm. “Just ignore him, Elijah. He’s baiting us.”

“I know,” Elijah whispered. “But the fact that he’s doing it in public means he doesn’t care who knows he’s watching us.”

The day was a series of awkward encounters. Julian seemed to be everywhere. He was in the cafeteria, eating a salad and discussing Shakespeare with the English teachers.

He was in the gym, watching the wrestling team with an analytical gaze. He never approached us again, but his presence was like a heavy weight in the room.

During lunch, Valerius joined us at our usual table. She didn’t ask for permission; she just sat down and started eating an apple.

“Julian is a bit much, isn’t he?” she asked, her voice low.

“He’s a nightmare,” Felix said. “He asked the librarian for a list of local geological surveys. He’s not even trying to be subtle.”

“He doesn’t have to be,” Val said. She looked at me, her green eye serious. “My father sent him to be the ‘hammer’ I’m the ‘eyes, but Julian is the one who breaks things when the audit go wrong.”

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Chapter 240

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“Why are you telling us this, Val?” I asked. “Aren’t you on his side

Val took a bite of her apple and chewed slowly. “I’m on the side of the Council. But I also live here now. And I’ve noticed that when Julian breaks things, people get hurt. People who haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Like Claire, Elijah said, his voice a low growl.

“Like everyone,” Val corrected. She leaned in. “He’s planning a ‘field trip’ this afternoon. He wants to see the Silver Well in the northern peaks. He’s already requested a guide from the school Board.”

“The Silver Well?” I asked. “That’s the most powerful one.”

“It’s also the most unstable,” Elijah said. He looked at Felix. “If he goes up there without us, he’ll find the Reed sensors. And he’ll know we haven’t touched them yet.”

“Then we go with him,” I said. “If the school board is sending a guide, we’ll volunteer. Elijah, you’re the captain of the hockey team. You know those trails better than anyone.”

“It’s a trap, Claire,” Elijah said.

“Everything is a trap,” I replied. “But if we stay here, we’re giving him the Well. If we go, we have a chance to neutralize the node while he’s distracted.”

Elijah looked at me for a long time. Finally, he nodded. “Okay. Felix, get the portable jammer ready. We’re going on a field trip.”

The afternoon hike was organized under the guise of an “Environmental Science” scouting mission. There were six of us: Elijah, me, Felix, Julian, Val, and a very confused teacher named Mr. Henderson.

The trail to the Silver Well was steep and rocky. The air grew thinner and colder as we climbed. Julian led the way, chatting happily about the local flora as if he were a tourist.

“It’s fascinating how the silver-birch grows so high up here,” Julian said, pausing to touch a tree trunk. “It almost feels like the ground itself is feeding them something special.”

“It’s just good soil, Julian,” Elijah said, his eyes scanning the ridge

We reached the summit an hour later. The Silver Well was a deep, natural spring tucked into a bowl of granite.

The water was so clear it looked like liquid glass. Even without the sensors, I could feel the power of the place. It felt like a low hum in my bones.

“Beautiful,” Julian said, standing at the edge of the water. He pulled a small device from his pocket-a professional-grade thermal scanner. “Wait. My readings are a bit off. There seems to be some interference coming from that rock formation.”

He pointed directly at the spot where the Reed sensor was hidden.

“Maybe it’s the mineral content in the granite,” I suggested, stepping toward the rocks. I felt Felix nudge my arm. He was holding the jammer in his pocket.

“Perhaps,” Julian said, walking toward the rocks. “Or perhaps it’s something more… artificial.”

He reached behind a large boulder and pulled out a sleek, black mode. It was identical to the one in the ravine. He held it up, a triumphant look in his eyes.

“Well, well,” Julian said. “It looks like the Reeds left a little parting gift. I wonder why the Hale sentinels haven’t found this yet?”

“We were getting to it,” Elijah said, his hand dropping to the knif at his belt.

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Chapter 240

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“I’m sure you were,” Julian said. He turned the node over in his hands. “But wait… this one is still active. It’s broadcasting a high-frequency pulse. Very interesting.”

He looked at me, his smile widening. “Claire, would you mind stepping a bit closer? I want to see how this frequency affects your… unique biology.”

Elijah stepped in front of me. “That’s enough, Julian.”

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic, Elijah,” Julian said. “It’s just a test. For the audit.”

Suddenly, the node in his hand let out a sharp, high-pitched whine. The water in the spring began to ripple, glowing with at bright, silver light. My heart monitor started to beep-a rapid, panicked sound. 110 bpm.

“Felix! Now!” I shouted.

Felix slammed the jammer button. A pulse of invisible energy

hit the node, and the silver light exploded. Julian was thrown back by the force of the discharge, the node slipping from his hands and shattering against the rocks.

The silence that followed was deafening. Mr. Henderson was staring at us, his mouth hanging open. Val was looking at the broken node with a mix of shock and amusement.

Julian scrambled to his feet, his navy blazer torn at the shoulder||

He wasn’t smiling anymore. He looked at the shattered pieces of the Council tech, then at Elijah.

“You destroyed Council property,” Julian said, his voice cold and flat.

“I destroyed a Reed trespasser,” Elijah corrected. “On my land.”

Julian stared at him for a long beat. Then, he slowly brushed the dust off his pants. “I see. Well, I suppose the report will have to be a bit more… detailed than I planned.”

He turned to Mr. Henderson. “I think we’ve seen enough for today, don’t you? It’s getting late.”

As we walked back down the mountain, the victory felt hollow. We had stopped Julian from using the node, but we had also shown our hand. The audit wasn’t just a series of questions anymore. It was a confrontation.

“He’s going to tell Marcus,” I whispered to Elijah as we reached the truck.

“Let him,” Elijah said. He looked back at the mountain peaks. “He knows now that we aren’t afraid of his toys. We’re the Hales. And the Silver Well belongs to us.”

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