Chapter 63: CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE | FAMILIAR

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE | FAMILIAR

ASPEN

Fear grabbed me the second these strange people surrounded us.

Rachel squeezed in behind me so hard I felt her breath on my neck. Ronan moved in front of me, and I saw his hand dip into his pocket. A knife flashed in his grip.

I froze for half a second. He had a knife?

There was no time to ask because the men lunged, and everything broke loose at once.

Ronan went for the closest one without thinking, his body moving fast and sharp, like this wasn’t new to him. The sound of metal filled the air.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the pen. It felt small in my palm, but my body remembered. It was a skill Adrian taught me. My body remembered how his hands guided mine, where to strike, and how close or fast I should be.

I drove the pen forward and felt it hit flesh. The man cried out and stumbled back, and a red liquid splashed on my hand.

Another came at me. I ducked and slashed and missed. My shoulder slammed into someone else, and Rachel shouted behind me.

I turned just in time to see her kick a man in the knee and drive her elbow into his throat, and he dropped fast.

I stared in disbelief. Rachel could fight? Well, no time to think about it.

More men poured in. Jeez. Everywhere I turned, there was black cloth and metal.

Ronan’s breathing was loud now. Rachel’s too. We moved back until our backs hit each other.

It was now three of us against thirteen men.

“Fuck! Where did they come from?” Rachel gasped.

“I have no idea,” Ronan said between breaths.

My chest burned. My fingers were slippery with sweat and blood. I tightened my grip on the pen as I watched them circle us.

Their steps were slow, and I could feel their eyes watching us. I glanced past them, and I realized there were no guards in sight. Not even movement. It was like the guards in the school had vanished into thin air.

Fuck. I muttered it without meaning to.

Another rushed me. I stepped sideways and rammed the pen into his arm. He howled and swung blindly. I ducked and felt air rush past my head.

Someone grabbed my jacket from behind.

I twisted and elbowed hard. He staggered but didn’t fall. Rachel shoved him away from me and hissed, “Stay close.”

I nodded, my heart slamming so hard it hurt.

A blade sliced past Ronan’s arm. He cursed and kicked the man away.

They were enjoying this. I could see it in how they moved. They were patient and confident.

My arms were starting to feel heavy.

Another came at me, and I blocked my forearm. Pain shot up my bones. I bit back a sound and stabbed forward again.

He fell, and I didn’t bother to look at him.

My arms were starting to shake. I felt it first in my wrists, then my shoulders. Every movement took more effort than the last. I could see it in the others too. Ronan’s steps were slower, and Rachel’s breathing had become rough and uneven, sweat running down her face and mixing with dirt.

We were getting tired. I'm really tired.

A man broke from the circle and charged straight at me. His sword was raised high. Very high. I tried to move, but my feet felt stuck. Fuck.

Then, out of nowhere, an arrow flew from the sky. It sliced through the air and buried itself deep into his neck.

He made a choking sound, and blood sprayed out, hot and thick, splashing across my face. I flinched as he dropped in front of me, his body hitting the ground hard.

Before I could even process it, more figures rushed in from the darkness. Not in black. These ones wore yellow bands tied around their heads.

They moved faster than us as they clashed into the men in black with force, blades flashing and bodies crashing. The sound of steel was louder now.

Ronan laughed. I mean, he actually laughed. I hadn’t seen him laugh like that in a long while. Relief washed over his face, and for the first time since this started, I breathed properly.

The men with yellow bands overpowered them quickly. One by one, the black-clad men fell. Some tried to run, but they didn’t get far.

When it was over, silence came back slowly, and familiar footsteps approached.

Brian stepped forward, a sword in his hand. Blood dripped from its edge and hit the ground.

“Brian,” I called out without thinking. The rest were surprised by my sudden outburst. I was shocked too.

Ronan turned to him. “How did you know?”

Brian wiped his blade on the grass. “We were waiting at the tunnel,” he said. “And you were late.”

He looked around once before continuing. “One of my guys went to take a bathroom break. He found another entrance into the school, and there were footprints around the place. That was when we suspected something was wrong, so we followed the footprints.”

Rachel let out a breath and laughed weakly. “I really thought I was going to die.”

Brian smirked. “You didn’t.”

I looked around at the bodies. My stomach twisted. “What about them?” I asked. “And the guards?”

Ronan wiped his knife on his pants. “I saw them carrying a black sack earlier,” he said. “It’s slumber magic. It can put anyone out if poured in your direction. That was probably what they used on the guards.”

Brian nodded. “But they’ll wake up.”

He pointed behind him. “Our people will help with the bodies.”

Rachel frowned. “Who are they?”

As they moved closer, my eyes caught something. Their hands.

“What’s that?” I asked, confusion written on my face.

“What?” Ronan asked, and I felt him freeze instantly.

“Is there a problem?” Brian asked after noticing our reactions.

Ronan lifted his hand slowly and pointed. “Their palms.”

Brian looked. “Is that the tattoo?”

The symbol was carved into their skin. It was creepy, yet it felt familiar. So familiar that I felt drawn to it, like it was calling me.

“Yes,” Ronan said quietly.

What is this?