Chapter 13 The attack
Naomi
“Your eyes.” He lifted a shaky finger toward my face. My eyes squinted, like I could actually see what he was talking about.
“What’s wrong with my eyes?”
He blinked and shook his head. “Nothing. You can leave now. It was just an uncomfortable situation you found me in. You don’t have to raise an alarm.”
He stood and straightened his clothes like he hadn’t just been on the floor looking pale. I stood and looked at him. He didn’t look pale anymore. Did I see something else?
He moved to sit at his desk. He glanced around a few times, like he wanted to make sure no one else had seen what just happened. What he said next confirmed what was in my head.
“No one else should know about this. And you’re going to keep it just like I’ve kept your secret as well.”
I arched a brow. “Just like he had kept my own secrets?”
“I have no secrets,” I seethed and left his office, forgetting what I’d come there to do.
I went back to class. There was no class this morning until after lunch break, so the students just sat around talking.
“Have you heard about the fire incident that happened at Xylos yesterday?” I turned to my side to see Benita sliding into my seat. She kept her book on the table and faced me.
“I haven’t heard anything.” I feigned innocence and paid her no attention.
The news had spread throughout the city last night. Reports said a group of people had attempted to set Xylos on fire. Experts suspected it to be werewolves, although that was yet to be confirmed by the official news reports in Teran.
So yes, I’d heard about the news, but I was in no mood to talk to her. She had been getting close to me lately, and I didn’t know what she was aiming for since we’d never been close in any way.
“Oh. I heard that—”
“I need to reach the library.” I stood up with my bag in hand. I gave her a small, apologetic smile. She nodded, and I stepped out of the class. I’d rather bury myself in books than stay and talk with them.
Before I went to bed that night, Calix sent a message to the Scourge group.
“The attackers at Xylos have been identified as werewolves. This means they’re among us. We practically have no rest time. We have a hunt by 10 p.m. tonight, and the boy groups will be joining as well.”
I sat upright and stared at the message again.
10:00 p.m.
I scrolled down my notification bar. It was 9:30 p.m. I had less than thirty minutes to get ready.
What was all this for? I had almost gotten myself into danger last time, and now this? My back hit the bed and I wished I could stay.
I got dressed in black joggers and a big brown T-shirt. In my black satchel bag were the silver needle, a small dagger, and my cell phone in case we got any notifications. I had my sword as well.
Ma’a was in the living room watching TV when I got downstairs. She was not going to like this.
Her head whipped from the TV to me. “Where are you going at this time of the night, dressed like that?” She studied me with raised brows. Her eyes moved to the sword, which definitely made me look like a hunter.
“The Scourge, Ma’a. And before you start complaining, know that I don’t like this either. Maybe you can tell them to get me out of it.”
I had to beat her to it. She needed to find a way to tell the school to excuse me from this thing.
“I’ll see what I can do. Be careful.”
Moments later, we were at Xylos, in front of the gates. I glanced around. The fire hadn’t even penetrated the first gate, and these people were making a fuss about it. Calix was already present. I stood behind the crowd facing her.
“I don’t want any mistakes like what happened last time. You all have to walk together. And Naomi…”
My head snapped toward her.
“This goes especially for you. You don’t leave anyone behind.”
“The guys left already. They went down the river. We’ll take the opposite side.”
We were paired in twos this time, not threes.
It was pitch-black. You could barely see anything. There was no moon to light our path. We would have been walking in complete darkness if the school hadn’t provided flashlights.
“Hey, are you trying to leave me behind? Remember we have to walk together.”
The student I was paired with joined me, her eyes frantically looking around.
I didn’t even know her name, and I didn’t care.
“You can stay behind for all I care,” I said, walking ahead. I didn’t know where I was going.
“No! Holy God, save me!” she screamed. A sharp ache crossed my chest, making my heart pound. I turned quickly to see her jumping around like she’d stepped on a snake.
“What is wrong with you?” I yelled, looking at the soil—maybe it was indeed a snake.
“Hey, you all calm down. It’s just me.”
Our lights flashed onto Archer, her hands raised like she was surrendering.
“Why aren’t you all hunting?” Benita, who was becoming talkative, stepped into the light.
The rest of the students began emerging from the dark.
“What is going on? Why is everyone suddenly stopping here?”
The final person to join was Calix, and she looked just as perplexed as the rest of us.
“This isn’t right. Something is happening,” I said. The others started flashing their lights around, looking for answers.
“What is going on?” Calix asked this time.
“I have no idea either.”
Was this some kind of game? Déjà vu?
Then there was a loud howl just at the corner. Before we could react, heavy beastly footsteps echoed around us. The largest furry animal I had ever seen lurched at us, grabbing Calix first.
Its teeth sank into her right calf as she tried to scramble away.
“Run! Run!” someone shouted, grabbing my hand, but I was too lost to move.
Another one leaped from the bushes onto a student next to Calix. Soon, we were surrounded.
We pulled out our swords. I tried to reach for the silver needle when I felt a sharp pain on my right hand.
Horror.
My eyes widened as I saw flesh torn out of my hand along with a piece of my clothes.
I couldn’t scream. No tears ran down my face. It was like the bite numbed my pain receptors. I felt nothing—just watched the blood drip down my arm like a waterfall.
A bright blue light at the corner of my eye caught my attention. That animal from last time.
I watched as it leaped onto the wolf holding Calix. The other animals must have felt its presence because they fled. The blue-eyed creature struggled briefly with the wolf on Calix before it released her and sprinted off. The blue-eyed one followed behind chasing the others into the dark.
“Is everyone okay?” panicked voices called.
Julian and his group.
His eyes landed on me before he moved to kneel beside his sister.
“You need to stop looking at me like that,” He muttered, “and find a way to tie that hideous gash on your hand.”