“I’m really sorry you didn’t get pardoned,” Charlie apologized. “I know you wanted to get out.”
Kallie let out a breath. “Yeah, well… maybe it’s a good thing I’m staying.”
She glanced at Marcus, and I knew. Kallie was disappointed, but she hadn’t wanted to leave her friends, nor her mate.
“Anyway…” Kallie straightened up. “I’m stuck here as long as you guys are, so might as well make the most of it. What are we doing today?”
“Making a video,” Ez responded. “Do you want to be in it?”
“Sure.”
We got into our places, and Professor Warbright came in.
“I’m glad you’re all taking initiative,” Warbright said pleasantly. “Mrs. Wahkin, I hope you don’t find this odd, but I’ve been a fan of your vlog since you showed it to me early this semester. It’s smashing you’re getting back at it.”
“Thanks, Professor.” Nicest teacher ever, I swear.
“I’m here for supervision and guidance only, so go ahead and play what you wish,” Warbright said.
Ez pressed therecordbutton on the camera, then narrowed his eyes. “Hold on. The angle’s off.” He took the camera off the stand and began adjusting the settings.
The door burst in. Our heads snapped to the side as the sound of stomping boots rampaged into the room. Twelve guards burst in, carrying noxite guns and fully armed.
“Get up against the wall!” a guard shouted. He grabbed Kallie by the back of the neck and shoved her forward. She smacked against the concrete, and another guard lunged for Marcus. He yelped and dropped his sketchbook as he was pinned beside Kallie.
The guards ripped me out of my chair and threw me on the floor. I cried out in pain as my side hit the ground. Oberi and Charlie both rushed to help. The guards kicked my chair over, and Charlie dragged me to the wall before they could touch me again. Oberi and Tahoma stood in front of us, flaring their nostrils in a warning for the guards to stay back.
Opal started crying as she turned toward the wall and put her hands behind her head. Ez followed her lead. I watched his hands shake as he took them out of his hoodie pocket and placed them against the stone.
“This is unjust!” Kallie screeched. “We weren’t doing anything wrong!”
“Do as they say, please,” Warbright said hurriedly, appearing both terrified and bewildered. “What is the meaning of this?”
The guards didn’t answer him. Instead, once they had everyone up against the wall, they forced us to turn around. I remained on my place on the floor, completely helpless as I clung to Charlie’s legs.
There was a loud ripping sound as guards began to tear apart sheet music. The papers fluttered in the air like rain as the guards tossed them into the air, then grabbed the instruments. A whistling sound pierced my ears as a flute flew across the room and broke against the wall. One guard put his gun through a drum, and another swung a saxophone in the air, smashing it against the floor. The acoustic guitar Ez played was broken in half as a guard slammed it up against the piano bench.
They were destroying our instruments. Every last one.
“Please stop!” Warbright begged, waving his arms. “Stop, stop,stop!”
“Music is hereby banned at the Institute,” the guard growled. “By order of the Warden.”
Charlie went to take a step forward, but I grabbed his legs tightly so he couldn’t move.
Pidge, let me go!I’m going to stop this,and I don’t want to hurt you,Charlie insisted.
You can’t.As badly as this was tearing me apart, we had to let this happen.
We’re demigods, and we’re stronger than them! I’m not letting them get away with this,he seethed.
If you stop them now, we’ll be sent to Cellblock 9 for assaulting the guards. Even demigods can’t get out of there. Then we’ll never find the merfolk key, and everything we’ve been working for all semester will be ruined.
There was an absolutely awful sound— the mournful melody of keys being smashed.
The guards began ripping apart the piano. Their guns smashed holes in the wood, while their hands ripped out strings. The piano made a sad sort of song as the keys were repeatedly mashed by the boots of the guards, until it could sing no more.
I felt Charlie’s chest compress through our bond, and his shaking hands flew over his mouth.
