Page 197 of Stormbreaker

“Jackson, let go!” I shout.

I’ve always liked Jackson, but he has far too much misplaced loyalty when it comes to his friend. Months ago, he could have easily overpowered me, but they’ve all clearly forgotten what Rook and I are capable of.

I don’t want to hurt Jackson, but he’s leaving me no choice.

It’s at that moment that several things happen at once.

Rook looks up. His nose is bleeding, but a smile spreads over his face.

“What are you grinning about, asshole?” Knox sneers as Rook wrenches his arm from Sal’s grip. His fist connects with Knox’s jaw, and he goes flying.

At the same moment, I stamp on Jackson’s foot, hard enough to crunch a toe. He howls, his grip loosening, allowing me to spin around and aim a right hook for his jaw. I connect with his cheek, and he goes stumbling against the wall.

Rook has freed himself now, and the entire scene becomes a flurry of limbs and shouts as he fights them off one by one. He’s outnumbered, but it’s clear they don’t stand a chance.

Another pair of hands seizes me from behind, but I’m ready. I grab his wrist and yank, flipping him over my shoulder and onto his back. Sal lands with a thud and a groan, and though I want to kick him in the ribs as hard as I can, I resist.

These guys were sort of my friends once. They’re just a little misguided.

“Poet, what the fuck!” he howls. “Where did you learn how to do that?”

“Please,” I scoff. “What do you think I’ve been doing for the last months of cadet training?”

Jackson helps Sal up and they stumble to their feet, both facing toward me with their stances spread. While Rook continues fighting off the rest, I have the barest moment to glance at Knox, whose face is now covered in blood from a broken nose and what appears to be a few missing teeth.

“Don’t do this,” I say to Jackson and Sal. “You can’t really want to hurt me. I know you’re both better than this.”

They are. I have to believe that. They’ve never been vindictive.

I see the hesitation in their eyes.

“Please. We have to get out of here. Please help us.”

Their gazes slide together, checking in with each other, but I don’t get a chance to find out what they’d do because a moment later, more shouts draw our attention to a trio of Extinguishers rounding the corner.

“Everyone stop!” one of them demands as Rook punches an attacker in the face. He goes flying, and my and Rook’s gazes meet. We have to get the fuck out of here.

That’s when Jackson rushes past me.

He barrels into one of the Extinguishers, knocking him over, raining punches as the other two try to draw him off.

Sal goes next.

He shoves the Extinguisher off Jackson, pinning him to the floor, and it becomes a silent signal. Suddenly, everyone switches sides, and more fighting breaks out as several Guards appear. It becomes chaos.

Shots are fired, exploding against the ceiling.

Rook grabs my hand, and we shove through the mess, just as even more Guards appear at the far end.

“Let’s go,” he says, pulling me harder as we stumble in the opposite direction.

“There!” someone shouts. “Stop them!”

We keep running, bootsteps echoing against marble.

A body slams into me, and I go flying again. Someone is on top of me. Knox. One hand grips my throat, and the other is lifted, the glint of steel reflecting off the dim corridor lights.

“I lost everything because of you!” he roars, and the blade flashes as he swings.