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Real Guardians rush by us, their guns out. Panic is hewn into their breathy voices as they order us to hide.
“Holy crap,” Mack breathes, her hand crushing mine. “This is real.”
We find out how real when we pass by the body of a boy clutching a flagpole turned makeshift club. He must have tried to fight them. His head rests at an odd angle, his neck broken, and there’s no blood—which again, is strange.
“Weapons,” I pant. “We need weapons.”
Mack nods solemnly. “The gym’s armory is too far away, but we can reach the underground vaults.”
Now that we have a plan, my fear gives way to purpose. Our Guardian oath echoes in my mind. The one we pledged at the beginning of school to fight darklings and protect our Keepers no matter the personal risk.
I might not be a true shadow yet, but I refuse to hide while Valerian and his friends are out there, unprotected.
When we’re nearing the final landing to the vault, my phone buzzes in the front pouch of my onesie where Ruby sleeps like the dead.
Valerian! A wave of emotion fills me as I press the phone to my ear.
“Summer?” The connection is breaking up, but I can hear the worry he tries to hide beneath his calm, controlled tone. “Where are you?”
“Inside the main hall on campus,” I whisper. The final doorway to the first vault appears in front of us. Class one and two weapons wait on the other side. “We’re grabbing weapons. Tell me you’re safe.”
We all hold our breath as Mack slides the massive double doors open.
“I’m fine, but you need to get out of the building. Something’s not right. The darklings only attacked the main hall, nowhere else. I think they’re being controlled like before.”
Sweat slicks my palms, and I grip the phone harder, afraid it will slip out of my hand. “Why? What could they possibly want here?”
The phone falls away from my ear as I duck into the weapon’s room.
Mack is turned to me, motioning for me to—
“Run!” she hisses.
My heart slams into my throat as I glance behind her to the countless darklings swarming the walls. They’re sniffing, their heads jerking in animalistic movements. A few shriek, but it’s almost like they’re calling out to one another. Communicating somehow.
This whole nightmarish experience keeps getting weirder and weirder.
I pivot to flee back up the stairs but darklings are filling the stairwell, blocking our path.
“We’re screwed,” Richard whispers.
There’s no choice but to race to the back of the large weapon’s room, the only spot where the darklings aren’t yet concentrated.
“Summer!” Valerian bellows into the phone. “What’s happening?”
I can’t speak for fear of drawing the attention of the darklings. Hardly breathing, I hang up and quickly text him. Can’t talk. Darklings everywhere. In weapons’ vault below the main hall.
My sweat smears the screen. His response is immediate. I’m coming for you.
No! My fingers hammer the words. Don’t you dare.
Nothing. Crap. Fear wraps around my chest, tightening with every labored breath.
Valerian around this many darklings—he wouldn’t stand a chance.
Praying Eclipsa has the good sense to stop him, I duck low with the others, hiding behind a row of magic armor.
Mack’s eyes are glassy with barely constrained terror as she mouths, What are they doing?
