I woke up without any pain for the first time in days. It didn’t feel good though, I knew it had come at a cost. I soon found out just how steep it was when a towering, amazon-like Mina flew into my room.The breakfast tray she was carrying hit the floor and I was sent sprawling with a vicious slap across my cheek.“Seraphine is dead! What the fuck did you do to her?” she screamed, her neck muscles rigid as I cowered beneath her.“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”“You don’t mean it! You’re just looking out for yourself, you feel better, at the expense of my only friend here’s life!” she raged. Kicking the gilded breakfast tea tray into the wall it smashed the remaining bits of porcelain not already decimated “I would never wish that on anyone, please believe me! Austin forced me!”“It’s your demon, so I’ve heard how the hell did he force you?”“You know he could kill me anytime he likes, he is insane!”“You’re a coward, you should have killed yourself, she was fine two days ago, perfectly fine

Dex and I spent hours on that balcony. As he unburdened his hidden fears, he probably felt he was weaking himself before me. In my eyes he was stronger, even taller than before. He was an Alpha, he was born to lead. I knew he would make everyone proud in battle. Over the hours I told him dozens of stupid tales about Roxie and I. The time we once dug underneath the gate to escape. We dug for hours every break for over a week, using little plastic buckets. I had the job of hiding the earth Roxie dug, trying to casually scatter it near other buildings. Every night she would leave a construction of leaves and twigs trying to mask our route. We couldn’t have been older than ten and we felt so grown up with our plan. Roxie talked about how all we needed to do was find a circus. They would employ us, we could wash elephants and perform tricks. I knew Roxie was basing this entirely on one of the library books she’d seen in the library, but she was convinced. The hole was discovered, of co

It was a close call but just before midnight Alpha Frank’s troops from Jura appeared. Exactly as promised as our fire torches blazed we heard the heavy, weary sound of footsteps. The bulky men were representative of their pack leader. Horrifically strong, their muscles masked by flesh. No six-packs on display, just lethal strength and guts.Their chief warrior Azus shook my hand and gave a bow. Draped in brown leather pleats with gold embellishments, Alpha Frank's second in command was a notorious warrior. As round as a cow, thigh as thick as my torso he was a monstrous figure. His shadow alone would probably make the Greenway fighters run for their lives given their weak reputation. I was immensely grateful he was on our side. Alba is tough, strong and resourceful, he isn’t a buffalo on legs like this guy. /Fuck off/ Alba muttered in irriration, /we shall see who is swiftest into battle./The lecture halls and classrooms of the Compound had been cleared out. All students who weren’t

/Breathe through it, just breathe through it/ Bree urges me for the thousandth time. I can't, I just scream in agony as the poker stabs into my leg again. He’s gone for a place he’s already burnt one, searing my raw, bleeding wood all over again. I howl in agony, twisting and shaking my head wildly.“You know how to make this stop Roxie!” Austin screams, pacing around as Zaw adds more logs to the fire. “Just say what I need to hear and you’re free!”They’ve been jabbing me that long he’s had to restart the fucking fire. My right leg is a mess of red welts. A series of horrific lumps and bumps, red and angry covered my thigh. The longer he pressed the poker to the flesh the angrier the wound. Slug-shaped boils are forming, flinching away from the red-hot poker makes them crack and weep clear liquid.The room stank of burning flesh. I’d already been sick once. Bree was right there, frantically trying to heal me. All my energy was going into not cracking. The rock was right there in fron

After flying over the wall and almost landing in a hedge I was forced by Olaf to wait. To endure those screams of pain while he assessed the landscape. My skin felt itchy with anticipation, we had to get closer, we had to help. “Come on,” I hissed at Olaf, crouched behind a bush. “Can you not hear those screams!” “Fine, but follow my lead, we aren’t taking any action yet. Not until I say.” Slinking along the grass I naturally headed towards the area where Humbling took place. The marble fountains were flowing beautifully, the sun shining, water tinkling yet the most harrowing screams were making even the birds flee the trees. “The turret has fallen down!” I whispered, pointing towards the huge pile of marble, “that’s happened since I left!” Olaf’s face was set sternly, “the demon is powerful, if it can sink mines, it can bring down a tower.” Another shrill scream made me wince. “Quick! Down!” Olaf sprinted towards a fallen tree, leaping over it. I followed suit but he reached ou