“No way. You’re not going anywhere.” Ryder seizes Maci‘s arm.

With one fast movement, I’ve pried her hand off and shoved her to the ground.

“Why you little—” Ryder jumps to her feet and charges at me. I drop Maci’s arm and swing to the side.

“Ryder, knock it off, “Aiden warns, but Ryder ignores him, coming at me again.

I ram the tip of my boot into her shin and she buckles back, falling on her butt.

“Easy.” Aiden helps her to her feet, but she shucks him off.  “You know they’re a lot stronger than you right now. And unstable.”

“Only if they’ve gone through with it,” she shouts in his face. “And I’m really curious to find out, after all that talking about how great she is.”

I don’t get scared, but this is pushing me to the limits. They know me somehow, but I don’t know them. Spinning, I grab Maci’s hand and lift her with me as I spring onto the rocks. Fingers dig into my ankle and I’m jerked back down to the ground, but land on my feet.

“Easy, Kayla,” Aiden breathes in my ear. “It’s always hard the first time, but it gets better.”

I’m about to kick him where the sun doesn’t shine, when were both hurled to the ground. My neck burns as something sharp stabs into it. I roll on my back, seeing stars amongst the clouds. But that can’t be right. Because the stars no longer come out.

Chapter 13

Circles of smoke fill my head, begging me to listen.

“Listen to me,” someone whispers. I know the voice. It’s Monarch.  “Listen before it’s too late.”

“I can’t see you,” I say through the fog, reaching, trying to find my way to something I know isn’t reachable.

“It’s okay.” His voice is like a blanket, warming me, comforting me. “But you need to know—need to understand this one thing. Are you listening to me, Kayla?”

“I’m always listening to you, Monarch.”

“Good, now hold on until I tell you to let go. And whatever you do, don’t let them find out what you know.”

My eyelids are heavy and I’m lying in a puddle of my own drool. My hair is plastered to the side of my face, my skin damp with sweat. The thoughts that fill my head are disturbing. But I don’t know what they mean, yet at the same time, it feels like I could.

“Rise and shine, sleepy head,” Someone says, gently patting me on the head.