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Back The Enemy Save as PDF
Chapters (69)
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He tried to scream, but his throat was frozen, like in a dream.

Yes. A dream. It must be. Something like that couldn’t be real.

It was still there, though.

Sam stared at it for half a second, and then it winked and disappeared.

“Did you see that?” Sam whispered.

“What?”

Sam thought for a while. The image of the inhuman face was seared in his memory. He couldn’t dislodge it from his brain. The smooth stretch of skin where its mouth should have been upset him in a way he didn’t really understand.

“Nothing,” he said.

40

Ben and Bernie were sitting on a cot in the middle of the ballroom they were using as a dormitory, watching the other kids argue. Bernie shook her head and took hold of Ben’s hand. Why did the fighters always get so pumped up about everything? She was glad Ben wasn’t a fighter. He was clever and gentle and funny. She’d never liked macho guys. The two of them had been bullied at first, but when it became clear that they had some very useful talents, they’d been accepted. Bernie wasn’t sure she fully understood what the argument was about, and even if she did have an opinion she doubted they’d listen to her right now. This was war talk.

On one side were Blue, Achilleus, Big Mick, and most of the best fighters. On the other were Whitney, Freak, and Maxie, with Sophie and her archers. In the middle were Ollie and Lewis, trying to keep the peace. The little kids and the other noncombatants, like Ben and Bernie, were watching in silence. None of the palace kids were present.

It was times like these that Bernie really missed Arran. He’d have sorted this mess out ages ago. The argument was going around in circles.

“Look, there isn’t anything to discuss,” said Freak, not for the first time. “The fact is, we shouldn’t be fighting other kids. End of story.”

“Exactly,” said Maxie.

“Admit it, Freaky-Deaky,” said Achilleus. “You’re just scared.”

Freak swore at Achilleus.

“Can’t you two lovers keep your personal fight out of this?” said Whitney. “This is serious.”

“It’s boring,” said Achilleus. “You’re all just a bunch of wimps.”

“The thing is,” said Big Mick, “these other kids, these squatters, don’t mean nothing to me. Us in here is all that matters.”

“And what about the palace kids?” said Maxie.

“What about them?” said Mick. “I like it here.”

Freak jumped up to make a point. He was getting very emotional. Bernie hoped for his sake he didn’t start blubbering.

“Arran said something the night we found Jester, he said that every kid in London is one of our own.”

“That’s right,” said Ben.

“Nobody asked your opinion, emo,” said Achilleus.