Chapter 15: Marked for Death
Kieran walked off without another word, his presence vanishing down the hallway like a ghost. I stayed there for a second, my body screaming in pain, my ribs aching with every breath. My legs trembled as I forced myself upright, pressing a hand against my bruised throat.
Then..... hurried footsteps.
"Lorraine!" Elise’s voice rang out as she rushed toward me, her sharp green eyes widening in shock the moment she saw me. "What the hell happened to you?"
She didn’t wait for an answer. Slipping her arm under mine, she hoisted me up, supporting me as we started walking. I winced, the movement sending a fresh wave of pain through my torso.
Elise looked pissed. "I’ve been looking for you everywhere. You just vanished after classes. And now I find you looking like a wreck?"
I let out a humorless chuckle. "You’ll love this story."
As we walked toward the feral dorm, I filled her in on everything, how I was cornered at the lockers, how Selene Ashthorne had nearly choked the life out of me, and how she’d promised to kill me before the week was over.
By the time I finished, Elise was fuming. "Oh, perfect. Fantastic. So not only have you gotten on an elite’s bad side, but it had to be the Ashthornes." She shot me a sharp look. "Do you know how completely screwed we are now?"
I gave a dry laugh. "I think the term you’re looking for is ’dead.’"
She groaned, rubbing her temple. "And you had to run your mouth at them too, huh?"
I shrugged. "If I’m going to die anyway, might as well go out with style."
Elise muttered something under her breath, then sighed. "You just successfully made an enemy of the most powerful faction of elites in this damn academy. Impressive, really."