Page 298 of Psycho Devils: Aran's Story 2

Xerxes scoffed in agreement.

A small golden body hurled itself at me and Xerxes. It slammed into my frozen flesh with such force that I bit my tongue, and copper flooded my mouth.

There was so much pain streaking through the rest of my body that the sensation of biting my tongue was borderline pleasant.

A new low.

Sadie trembled against me and gasped, “I was so worried. I almost enslaved the judges to try to save you. I was freaking out so badly. Never do that to me ever again.”

I patted her head and pulled my hand away because her white hair turned pink.

“Thank you, Aran. You saved him.” Sadie pulled Xerxes and me lower so all three of our heads touched.

“Iddng humpfwv,” I grunted.

Sadie patted my head tenderly. “What are you saying, my sweet, precious friend?”

I tried to speak but gagged from the pain.

Jinx walked up behind her with a ferret wrapped around her neck like a scarf. She studied her cuticles. “She said, ‘It hurts,’ you moron.”

Sadie loosened her grip and pulled her head back. “Oh my sun god, I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you say anything, Aran?” She reached up and traced her fingers over an open wound on my jaw.

I saw stars from the pain.

Ever been best friends with a dumbass? Same.

A very humbling experience.

“She needs medical attention.” Jinx walked up, hit Sadie’s hand away, then narrowed her creepy dark eyes on me. “Congrats on not being a complete failure.”

I narrowed my eyes back. “You secretly love me.”

“You sure about that?” Jinx arched her brow.

As I stared down at the annoying thirteen-year-old, a familiar pain twisted through my back.

A crack echoed in my skull.

No. No. Not right now. I can’t.

Something shifted inside my skeleton.

Something bad.

Jinx’s eyes widened as she stared at me like she knew something was happening.

Crack. Bones shifted in my back, and I was in so much pain that I did something I’d wanted to do for weeks.

I kicked Jinx.

“Did you just kick a child?” Sadie’s jaw dropped, and Xerxes chuckled.

Jinx stumbled from the blow but didn’t look surprised.

Sweat erupted across my skin from the harsh movement, and the world swayed. Experience had taught me I had a few minutes before I was inconsolable.

I tipped over.

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