Page 41 of The Most Wanted Witch

“Bibbi, I love that you’re willing to die with me. ButIdon’t feel like dying today. They want me, and every second you delay is going to be worse for me. I don’t have time to debate this with you.”

The group converged at the end of the alley we’d just turned down, joining forces. My urgency went from concern to dead calm.

“They won’t follow you. Go before they kill me.”

Her eyes opened wide. “Okay.”

She took off, and a weight lifted from my shoulders. Now at least the damage would be done to me alone. She’d been right: I would’ve had a better chance fighting them off with her, but what awaited me was a loss either way. It was either die fast or die slow. Now I needed to stall.

I spun, turning toward the group, listening to Bibbi’s running the other way. A few sets of eyes shot to her, as if debating whether to let her go.

“What do you assholes want?” I said loudly, drawing every ounce of attention back to me, as I’d hoped. That was as far as I’d go to provoke them. I didn’t recognize most of the faces. They might all be Whimsys, but there were too many.

Three of them took the lead, one man and two women, breaking off from the group to walk closer. The herd quickly closed the distance, not wanting to miss the show or the action.

A lanky guy, probably close to my age, said, “You shouldn’t be here. You don’t belong in Xest.”

“I earned my place here. What have you done other than been shit out?” Probably not the best stall tactic, but no one was looking past me for Bibbi.

If he heard the insult, it didn’t show. The boy didn’t look quite in his right mind, so focused on me with rage brewing in his expression that could only be matched by one other. Dread felt like this about me. Mertie had warned me.

Dread was getting in their heads, using them against me. Did this kid even know what he was doing, or was he ruled by a rage embedded in him? Was that the case with all of them?

“You’re a plague. Evil. An abomination, and we’re going to make sure that you are destroyed.”

They charged me. All I could think of was how to turn saving myself into saving them. And there were so many of them. Focus on him. Then another. One at a time.

With a leap, I took out the lanky boy with a kick to the head, then tumbled in the air and landed back on my feet. Not a bad start. I swung around to kick an oncoming woman in the chest.

Damn, I was doing pretty good.

They seemed to think so too, because they all came at me at once. I went to leap out of the way, but it was as if I were fighting a monster with unlimited hands. I was tugged down, and the mob devoured me. There was kicking and swinging, and I wrapped my hands around my head, hoping my magic would kick in. I couldn’t think of a single rationale that I could use to twist the situation into me saving them.

I hit the ground as I was getting pummeled in every direction. My head took a blow. My ear took the toe of a boot. My stomach was kicked, only to be propelled backward. Bibbi had only had a minute or two lead, and we were on the other side of Xest. How long would it take for help? Would I make it? My vision was getting black spots and my ears were ringing.

A deafening roar filled the alley. A boot was about to hit my nose when it was yanked backward. Another body flew, and then there was the sound of screaming and footsteps retreating.

White paws filled my vision as Bautere knelt beside me. He leaned down, sniffing at my head and grazing it with his nose.

I unfurled my body slowly, each move causing pain. I coughed, some blood hitting the ground and causing a splatter of red on the white. I used my arm to wipe away the moisture from my face.

“I taught you better than this,” he said, as if appalled I’d let a horde of deranged lunatics beat me.

“In my defense, I did really well with the first two. Thanks, though. Appreciate the help.” I got to my feet and realized one leg wasn’t working so well. I put a hand on the building to keep myself up, realizing every movement was going to cause pain somewhere.

“Where are they?” Hawk yelled, racing down the alley toward us, looking much scarier than Xazier ever had.

“They ran off, but I know their faces,” Bautere said.

Hawk scooped me up in his arms, giving Bautere a nod. I didn’t bother struggling, since I couldn’t walk anyway.

“What were you thinking? Why did you send Bibbi away?” Hawk asked as he walked through the door he must’ve taken here.

“Because it wasn’t her fight, and she wasn’t going to be able to help anyway.” Another person angry at me that I’d been beaten up, but I didn’t care. All that mattered was that we wouldn’t be walking around Xest for all to see me weak and vulnerable. I had a reputation to protect.

“She would’ve tried, and when they hurt her, your defensive magic would’ve kicked in.” He kicked the door closed and we were in the upstairs hall of the broker building.

“Is she okay?” Bibbi yelled.

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