Page 131 of The Bone Season

Emil and his brother were both mediums, while Kath was some kind of augur. I had a feeling none of them were going to use their gifts.

They wanted blood.

‘Warden isn’t here to save you,’ Emil said, keeping hold of Liss. ‘What are you going to do, 40?’

His brother reached me first, going straight for my broken wrist. Quick as a flash, I jabbed my other fist into the hollow of his throat, making him reel away.

‘Oliver,’ Emil barked.

He shoved Liss aside and flew at me, grabbing me hard by the neck. Before I could so much as choke, I sliced both my arms upward between his, forcing his elbows apart, and shoved him back far enough to kick him in the chest. A flicker of surprise crossed his face as he went sprawling.

They must think Warden had pampered me for three months. Nick had taught me to fight long before that. My wrist throbbed as I backed away.

This space was too small for a scrap, and I was outnumbered. I ducked a furious swing from Oliver before Kath clutched a fistful of my hair and drove my head into the wall. Next thing I knew, she was on my back, and the knife was at my ear. I managed to roll her off me and pin her, only for her to do the same to me. I caught hold of her wrist, stopping her blade an inch from my cheek.

Kath screamed through her teeth. My arm shook. I reached up and tried to gouge her eye, but her elbow was on my head, the knife at the top of my ear. I felt the hot pull of it through my skin, the blood.

With full intent, I threw my spirit, striking her dreamscape with the force of a clapper against a bell. She rolled off me with a strangled cry.

‘Fucking brogue—’

‘Oh, get a new one,’ I ground out.

‘Kath, stop it!’ Liss tried to haul her away from me. ‘Has Kraz made you this cruel?’

‘He’s my keeper,’ Kath said, glaring at her. ‘I owe him this life.’

‘He took your ear!’

‘And gave me a second chance! I refuse to be like you, living in my own filth, content to be nothing,’ Kath spat. ‘You’re pathetic, Liss.’

Liss lifted a hand to her cheek. I couldn’t bear to see the hurt in her eyes.

‘We’re not done,’ I said to Kath.

She stiffened. The moment she rounded on me, I drove my fist straight into her chin, snapping her head to the side.

Kath stumbled and made a grab for my broken wrist, twisting it as she pulled me with her. Eyes watering, I dug my nails into the skin between her thumb and forefinger, my pain so bad I was almost retching.

Oliver was on me next, trying the exact same move as his brother, trying to choke me. I clamped my good hand on the back of his neck and cracked my forehead straight into his nose, drawing a shriek of pain. I tried again to get to Liss, only for Emil to flatten me with a punch to the face, bursting my lip like a grape.

‘Paige!’

Julian was suddenly there. From his bloodshot eye and swollen cheek, they must have reefed him before they even reached the shack. Seeing me on the floor, he wrapped a chokehold around Emil.

‘This how you grubbers get your kicks?’ It was the first time I had ever seen him angry. ‘This what you do when you can’t laugh at dancers?’

‘You’re bones, 26,’ Emil wheezed. I got back up. ‘Wait until Aludra hears about—’

‘Tell her. I’d sooner be dead than be one of you.’

Julian yanked him around and socked him upside of the jaw. Jos appeared in the doorway, looking fearful. A few other performers gathered behind him.

‘Rymore,’ Cyril called.

‘Jos,’ I said thickly, ‘run to Magdalen and get the Warden. Tell him I’m in trouble.’

‘Don’t even think about it,’ Kath shouted at him. ‘You find Suhail, do you hear me?’

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