Page 388 of Rage

“Please, please don’t kill me,” he says.

I shove him over with my foot, and he lands flat on his back, bringing his hands together in a mock-prayer motion.

“Please, I’ll do anything.Anything,” he sputters, tears leaking down his face.

“Anything?” I ask, crouching beside him and staring into his dark beady eyes. “Like defy your precious High Majesty? Stand up for what’s right and not just what benefits your self-centered ass?”

He nods frantically. “Yes, yes. I’ll do whatever you say.”

My brows furrow together, my anger ticking up another notch. “You should have done that a long time ago.”

I hold out a hand above him and he wails, begging me not to hurt him. The ground around him rumbles as deep roots stir to life, breaking through the top layer of soil and wrapping viciously around the Peace Officer. He thrashes against their hold, but the roots only grow stronger, wrapping around him until he’s suffocating beneath their strength.

“May no one ever find you or care to search for you.” I chuckle as the roots begin to drag him under the dirt.

This is the way, as it must be.

Seconds later, his screams are silenced by the dirt folding in on top of him. He’s gone, with nothing left of him but a severed foot somewhere behind us.

Satisfied, I stand, and the power surging through me finally dissipates. Once again, I’m in control of my extremities, unbothered by intense impulses. I’m no longer the vengeance-bent witch from moments ago. I’m justme.

Lita must think I’m a monster.

My chest clenches at the thought of her, and I look up expecting her to be long gone. After all, I just murdered five Peace Officers in a couple of minutes. I’m obviously dangerous. Why would she hang around?

To my surprise, however, she’s there. Her eyes are wide with uncertainty, and I slowly make my way over, not wanting to scare her further.

“Lita,” I say gently, stopping short when she takes a half-step back. “Lita, it’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“How did you—” Her eyes move past me to the corpses lying on the ground. “What the hell was that, Torri? When were you going to tell me you were some kind of psycho witch with powers?”

“No, I… Lita, I don’t even know what just happened,” I attempt to explain the chaotic thoughts racing in my mind. “But they hurt you… I couldn’t let them get away with it. As for the light, I have no idea. I’m just as surprised as you are.”

She glares at me in disbelief.

“I’mserious.” I don’t know how I can possibly make her understand. Besides, we shouldn’t be standing here arguing; we should be running. Just because a couple of Peace Officers are dead doesn’t mean we’re any safer. “We can’t stay here Lita. We have to go.”

Another moment of hesitation. Her conflicting emotions are evident on her face, and I think she may change her mind. Would she really want to go on the run with a monster like me?

Chapter Ten

It feels like we waste countless minutes staring at one another in the silence, even though I’m sure it’s only seconds. I can feel the weight of curious gazes on me from the darkened windows nearby, but I don’t care.

Let them see the destruction I’ve caused.

Let them know what they’re capable of.

They may not have crazy witch powers—or maybe they do—but we are not helpless animals like the Peace Officers would have us believe. We are so much more, and we’re capable of great things. All we need is to trust ourselves.

Trust in our power.

“Torri, I…” Lita’s voice trails off, and my gut twists with unease. Is she going to change her mind? Will she want anything to do with me after what I just did? “You’re right.”

“I am?” I gasp with relief, before clearing my throat. “I mean, of course I am.”

“We need to go.Now.” She glances over my shoulder at the gatherer house, probably looking for wandering eyes. Walking past me, she crouches to grab two of the officers’ rifles and tosses one to me. “They’re out of ammo, but these may come in handy.”

They definitely will, especially if we’re coming back for the rest of the girls like I promised. Not tonight—we’re not prepared enough to take all forty-five of the harvesters with us—but soon.

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