Page 182 of The Order

“Let me down there. Let me take their place,” I beg. He scoffs.

“Any more outburst from you, and you will join them,” he threatens.

Anything is better than being trapped up here with him.

The ones who have already fought step back, anticipating what is sure to exit the tunnel, the metal gate separating it from the pit now lifting.

Fallan looks away, his body in a defensive stance as he begins backing the others behind him. Staring down toward the tunnel, he opens his arms, keeping anyone he can pressed against the wall.

“How chivalrous,” Xavier taunts, my irritation with him growing.

The clawed hand of a Shifter makes its way from the dark, dragging its body along the ground, scouting the pit for its next meal.

Something hanging out of Xavier's pocket jabs me in the side. I look down to see a small device with a control screen with the words “COLLARS ARMED” displayed in bold, black text.

Enough of this.

My hand reaches into the side of my dress, grabbing the hilt of my blade. I use my legs to push off against the glass. Sending us backward and into the chair, I slide my hand into Xavier's pocket, pulling away the device.

Shoving me away, he lets out a noise of frustration. My body rolls onto its side before I quickly move to my feet. Xavier shouts to his men. Several Officials reach for the weapons at their sides, but Xavier screams at them to stand down. I find my name on the screen and switch the collar's connectivity to deactivated. The metal restraint clatters to the ground.

“Stop!” Xavier commands. The Official closest to me ignores the warning.

In an instant, the world slows. Grasping the Official’s mind, I command his heart to stop. His eyes roll backward, and his body crumples to the ground. I feel his life force leave his body and move through the air. I graze my fingertips across the translucent ribbons swirling in the space around me.

An instinct drives me to take a deep breath, consuming the ribbons hungrily. The intake isn’t enough to satisfy me and instead makes me ravenous for more.

The other Officials take a step back, not coming closer to me. Clutching the knife, my eyes land on Xavier.

“Call off the Shifter!” I order. Xavier’s hands are raised toward me.

“You're making a mistake.”

Throwing the blade across the room, the weapon lodges in Adam's lower stomach. His body doubles over, and he screams out in pain as I raise my palm and call the blade back to me.

“Call it off!” I hiss, glancing toward the pit.

The Shifter is at a standstill. The contestants below fearfully backed into a corner.

Xavier takes another step, my hand ready to drive the weapon into him.

“You won't hurt me,” he scoffs.

“And why would you think that?” I question, the smirk on his face disappearing.

For the first time, I see it happen. There’s a faint glow around his body before his figure dissolves into thin air. I brace for his sudden presence as he rematerializes behind me, swinging my arm at him in defense.

“I won't let you,Dove,” he whispers, clutching my arm, his hand quickly swiping the blade from my hand.

I raise my free hand, thoughts of his pain fueling my fight.

“You do that, and I will ensure every one of them dies,” he says, holding his ground behind me.

Staying still, I heed his words.

“I can melt their brains with those chips quicker than that Shifter could get his claws into them,” he seethes, his grasp growing. “I do applaud your unwavering resolve to save them, though. A valiant effort, really.”

“Put the creature back in its cage,” Xavier commands, looking over at Adam and the lifeless Official on the ground. “Deal with the contestants. I want her and all of her friends in their cells,” he says, his fingers twisting into my hair. “Consider my generosity officially spent. You want a fight, Forest? Then you can have your fucking wish,” he says, dragging me along with him. He moves swiftly across the floor, draining all of my energy as we go. Grabbing my collar from the ground, he snaps the control back on, pressing the device's screen.

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