Page 24 of Her Wicked Knights
All I see is the glint of silver as he raises the knife in the air between us.
"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live!"
13
Rev
"HaveyouseenMarley?"Jake asks, looking from me to Tripp like either of us should know where his girlfriend is.
We've only just stopped dancing, breathless and ready to collapse. I've been working hard to get Tripp's mind off of Marley tonight, and I had finally succeeded only for fucking Jake to pull this shit now.
"Last I saw, she was right here with you." Tripp says coldly.
"I went to talk to Mark for a minute." Jake shrugs.
"Check with Audrey." I suggest, glancing out at where the redhead is hanging on our other best friend. Colton looks like he's somewhere else in his head, though his body sways and jerks with movements. But he's not looking at his girlfriend... he seems like he couldn't care less if she disappeared. He might not even notice.
I'm worried about him.
If confessing to stalking wasn't bad enough, knowing that he's avoiding dealing with reality by drinking, always keeping a flask nearby, just proves that he's not in a good place. Neither of my friends are, and I'm trying my best to save them, but I feel likeI'm failing, like I'm in danger of losing everything that matters to me. We watch as Jake struts off toward Colton and Audrey. I don't know what Jake says to them, but I can immediately see the heat in their exchange, Colton tensing and Jake trying to make himself look bigger. As if he'd stand a chance.
"Shit." Tripp groans, shaking his head before darting off to intervene. I don't know why he's trying so hard to keep the peace. It would be better to just let them have it out with each other, get it out of their systems and hopefully get it over with. I'm not delusional enough to think that it would solve all our group's problems, but it would at least release some of the tension that's been simmering for months now. As it is, it's in danger of boiling over and burning us all.
I'm late to get there. Colton is already in Jake's face by the time I amble up to Tripp's side, assessing the situation. I'll intervene if I have to, but I really want to watch Colton lay Jake out, if only for a minute. It's not Colton, though, who knocks into Jake.
Jake wheels around, ready to throw a punch until he sees the blonde girl wince apologetically.
"Sorry!" She rushes out, moving past him, darting between Tripp and me.
Tripp and I exchange a glance, and then there's a massive rush as the crowd darts for the door.
"What the hell?" Tripp muses, putting another step between us as two seniors go rushing toward the door.
"Fight!" Someone yells and understanding finally takes hold. But there's an uneasy feeling in my stomach as we watch our classmates bolt toward the exit, and something tells me to go, too.
Tripp follows in the next instant, and I don't look back to see if everyone else came too.
There's a crowd at the exit, bodies forming a solid wall that blocks me from seeing anything. I snare Tripp's wrist and draghim behind me, forcing our way through the crowd until we get to the glass doors, where a line of chaperones stand, trying to bar our exit.
"Oh my God!" Tripp gasps, his eyes on the scenario unfolding on the other side of the door.
All I can see are flashing lights, red and blue cutting through the darkness outside. But Tripp's a good foot taller than most of us, and whatever he sees unsettles him.
"Marley!" He calls, and I don't know at first if he's calling for her or trying to warn me.
"No one needs to go out there," Mrs. Caryll says, shaking her shiny white bob. She's got her arms out on either side of her, like she means to capture anyone who tries to run at her, and I have to admit, I'd like to see her try.
It's Tripp who darts past her, taking advantage of the gap between her and Mr. Janetti. He lowers his shoulder and brushes past them easily, throwing open the door despite their yells for him to stop. Fucking hell. He would be great on the field with dexterity like that; he moves quickly for as big as he is.
I take advantage of the chaos as the two teachers begin to yell at one another, and dart around them to throw the door open to the frigid night.
Tripp is on his knees in front of someone, and it takes a moment for my brain to put two and two together and realize it's Marley.
"You're gonna need to stay back, son." An officer says, putting his hands up like he means to push me away from him. But he'd have to cuff me and throw me in the back of the car to keep me from getting to Marley right now. The officer only sighs as I dart past him, coming around to the front of Marley.
She's wrapped in a strange tin foil blanket, but it doesn't stop her from trembling. Tripp's got her hands in his, and she's looking down at him, but not answering.
"Fuck." I say, taking note of her wet dress, plastered against her skin. She smells like beer, so I don't have to think too hard about what it is as I scan her, looking for any sign of distress.
