Page 8 of Savage Prince

Whether he makes it to the top or not, I’m going to destroy Beck.

I’m going to make him wish he’d never heard the names Juliet and Ford, then send him home to his rich daddy in a body bag. Assaulting me was bad enough, but this…

He really should have thought twice before hurting someone I’m starting to love a hell of a lot more than myself.

I step out onto the ladder a rung behind Ford, staying close as he lurches forward, rung by rung, moving at such a sloth-like pace that Layla is already at the top when we reach the center.

I risk a quick glance her way as she waves an arm and shouts, “I’ll be right back, guys! I’m going to get the medics. Keep going, Ford, you’re almost there.” I nod, then fix my attention on Ford’s trembling frame, a superstitious part of me positive my eyeballs are the only thing holding him in place.

“Jules…” he wheezes, his good arm beginning to shake on the ladder’s edge.

“You’ve got this,” I say. “Just keep going. Holding still is harder than moving. Just keep pushing through and you’ll be there in no time.”

He turns to look at me over his shoulder, his face terrifyingly pale. His lips move, but no sound comes out.

I reach for his back, bracing him as much as I can with one hand. “Don’t talk. It’s okay. You’re almost there. You’re going to make it. I know you—”

My words end in a scream as Ford arches backward, easily overpowering the pressure of my hand and plummeting toward the sea.

FOUR

ford

I’ve stareddeath in the face so many times over the past few years, I assumed I knew how I’d feel when the moment finally came.

I thought I’d be angry, enraged that my life had been cut short before I had my revenge. Before I’d accomplished my goals or seen the world or learned to ride a skateboard.

There were no skate parks close to home when I was growing up, but it always looked so damned cool. I wanted to learn someday.

I wanted to live.

I wanted to leave the misery of captivity and betrayal behind and be whole again. I wanted to serve my people and make a difference in the world and celebrate holidays and laugh with my friends, and lately, I’ve wanted to love Juliet.

More than anything.

That’s what I would have told her, if my body hadn’t given out before I could get the words out. I would have told her that I was grateful to have felt what I felt when we were together. I’m sure requited love would have been great, but even one-sided, it was the best feeling I’ve ever known.

Just knowing my heart had the capacity to care about another human being the way I care for her, convinced me I’m not so bad, after all. I’m not like my stepfather or the men who ran the fight pits or any of the piece of shit “Alphas” willing to rig these trials and kill their opposition to stay on top.

I’m braver than that. Better than that.

As I spiral toward the waves crashing against the rocks, the wind whistling as it rushes past my ears, I don’t feel angry. I feel like I did what I was supposed to do in this life, no matter how long or short it was.

I took a chance. I fought for what mattered.

I fell in love.

Who could ask for more?

Just as my eyes are closing and my limbs going limp, a screech so raw it makes my eardrums ache, rips through the air. A second later, I’m engulfed in a wave of heat, and two strong claws lock onto my good arm.

I force my eyes open to see Juliet’s phoenix flapping hard in the air above me.

Let me go.I reach out with my mind, but I don’t expect her to understand. She never has before. I’m just too weak to speak.

When she shouts,Like hell I will,straight into my cortex, it feels like my head is about to explode.

I shudder and almost lose consciousness but force myself to call back,Let me go, I’m too heavy. I’ll kill you. I can’t kill you. Please, Jules.

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