Almost At The Top- Book Four in the United Series

Chapter Fourteen

Max's POV:

I was wrong.

John unsteadily gets to his feet and I jump up after him. I look him in the eye one more time before running off to find Conrad.

"Conrad! Conrad!" I cry out, but I can't see him anywhere. I'm about to call for him one more time until I'm hit by a Mogadorian blaster.

I fall to the ground, holding the new wound on my left leg. I'm about to get up until I'm hit by another blaster, this time on my other leg. I grip my dagger tightly and look up at the Mog looming over me, smirking. He puts away his blaster and unsheathes his sword, then digs the tip of it into my neck. I try not to move, seeing that if I do, I'll get my neck cut.

"Come on, Garde. Try to be cooperative for once," the Mog solider tells me, smirking. I glare at him as he digs the tip of his sword a bit deeper into my neck.

I remember the fight I had with Octavian. He dug the tip of his sword into my neck too, and I used my whip.

I'm about to reach for my necklace when the Mog holding me down is stabbed from behind by an Imperial gold sword. He turns to ash and it covers me. I wipe the ash off my face and look up at the demigod who helped me. I expect to see Jason, Reyna, or Hazel with the Imperial gold sword.

But when I see Octavian, I automatically jump up and take a few steps back from him, my dagger held out in front of me. Speak of the devil and he does really come.

"Octavian?! What are you doing here?!" I yell at Octavian, anger burning inside of me like a wildfire. Octavian slightly smiles as if we're a reunited family, which makes me hate him even more.

He's no longer dressed in his Roman toga and purple Camp Jupiter t-shirt anymore. Instead he's wearing Mortal clothes besides the brown leather sheath for his sword- a blue t-shirt under a blue denim jacket, blue jeans, and white gym shoes. His pale skin is more tanned now and his blue eyes seem somewhat bluer. His blond hair is also darker and is perfectly combed and he's suddenly muscular. I don't know how he did that, but he honestly looks a bit attractive.

"I'm here for a reason, Jackson, but you don't need to know what that is," Octavian tells me, and his voice is so much softer and deeper. How did he do all of that in less than twenty minutes?

Octavian takes one step closer to me and I try my best to not take a step back. First of all, I absolutely hate him and I am not giving him that satisfaction, and second of all, I need to find out what's going on with him.

Octavian smiles at me and gods I'm so confused. He hates me, so why did he save me and is now acting like we're friends?

Octavian sheathes his sword and takes a ton of steps towards me without hesitation. I hold my dagger up to point at him and he stops where he is and holds his hands up in surrender.

"Stay away from me, Octavian," I warn. Octavian just continues to smile at me.

"I'm not here to hurt you, Jackson," Octavian tells me soothingly.

"Then what are you here for?" I ask, glaring coldly at him.

"Put your dagger away and I'll show you," Octavian tells me and I hesitate. I want to know what he wants from me, but if I put my dagger away, he'll just pull his sword out and kill me.

"Why should I trust you? You tried to kill me," I tell Octavian. He still just smiles at me then unsheathes his gold sword and drops it at my feet.

"Now you drop yours," Octavian replies. I hesitate again, but after a few seconds, I drop my black Loric dagger on the ground. Octavian's smile brightens as he steps closer to me until we're inches apart.