Fate's Exchange (Twisted Fate, Book 1)

Chapter Forty-Nine

He grabbed my shirt, pushed me away, and then pulled me back so fast my neck whipped forward and back. My chin hit my chest as he twisted the fabric in his fist to keep me at arm's length.

"W-what are you t-talking about?" I choked. Keep them talking. Play dumb. Buy time. Just keep them distracted until the police arrive. Coughing, I felt like I was about to pass out. "I c-can't... breathe."

"What did you say to the cops? Why did they take us in for questioning?" He shook me again, and my head moved like a bobble. "What did you say?"

"Get your hands off her!"

David barreled into Josh from the side, forcing me out of his grasp, and stood defensively in front of me. My legs crumpled, all of my energy sapped, and an oomph escaped as I fell. He looked down, watching as I struggled to pull myself up from the pile I landed in, but wasn't willing to move away from the position that kept me most protected. When I managed enough energy to rest my weight on my elbows, I glanced up, forcing a smile, weak but reassuring. Our eyes locked and his flared with concern and rage, and I could have sworn I saw the image of flickering flames, gold with white burning at the center.

His anger turned to a moment of regret, instantly concealed with love, and I looked back down, trying to catch my breath while watching for movement out of the corner of my eyes. I could feel where the collar of my shirt chafed my skin and hoped that I wouldn't look like a hanging victim from an attempt gone awry. Did those kinds of marks ever fade? Or would it be the kind of thing that remained, although subtle, for people to question me about for the rest of my life? No, I did not attempt to kill myself. I was attacked, you see.

Right.

Like anyone would believe it.

I shook my head and looked up as David turned back to Josh and stepped forward, pointing his finger in the boy's face as he said, "If you ever touch her again, I'll—"

Josh jumped up, roaring, and charged David in what seemed like a single motion, the action snapping my attention back into focus. David, unprepared, sailed backwards. I gasped, following the movement with my eyes as his body arched and then began a downward descent. His gaze met mine, filled with apology, as his arms and legs wind-milled through the air. I screamed and began to scramble with my hands and feet to stand, but only ended up crawling in slow motion.

He landed hard, overtaken by gravity, and his head cracked against the brick wall like an egg in preparation of an omelet.

Then there was nothing—no sound, no breathing, no movement.

We all froze, stuck in the silence but for the inhale and exhale essential to living echoing in my ears as though I just finished running a 10k marathon while being forced to breathe through a straw.

*****

A minute passed, but it felt like forever, every second ticking by with an exponent of a gazillion degrees.

My voice found traction, and a shrill scream pierced the silence, propelling everyone into action. All the Elixir students—except for Josh, who remained as unmoving as a formation of rocks soldered together—started to yell at each other. Soon Sarah began to sob into Bitchy's arms as she stared forward, blank, the smug look of superiority finally wiped away.

I flew to David's side with tears streaming down my face. The other two boys ran forward to help but sat back without leaving when I growled at them, the sound low and threatening like a mother bear protecting her cub. But David still hadn't moved, and I couldn't tell if he was breathing. I put my hand to his neck, trying to find a pulse, and felt the warmth of liquid roll down into the cracks between my fingers. Sitting back, I pulled my hand away and looked down.