The Girl Who Dared to Think Bella Forrest (best classic literature txt) 📖

The decision came impulsively, but I didn’t care. “Eric, you’re coming with us as well.”

Eric blinked, a slow smile coming to his lips. “You mean I wasn’t invited before? You wound me.”

“Not as much as I am going to wound you if you try to keep from going with us,” Zoe said, and I felt her fingers grab the pill out of my hand. She took it quickly, dry swallowing it, and then nodded. “We’ll catch up later, but you’re right—we need to go.”

As she spoke, she turned and began moving toward Grey. I kept pace, and unsurprisingly, Eric fell in behind us.

“You know I was always going to come with you,” he whispered to Zoe. I was sure he meant it to be private, but his voice was too deep for it not to carry, and I couldn’t help but admire the sweetness of it.

I looked over to see Zoe’s reaction, and to my surprise, saw her thread her fingers through his for a moment, before letting them go. I looked away and pressed forward, suddenly feeling awkward. Their behavior was different, as if something had changed between them, and I had no idea what that was. But I would be asking as soon as we were all safe.

Jasper’s lights led us down the twisting halls, which were seemingly devoid of any personnel. It seemed clear from his delivery of Zoe that he intended to get us out of here just as safely—but I wasn’t take any chances. I was on the lookout for trouble the entire time.

Sure enough, as we rounded a corner, I saw the wide-open arch that was the exit from Medica come into view, and I could’ve burst out into a cheer—had Devon Alexander, Champion of the Knights, not rounded the corner.

His dual-colored eyes met mine, stared for a second, and—to my absolute horror—widened in recognition.

Then he began to advance.

34

“Run!” I cried, my hand automatically shooting to my baton.

Devon was some distance away, but as soon as everyone around me started to turn, he broke into a run, charging right toward us.

Whirling, I launched into a sprint, following my friends as they headed back down the hall. Grey led the way, followed by Zoe and Eric, with me at the rear, and we flew down the halls, turning this way and that, the halls rushing by and changing faster than I could possibly keep track of.

I looked over my shoulder to see flashes of the Champion as he followed in pursuit, and just as I realized he would’ve called this in, a chime sounded, followed by Jasper’s voice.

“Intruders on level four, near the junction of Corridors B and E,” he announced into the hall, and I looked over to see that we were actually in Corridor C. He was still helping us.

“Grey!” I shouted over the message as it repeated. “Are the indicator lights on up there?”

“Wha— Hey, yeah, they are! Follow me!”

He hooked a left and pushed open a door, running into the stairwell without missing a beat. Instead of down, we climbed up, and were almost out the door on the next level when I heard the door slam open behind us, Devon still in hot pursuit. I hesitated for a second, trying to decide whether I should take the time to shut the door quietly, then heard his footsteps coming up the stairwell.

I turned and ran, hurrying to catch up with my friends. Grey led us down the curved hall and then took an immediate left, and now I could see the green lights leading us directly down the hall, in a straight shot, toward the opening that led out of the Medica.

“Go left!” I shouted, just as the Champion bellowed, “Halt! Don’t let them escape!”

My breathing was coming in sharp pants, but I ignored it as I craned my neck to peer down the hall. A Knight was waiting, his baton at the ready. It took me a second to recognize him, because I was still unfamiliar with the changes to his face, but as Grey raced toward him, I saw that it was Theo who drew back the baton.

Instinctually, I cast my lash onto the ceiling and activated the gyros inside at full tilt, snapping off my feet and through the air at what felt like terminal velocity. I disconnected the line as I flew over everyone’s heads, and tucked my body like I was diving into a pool, burning off excess speed as I curled my back and rolled forward onto the floor in a controlled tumble.

I rolled into a standing position and brought my baton out in a fluid motion, then stepped into Theo’s attack, my baton arm blocking his oncoming blow while I slammed the baton into his side. There was a sharp pop, and he flew back a few feet, landing on his backside.

My heart skipped a beat, thinking that Maddox’s modifications had killed him, but he sat up abruptly, his blond hair practically standing on end. His gaze was confused as he stared at me; then his eyes rolled back into his head and he slumped over.

I was already running when he started to fall, leaping over his still form. A quick check told me he was still breathing, and then a glance over my shoulder told me I had lost precious seconds. Devon was now close enough that I could see the hard gleam in his eyes. I poured on the speed, then switched to the lashes, trying to create some distance between us.

Ahead of me, Zoe, Eric, and Grey had reached the doorway, and were already rounding the corner, heading left. I had no idea whether Devon had seen them or not, but I made a decision, and peeled off to the right, my lashes flying. Another look over my shoulder showed him right behind me, his own lashes working.

My heart picked up speed as I threw and connected with the very edge of the platform ringing the outside. I