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SIX

THERE HAD ONLY BEEN THREE other witnesses to what had happened out on the quad Yet, unsurprisingly, everyone seemed to know about it when I returned to the commons later on Classes were done, but plenty of students moved about in the corridors, off to study or retake tests or whatever They tried to hide their glances and whispers, but they didn’t do a very good job Those who ht-lipped smiles or immediately looked away Wonderful

With no psychic link to Christian, I had no clue where to find hiured that would be a good place to start looking On uy’s voice call out behind s a bit far, didn’t you?"

I turned around and saw Ryan and Cauy, the appropriate response would have been, "You h, and because I hadabout"

Ryan hurried to catch up with me "You know exactly what I mean With Christian I heard that when Stan attacked, you were just like, ’Here, take hiroaned It was bad enough when everyone was talking about you, but why did the stories always end up changing? "That is not what happened"

"Oh yeah?" he asked "Then why did you get called in to see Alberta?"

"Look," I said, not feeling so well mannered anymore, "I just messed up the attackyou know, kind of like you did earlier when you weren’t paying attention in the hall?"

"Hey," he said, flushing slightly "I ended up getting in on that - I did etting killed nowadays?"

"At least I wasn’t a whiny bitch who refused to fight"

I had just about cal with Di already It was like a thermo others, you should pay uardian duties" I nodded toward Camille She had thus far been quiet, but her face showed ed "I can do both Shane’s farther behind us, and the area ahead is clear No doors Easy" He patted Camille’s shoulder "She’s safe"

"It’s an easy place to secure You wouldn’t do so well in the real world with real Strigoi"

His sht The way I hear it, you didn’t do such a great job out there either, at least not as far as Mason was concerned"

Taunting over what had happened with Stan and Christian was one thing But i that I was at fault for Mason’s death? Unacceptable I was the one who’d kept Lissa safe for two years in the huoi in Spokane I was the only novice at this school with uardians to oi kills I’d known there had been some whispers about what had happened to Mason, but no one had ever actually said anything toI was to blah already without their help

The thermometer broke

In one s her up against the wall I hadn’t thrown her hard enough to hurt her, but she was clearly startled Her eyes widened in shock, and I used ainst her throat

"What are you doing?" exclai back and forth between our faces I shiftedthe pressure on Ca your education," I said pleasantly "Sometimes places aren’t as easy to secure as you think"

"You’re crazy! You can’t hurt a Moroi If the guardians find out - "

"I’ you? Are you in extreave as e

"Are you uncomfortable?"

A small nod

"See?" I told Ryan "Disco as pain"

"You’re insane Let her go"

"I’m not done, Ry Pay attention because here’s the point: Danger can couardians dressed up like Strigoi Keep acting like an arrogant asshole who thinks he knows everything" - I pressed h to affect her breathing or cause real pain - "and you s can kill your Moroi"

"Okay, okay Whatever Please, stop it," he said His voice wavered There was noher"

"I’d be scared too, if my life was in your hands"

The scent of cloves alerted me to Adrian’s presence I also knew that Shane and a few others had come to watch The other novices looked uncertain, like they wanted to pryCao, but Ryan had just ry I needed to prove a point to hiet him back And really, I didn’t even feel sorry for Camille either since I was sure she’d done her fair share of gossiping about ," said Adrian, his voice as lazy as usual "But I think you’ve made your point"

"I don’t know," I said The tone ofat the saets it"

"For God’s sake, Rose! I get it," cried Ryan "Just let her go"

Adrianover to stand beside Caed to squeeze in so that his face was in oofy s serious in his dark green eyes

"Yes, little dhao You’re done here"

I wanted to tell Adrian to get away from me, that I would be the one to say when this was finished Soet the words out A part of ht he soundedreasonable

"Let her go," he repeated

My eyes were all over Adrian now, not Camille Suddenly, all of me decided he sounded reasonable Coo I ulp, Ca hie of tears Ryan sihtened up and et out of here - before you really annoy Rose"

Ryan, Camille, and the others slowly backed off from us Adrian put his arm around me and hurried me away toward the library I felt weird, kind of like I aking up, but then, with each step, things grew clearer and clearer I pushed his arm off me and jerked away

"You just used coo"

"Someone needed to You looked like you were seconds away fro her"

"I wasn’t And I wouldn’t have" I pushed open the library door "You had no right to do that topeople do what you wanted - was a skill all va it was considered ih to do any real da both Adrian and Lissa very dangerous

"And you had no right to tackle soirl in the hall just to soothe your own hurt pride"

"Ryan had no right to say those things"

"I don’t even knohat ’those things’ are, but unless I’vea tantru a - "

My words fell short as we reached Lissa working at a table Her face and feelings toldEddie stood a couple feet away fro the room His eyes widened when he sawat my approach

I slid into the chair opposite Lissa

"Hey"

She looked up and sighed, then returned her attention to the textbook open in front of her "I wondered when you’d turn up," she said "Did you get suspended?"

Her words were cals Annoyed Even a little angry

"Not this tiot stuck with co, but the irate ed

Now I sighed "Okay, talk to me, Liss I know you’re mad"