“She didn’t kill it!” Ace yells, stepping out from the crowd. A few muscular guys follow behind him. “Look at her! She’s weak! She couldn’t possibly have done it by herself.”
I freeze, wondering how I could kill a chimera yet remain so frightened by Ace.
“Shut your trap!” Wreck shouts. “She’s one of us now.”
“Maybe in your dreams, psycho boy,” Ace growls. “We don’t have to accept an outsider only because you want to get laid.”
I feel my face growing warm, and lower my eyes. Is it true what he says? Is that the real reason Wreck wants me to be part of their gang?
“Ace, are you some kind of masochist?” Wreck asks calmly. “Why are you behaving as if you truly enjoy yourself as I’m beating the hell out of you? Or was I too gentle last time? It sure sounds like you want a repeat performance.”
“You can’t protect her forever,” one of Ace’s friends says.
“Protect her?” Wreck laughs. “Can’t you see what she did with the chimera? Can you even imagine what she could do with any of you?”
“Everybody knows it was you who killed the chimera,” Ace spits.
“She not only killed it,” Wreck exclaims, “but chose the largest one I’ve ever seen!”
Tartis watches the scene unfold with a satisfied smile, remaining quiet. I wish I could punch him in his smug face.
“She’s not one of us,” Ace says. “She’s an outsider!”
“She passed our test!” Wreck yells, turning to the crowd. “She proved without a doubt that she has the ranger spirit!”
The crowd begins whistling and shouting again. Ace snarls and lunges at me. Wreck kicks him squarely in the stomach, putting Ace on his knees. Two of Ace’s friends charge into Wreck, grabbing hold of his hoodie while throwing punches at his head. He slips the punches, kicks one guy in the knee and elbows the other in the face. The first ranger falls, grabbing his injured leg and the second staggers backward, his nose bloodied and likely broken. Wreck kicks the fallen guy in the head, knocking him out cold.
“We must kill her!” Ace shouts, rising back to his feet.
“You’ll have to kill me first!” Wreck bares his teeth, snapping open a switchblade. “Come on then! I swear I’ll cut the next one’s throat!”
I stand frozen in place, just watching as if I’m a statue instead of a living thing. I hate myself for being so passive, but a weak, submissive part within me doesn’t allow me to think clearly. I’m reverting back into a servant, letting others take control over my life. Ace brandishes a gun as Wreck steps in front of me, acting as a human shield. I still don’t react.
“Think you can move faster than a bullet?” Ace asks, smiling. “Stand aside or I’ll put one between your eyes.”
“Go ahead, coward,” Wreck says.
What is he doing? I think in horror. Is he really willing to die for me? But why?
“Move away,” I mutter, but he doesn’t listen.
The crowd grows deathly quiet. Nobody interferes, and I can’t understand why Tartis doesn’t do anything. Does he want Wreck, his best fighter, to be killed?
“Burn in hell, psycho,” Ace smirks, thumbing back the hammer of the gun.
Wreck doesn’t budge an inch, as if immortal. Maxine emerges from the crowd a moment later and presses a shotgun into the back of Ace’s head.
“I don’t really think you want to shoot him,” she says in a soft voice. “Do yourself a favor. Drop your gun before I blow your damn head off.”
Ace’s smile fades as he hurriedly executes her request.
“Maxine!” Tartis thunders. “What are you doing here?”
She doesn’t pay him any attention, slamming the butt of her shotgun against Ace’s head. He drops to the ground. Nobody attempts to stop her. She slowly picks up the handgun, and moves to stand beside me. I feel greatly relieved.
“What are you doing here?” Tartis repeats angrily. “You’re not one of us. I order you to leave!”
“I don’t care about your orders,” she snorts. “I’m not letting anyone hurt this girl. She passed your test, didn’t she? By rule, you must allow her to become a ranger.”
“My soldiers don’t wish her to be amongst us,” Tartis protests.
“Oh really?” Maxine turns to the crowd. “Do you want this girl to become one of you?”
Most of the rangers burst out with shouts of approval. I hate them all. They remained silent while Ace was attacking me, and only offered support after Wreck and Maxine stood by my side.
“Fine,” Tartis says, obviously displeased. “She may become a ranger, should she manage to return from her spirit journey. I give her three days to prepare for the ritual.”
“A spirit journey?” I mutter. “Is that another test?”
“Are you frightened?” Tartis smiles.
“Why should I be frightened?”
“You’ll likely die during the ritual, if your spirit proves weak.”
CHAPTER 28
“The score now stands two to one,” Wreck says, leading me back toward his shack. “I’m winning by the way.”
I follow along, feeling frustrated because Maxine slipped away before Wreck and I could get past the crowd. I hoped to speak with her.
“You didn’t rescue me this time,” I say. “Maxine did. Why did she help us?”
“Well, I wouldn’t quite say she was helping us. She was only helping you. I imagine she would be happy to see me shot. She hates me.”
“I think she kinda likes you.”
“Nah, that’s crazy,” he snorts. “Maxie is always doing something mean to me. She’s unpredictable. Someday, I’m gonna kick her ass.”
I can’t tell whether he’s joking or not. It’s almost impossible to be sure with him.
“I want to see Tanya,” I say, changing the subject.
“She’s not in the village.”
“What? Where is she?”
“Relax. She’s fine.
