"Blow them up,” I say. “Print them. We'll have people put them up all over the school so she can't escape it."
"No," Tex barks out.
I turn, his posture is stiff, fists clenching and unclenching.
"That's fucked up,” he says. “Think of something else."
"Why do you care?" I ask.
"I don't," he shoots back too quickly, making my eyes narrow. "But no one deserves to have the worst day of their life thrown in their face."
"She needs to leave.” I lean back in my chair. “Go back to the shithole she crawled out of."
"Why?" Luca tilts his head, baffled. "I mean, sure, I get it, if she takes over, you don't get to, but who cares?"
The pressure starts behind my eyes. My father’s voice echoes in my head.
"I care.” My tone is ice, no room for argument.
“She doesn't belong here. She wasn’t raised like us. Didn’t earn anything. Why should someone like her run the Guild when we've been training for it for years?”
The room is silent.
Noah resumes typing. “This just feels a little…extreme.”
Tex's jaw works, fists tightening again like he’s fighting the urge to swing. "I don't like it," he states.
"I don't care." I stand, smoothing my hand over my uniform. "She needs to go. This is the best way to achieve that."
"This is pretty brutal," Luca mutters, a frown on his face. He leans back on the couch again.
I turn to meet Tex's eyes. "So, what will it be? Are you with us? Or against us?"
"You're going to push me out because I said I don’t like your idea?” Tex narrows his eyes.
"Yes.” My voice doesn’t waver. “You're here because of the Guild. I’m protecting the Guild. So, decide—are you in or out?”
Tex holds my gaze for a minute. Tension thick between us.
Without a word, he walks out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
"Make it happen." I turn and leave the room without a second glance.
18 RAGE
Tex
My blood is boiling. My skin itches but I just roll my neck. Darkness creeps in the corners of my vision. I suppress the rage that threatens to explode out of me. My fists are balled, and the need to punch something, someone, is so strong, I think about turning back around.
The door behind me opens.
“Stop,” Jace commands.
“Shove it up your ass,” I call back, continuing to walk.
His footsteps are behind me.
“What did you just say to me?” Jace grabs my shoulder.
