Spinning around, I spotted a large kitchen knife on the counter and scooped it up.
Jackpot. Could never have too many weapons.
I glanced across the cafeteria and spotted Kaja, frozen but safe in the corner with Nell. Her other three sisters stood just behind them. No selkies were advancing on them. However… my gaze landed on Honor and Noble, who were cornered byfourselkie warriors.
The pair were outnumbered; we all were.
We needed the ratios to change. I needed to stop this damn song.
Blood rushed in my ears as I sprinted forward, bumping the inert Evil Barbie—totally by accident—and I forced my attention to narrow until only my target existed.Sorry, selkie, your show is getting canceled.
“Nai!” Rage yelled, his voice buzzing in the distance, a mixture of panic or anger. “Stay put!”
No time for chitchat. I didn’t care if he approved of my battle plans.
Tipping my wrist back, I flicked the kitchen blade just as I had a billion times in the woods of Montana. The slender silver knife sang as it sliced through the air, and the female selkie’s voice became a wet gurgle as a thin line of blood beaded on the right side of her neck. Her eyes widened, and she clutched her throat. The strike had hit true, just as deadly as Rage’s.
Within seconds, the rest of the cafeteria roared to life, no longer frozen.
I pivoted to get to Honor and Noble, and pain exploded up my arm. My vision turned white, and I screamed. Agony pulsed up my arm; my fingers went limp as the machete tumbled from my grasp, clattering on the ground.
Blood ran from my elbow to fingers, and I clutched the injury and spun … to see a Siren warrior bringing his blade up for a death strike. I flinched, preparing for the blow, but the pain never came.
There was a wet thwack followed by a thud at my feet. My eyes sprang open to see Kaja standing over the selkie. She pulled the blade from his body and held it out to me.
Total BFF.
“Thanks, girl.” I snatched it from her and spun, bolting for Noble and Honor. Thank the mage that the selkie warrior only grazed my arm, or I might be missing it right now.
Darting through the melee, I pushed away those rousing from their cursed sleep until I reached my two favorite Midnight boys.
One selkie lay on the ground, blood pooling beneath him, but the other three were raining blows onto Honor and Noble. At any given second, it was two on one, and I tried to assess which brother was in more need of help.
Noble slid his weapon out from underneath the selkie’s and went on the offense. The risk was big, given the numbers, but it seemed to be working.
Honor reached up to deflect another selkie’s sword, leaving a gap from his armpit to his hip.
Time seemed to slow as the other warrior lunged for the kill.
“No!” I screamed, darting forward. I crashed into the selkie, using my momentum to drive the machete into his side, right between his ribs. He stumbled back; the knife dropped from his hand, and then he slumped to the ground, pulling me down with him. I released my hold on the machete and scrambled off the warrior. Climbing to my feet, I stared at the gore pooling beneath him.
Holy mage. I…
The selkie’s eyes widened, and he grabbed for the blade, but his fingers slipped from the slick surface. Without considering my actions, I reached forward, and in one swift movement, I yanked the weapon out and … dropped it.
Bile burned the back of my throat. My stomach churned. I spun away from the dude with his silvery and pink entrails spilling out of his abdomen.
I had to fight not to close my eyes. I’d been preparing for battle my whole life, only to discover I wasn’t that prepared.
I’d never killed anyone before…
Noble shouted, and it snapped me from my stupor. There were still two selkies fighting to take the brothers down, but now they turned their focus on me. Stepping back, I reached over by the trashcan, picked up a metal food tray, and then whacked the selkie nearest me, right at the base of his head. The edge of the metal cut right into the side of his neck, and he went down screaming. Noble took care of the other one, cut him open like a fish.
Gross.Training with my father did nothing to prepare me forthis. Seeing a man bleed out and—
My thoughts derailed as Rage suddenly swam into view.
“What the hell were you thinking!?” Rage grabbed the front of my shirt and yanked me forward until my body pressed up against his. “You could have been killed!”
