Page 22 of The Honor Society

“The mask, Proctor.”

I nod and move to remove my mask but only get to above my mouth when I say. “You don’t deserve the honor.” I slam my knife into his throat and twist. A choking cry erupts as he tumbles to the ground and I whisper into his ear. “But I’ll at least throw this bone allowing you to watch my lips move so you know it’s real, your debt is paid, War.”

When I stand he’s gasping, bleeding, choking.

I grab my pen and officially record.

Debt: Paid in blood.

7

Sixteen Days Until The Convocation

AXEL

“God that hurts.” Jenner mutters as I half carry him out of the warehouse to the waiting vehicle. I’m not the least bit surprised that my entire chest feels like it’s been ripped in half again, thanks to my quick movements, I’m pretty sure half my stitches are out.

Gonna need to get some super glue or something later.

When we make it across the parking lot, Rhodes fucking walks around the Defender and shakes his head at me then leans up against the hood.

He’s forty-two, jet black hair, blue eyes, a tattoo wrapped around his neck in the shape of hands praying as if he’s both being choked and offered up as a sacrifice. His smile is always half amused, half cruel.

He is not a man to cross, The Chancellor.

“What the hell did you do?”

I glance at Jenner then down at my blood-soaked shirt. “Um, playdate?”

“For fucks sake, Axel.” He shoves away from the Defender. “You challenged War.”

I wince. “Technically, War challenged me.”

His laugh lacks humor but hey at least he’s laughing? “So your first thought was to nominate his bastard heir?”

“Standing right here.”

“Don’t care.” Rhodes seethes. “You invoked succession seventeen days before Convocation!”

“Sixteen.” I correct, measuring his mood. It doesn’t look like he wants to kill me. Yet. “Technically it’s sixteen days since it’s one in the morning.” I grin.

He doesn’t return it. Whoops too far. “Axel.”

“Rhodes.” I wink.

He closes his eyes and finally a smile cracks. “You’re bleeding.”

“So observant, no wonder your pay grade is higher.”

“You moved a piece.” He puts his hands on his hips.

“What?”

“Oh please, don’t insult my intelligence. Calloway was unstable but predictable. Now, you’ve put Jenner in.”

“He deserved what came to him.” I snap. I never snap. What the hell? Am I really making this personal now? Because I got shot or because I want it so badly to be someone else’s fault I got betrayed and hurt.

Rhodes eyes search me. “Son of a bitch,” he smirks. “You’re replacing them, aren’t you?”