Chapter 20: The Beasts

The yard turned into noise.

The black panther came out of the air first, with its claws out and its mouth open.

It went for the nearest rod.

The red fox followed it, screaming.

The brown bear stood on its hind legs and roared at the sky.

The troopers broke ranks.

Somebody fired a rod, and it hit the gravel, and Stellan caught my arm and pulled me back.

"They'll kill each other," he said. "They'll kill everyone."

"No."

I broke free of him and ran straight at Rafe.

He was on his knees, with both hands clawing at his own neck, and his eyes had gone completely black.

I got my arms around his head and drove the gold into him as hard as I could.

It hit a wall.

Something cold was holding the panther's leash, and the leash was the signal, and it was pulling.

"Rafe!"

He threw me off, and I hit the gravel hard enough to see white.

"Selene!" Kit shrieked, and he was running for me with his fox at his heels.

I could see in his face that he did not know me.

I rolled out from under his hands.

Bastian came for me too, slow and huge.

I was on my back in the dust with three raging men bearing down on me.

Over the din I could hear the Warden's voice, kind and carrying.

"Troopers, please. Subdue them. Do not harm the Guide if you can help it."

She was already telling her story.

She would let them tear me apart, and then she would tell the Concord I had died in a riot.

I lifted my right hand, palm out.

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