Page 59 of The Tree of Spirits
“I’m not sure that they will,” Dante grumbled.
“Of course they will. The Knights will do what they must to get us back,” Bronte told him. “We’re Apprentices, the future of humanity. We’re valuable.”
“Of course we’re valuable,” said Dante. “That’s why these guys took us hostage. Exactly because we’re valuable hostages. They know that as long as they have us, the General won’t let the Knights make a move on them. He can’t risk losing a whole class of Knights.” He nodded as Bronte’s confident smile faded. “So, now you get it. The Knights won’t risk a rescue. And these guys won’t be letting us go, at least not until they’re away free. And then who’s to say what they will do with us, when they don’t need us as a bargaining chip anymore.”
I clutched my bruised throat. I could still feel the armored supernatural’s fingers clamping down on my skin.
“In other words,” Dante said, “it will be a miracle if we all survive this.”
CHAPTER 7
TRAPPED
“Isaid, get moving!” one of the armored fiends shouted down the line in his deep, smoky voice. “Or else?—”
He didn’t get a chance to finish that threat. A thunderous boom shook the building, swallowing his words.
“The Knights are attacking the forcefield,” said the other male soldier. He was standing at a window, peering outside through a gap in the curtains. “And the Watchers are standing ready on our doorstep. The moment the forcefield goes down, they’ll storm the building.”
“Are there any other exits?”
“Only back through the basement into the jewelry store. And they’re standing by outside the shop too, just in case we try it.”
The armored fiends huddled up to discuss what to do.
“So much for us being their security guarantee,” Bronte commented, glancing at Dante. “The Knights and Watchers aren’t holding back just because we’re inside.”
Asher squeezed through the crowd, making his way to us. “That’s because the Rebels are in here.” He glanced at the three armored fiends. “The General wants to take them out at any cost.”
“They aren’t Rebels!” I protested.
Kylie sidled up to us. “Then who are they?”
“I don’t know.” I shook my head. “All I can tell you is I’ve seen that armor before.”
“Yes, at the Tournament,” Bronte said impatiently. “We’ve been down this road before.”
“The Tournament isn’t the only place I’ve seen people in this techno armor.”
Dante blinked. “Where else have you seen it?”
“In the Park, two days ago. Some guys—theseguys, I’m pretty sure—clashed with the Watchers, the Rebels, and a bunch of creepy commandos from the Brotherhood.”
“Sounds like a real party,” Nevada commented.
“Yeah, it was so much fun that I nearly got blown up.”
Dante rubbed his forehead. “Wait,youwere at the Battle in the Park?”
“Uh, yeah,” I said with a small, forced smile. “Did I forget to mention that?”
Dante looked at me like I was a girl made of glass who’d decided to charge at a dragon.
“Well, never mind that.” I waved his worries aside. “We need to focus on the matter at hand.”
“Yeah.” Nevada tugged on her braids. “We’re stuck in here withthem.”
One of the fiends was watching us. Closely. It was the one who’d choked me.
