CHAPTER 133: 133-TRIED KILLING ME

Clementine:

They must have beaten her up too, and it looked like she had lost a lot of blood. Healing with transition wasn’t an option for her at the moment.

"What are we going to do now?" I turned to Ian, avoiding Xenia, who grabbed my arm and shook me to face her.

"When I’m talking, you’re going to answer me. Do you have no manners at all? We’re having a conversation and you turn to speak with your boyfriend?" The way she said it sent goosebumps crawling over my skin.

"That’s enough. The only reason you’re standing is because of this girl. So unless you stay quiet, we won’t take you with us." Ian pointed his finger at her face, then grabbed my elbow. "Let’s go. We need to rush to the rooftop. That’s the only place we can hide."

He pulled me along and we ran for the rooftop.

"Wait for me!" Xenia complained, dragging her body behind us.

"Okay, since we’re already here, let’s just take her with us," I told Ian, forcing myself to stop. Leaving her after we’d come this far felt wrong.

"Fine, but she’ll be punished on the mainland," Ian reminded me.

I nodded. Of course, that was my plan. I didn’t say it out loud, but I was determined to have her punished so anyone else who tried something similar would be warned, especially the White Squad. They needed to understand their actions would have consequences.

Ian and I slung her arms over our shoulders, which made it easier to get through the second floor. The third floor was, as always, completely empty with no rooms. But by now Medusa was sprinting fast. Even when she walked briskly, we could tell she was closing in.

Then we reached the rooftop door. Ian slipped in first to check the area and make sure the brown people weren’t hiding around, while I helped Xenia inside. The second I let her hand off my shoulder, she glared at me.

"You’re the one who turned everyone against me, I can tell," she hissed.

"What are you talking about? I fucking saved your life." I tried to push her aside so I could shut the door, but she shook her head.

"No, you’re so irritating. You told everyone I threw the stone with a smile on my lips. You’re the one who said Jack handed me the stone. It was you! The idea that I did it on purpose came from you!"

The fact that she lied so bluntly to my face, that she’d even convinced herself she didn’t mean to kill that girl when she threw the rock, bothered me more than I could stand. And it wasn’t over. She put her hands on me.

"So fuck off."

It seemed like a pattern with her, hurting someone while knowing exactly what the consequences would be. As if, in the back of her mind, she wanted someone to take the hit or take the fall.

She shoved me hard enough that I lost my balance. If I hadn’t grabbed the door handle in time, I would have fallen straight into Medusa’s feet, because she was already coming up behind me. But I held on, and I survived. That’s when I locked eyes with Xenia.

I think she realized then that her plan had failed, and she was in even more trouble. So this time she pushed me with all her strength. But before her hands could hit my chest, Ian came from behind, grabbed my arm, and yanked me past her.

As he dragged me with him, everything seemed to move in slow motion. I swung around and landed on my feet behind Xenia. I watched her go down. But then...

She held onto the door handle, trying to save herself, but Ian lifted his leg and kicked her in the back.

"Ah!" she screamed.

The handle she grabbed was already loose. There was no way she could have survived, because somehow it came off with her. It hadn’t held my weight earlier either, it was rusty and old. So when Ian kicked her, it was the final push. She was already falling.

Ian rushed forward. While Xenia screamed, he grabbed the door and began to close it. As it shut, I caught sight of her landing straight at Medusa. But Medusa didn’t move.

The next moment, Xenia struggled to balance on the stairs, staring into Medusa’s eyes. Then her back turned completely to stone. By that time, Ian had thankfully locked the door.

There was silence after that. Ian and I sat on the rooftop, staring into the distance.

"I’m not guilty," Ian said with a shrug.

I looked at him, wondering why I was thinking so hard about what had just happened. Could she have survived if he hadn’t kicked her? Would the handle have held if he hadn’t? So many questions circled in my head, but only one answer made sense, if she had stayed alive, she would have killed many more.

"I’m not mourning her," I said with a steady look. "I just realized we have to take drastic steps in the north without feeling too bad about them."

"Well then, let’s go. We’ve rested long enough. We need to make sure the others are fine." Ian stood, snapping his fingers. I nodded and got up after him.

As soon as we stood, we spotted the rooftop of the other house. Troy and Yorick were there, looking around in panic.

"Hey, they’re there!" they shouted, waving their arms from the last brown house.

"Did you guys do it?" I called out.

"Yes!" Troy yelled back.

"What now? We still have to slay her," he asked, shouting across to make sure we heard.

Before I could answer, screams echoed from another house. Medusa had gotten a taste for souls, and she wasn’t stopping.

"Do you think she killed the leader?" I asked, but the silence from the other side was my only reply. Which meant even they didn’t know if Medusa had taken out all of her people.

"Are you talking about me?"

My blood ran cold. Ian and I turned around, and we saw the man push open the door and step behind us.