Alejandra gasped as the dimension door opened and Akshi walked through. But she clamped her jaw, mustering all the bravery she did not feel and glared at Akshi.

  “I am not handing Nick over to you. No matter what you do to me, no matter what you say, you will not have Nick.”

  Akshi sighed, almost disappointed. “You know, the best thing that can happen from this, is that I no longer have to remind you that we’ve already had this conversation.”

  Alejandra blinked, but tried to keep the emotions off her face. It didn’t help, because what he said was really confusing. “You… I don’t…”

  “Modify memory,” Akshi said.

  “Magic doesn’t work on me. I’m from earth,” Alejandra said.

  “My magic works on people who are afraid, no matter what realm they’re from,” Akshi said, slithering forward. As he got closer, he rose up in size, and Alejandra did everything in her power to not stumble back. She stood her ground, pretending she wasn’t as afraid as she felt.

  Akshi smirked. “And you, my dear girl, are very afraid all the time.” He pulled out something from his bag and tossed it to her. Alejandra backed away, terrified of what he threw at her. She was surprised to see they were nothing more than shorts and a tank top.

  Alejandra stared at them, then back at Akshi. “What is this?”

  “I need to make sure you’re not wearing any other tracking device before I move you. This technology is impressive. I have not found a way to stop it using my mana. Therefore, we must take every precaution.”

  Alejandra stared at Akshi, and he simply stared back. She saw the yellow snake eyes, and did what she could to not shiver. They were so much like Grizzizzik’s, except not. Not in the way that counted.

  “I’m… not. I’m not getting undressed in front of you,” Alejandra said.

  Akshi chuckled. “Of all the horrible stories about me you’ve heard, I’d like to know what makes you think I’m the kind of person that will turn around while you get dressed. You think, after seeing the people I’ve tortured, I’m the kind of person that will leave the room to give you decency?”

  Alejandra’s chest heaved as Akshi slithered closer. “I suppose you ought to be happy you’re not the species I find attractive. That’d be far too easy to break you, though. I prefer my torture to be a work of art.”

  Alejandra closed her eyes, even though everything inside her screamed at her to keep them open. She needed to be aware of her surroundings. There was a hungry shark in the water and she was on a raft made of fish.

  “So you will get in these clothes, or you will not wear any clothes at all,” Akshi said. “It is your choice.”

  In an instant, Hraktar appeared. Alejandra didn’t even realize she summoned him. She wasn’t supposed to summon him, though. Something was off. She had tried ever since she got in here to teleport Hraktar to her, and now it worked?

  Hraktar unsheathed his great sword and placed it against Akshi’s throat. “You will leave Alejandra alone, or you will have to face me.”

  A slow smile grew on Akshi’s face. “Hraktar. It’s so good of you to join us.” He flicked his wrist, and the door opened. An orc was at the doorway and turned around in surprise when it opened on its own. Hraktar glanced up at the orc, then all the color drained from his face.

  The orc smiled, resting his axe on his shoulder. “Look who it is, everyone. It’s Hraktar the Runt, back home at last.”

  ***

  Derek thought he had nervous energy, but Rafael had not stopped pacing since they were all herded into the gym. Evelyn had left with Nick and Grizzizzik in the ambulance that carted them quickly to the hospital, and Mr. Anderson and Se?ora Florez were with the other faculty, maintaining order and doing what they could.

  “Mr. Stower’s house,” Tyler whispered as he stared at his phone, then glanced up at the policemen keeping everyone in the gym.

  “Shit,” Rafael said, folding his arms. “We’ve got to go.”

  “Not without a lengthy process to make sure we are who we say we are, and our parents picking us up are who we say they are,” Derek said, glancing at the ridiculously large herd of students and adults.

  “That’s not going to cut it,” Rafael said.

  Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

  Derek’s heart went out to Rafael. He was right. They couldn’t just stay here. Alejandra’s life was in danger, and they had the information the police needed. Except the police wouldn’t listen to them.

  Derek placed his hands behind his back as he glanced over the huge crowd of people. “Tyler, I’d like you to follow my line of chaotic logic for just a minute,” Derek whispered.

  “Dear god,” Tyler muttered before sighing. “Okay, shoot.”

  “Technically, the apocalypse is still not coming until June sometime.”

  “Correct,” Tyler said.

  “No one saw Akshi steal Alejandra. The alarm didn’t even go off until Nick flew through the door.”

  “Okay?”

  “Therefore there’s still a slight boundary to what people see,” Derek said.

  “You’re starting to lose me,” Tyler said.

  “If, for example, we run the hell out of here, possibly place the police on a chase as we head straight for Mr. Stower’s house, and find Alejandra before Akshi can hurt her, they will most likely try to arrest Akshi. None of the police would get hurt.”

  “Akshi could still try and escape using dimension door,” Tyler said.

  “But he wouldn’t have Alejandra anymore,” Rafael said.

  Rafael had already decided. The tone in his voice was clear enough. Derek glanced at Tyler, who was staring back. He then dropped his gaze to his phone and tapped a few things.

  “It’s a ten-minute drive from here,” Tyler said.

  “Three minutes if we’re being chased by police.” Derek pulled out the keys from his nice jacket.

  “Try not to be chased by police,” Tyler said.

  “There’s no way we won’t be,” Rafael said, heading toward the door. “Because I’m about to hit that fire alarm again.”

  Tyler opened his mouth to say something, but Rafael kept walking. Derek smiled as he followed next to Rafael.

  “If he touches my sister…” Rafael said, the darkness in his voice impossible to ignore as Rafael trailed off. “Can you keep up with me? Because I’m not slowing down,” Rafael said.

  “I shall consider this my first workout to become Gaston,” Derek said.

  “Don’t pull something,” Rafael said before sprinting toward the door. Derek followed after.

  ***

  Hraktar aimed his sword at the orc walking through the door. Alejandra tried to get to Hraktar’s side, but Akshi caught her around the waist.

  “No, I don’t think so,” Akshi said.

  “Let me go,” Alejandra said, struggling in Akshi’s grip as the orc moved closer, laughing as he batted Hraktar’s great sword aside.

  “What is this weak man’s weapon you hold?” the orc asked. “The great axe is far superior.”

  “I… I am not joining your tribe again,” Hraktar said.

  “Stop. Stop this!” Alejandra said. “Please, just let him go.”

  “Again, Alejandra, what about me makes you think I’d listen to a request like that? I wanted you here for this very reason.” Akshi grabbed her wrists, pinning them in front of her. His snake eyes studied her carefully. “If my studying is right, you should be getting a call for battle. Right about…”

  Time stood still, and tears flew down Alejandra’s face.

  Roll for initiative

  Alejandra let out another sob. She couldn’t move with Akshi holding her like this. She tried to break out of his grip, but it was like trying to break out of stone.

  The dice flew to her palm, and she barely rolled before letting it drop to the ground. It was a two. There was no way Hraktar would be first.

  Time resumed, and Akshi kept his eyes on her.

  “It just happened, didn’t it?” Akshi asked.

  Alejandra kept her mouth shut. Tears kept running down her cheeks, but she said nothing. The orc swung his axe, and Hraktar took the axe to the stomach. He groaned, trembling as he backed away.

  “Strip him of his armor, and then attack him,” Akshi shouted at the orc.

  “But I’m only one person, m’lord,” the orc said.

  Due to fear, Hraktar was rolling at a disadvantage, which meant none of his swings were getting across. Akshi’s eyes narrowed.

  “Do you have underlings or not?” Akshi asked.

  This confused the orc. Hraktar headed toward Akshi, but the crime lord of Osvoroth simply sighed.

  “Do that, and I will break this one’s wrist,” Akshi said, his hands tightening over Alejandra’s wrists. “I have already discovered that knocking Nick unconscious also affects Grizzizzik. I strongly suggest you leave me alone.”

  Hraktar paused, and three more orcs entered the room. The bigger orc barked orders in the orc language, and they scuttled to fill the responsibility. Alejandra rolled, again at a disadvantage, as Hraktar tried to kill the underlings. It didn’t work. The first few strikes missed completely, and the other orcs piled on top of Hraktar.

  “Please,” Alejandra begged, again trying to break out of Akshi’s grip. “Please leave him alone.”

  “This is why you’re here, Alejandra,” Akshi said, still studying her closely. “I demand to know how this works. How are you controlling the combat, and how can I see you rolling the dice. I will not give this up.”

  “Please. You’ll kill him,” Alejandra said.

  “No, I won’t. Because fortunately for him, I need him alive.”

  Hraktar screamed in pain as the big orc whacked his shoulder with the great axe as he was pinned. Alejandra’s heart broke as she tried to reach him.

  “Though perhaps that is unfortunate, for him,” Akshi said. “How are you rolling, girl? I need to know.”

  That seemed to trigger something in Hraktar. Alejandra knew Hraktar wouldn’t want this information to be given. Hraktar simply gave up, and Alejandra felt the dice lost to her.

  “Hraktar,” Alejandra whispered. She tried again to reach him, but those scaly hands kept her in one spot. She started to cry as Hraktar’s shoulders slumped, as the emptiness filled his eyes. All he did was shout in pain as the bigger orc kept beating him. It was terrifying how quickly he reverted to before he joined the group.

  ***

  Derek slid into the front seat, gasping for air. He shoved the keys in before turning the car on. The van roared to life, and he gunned it, putting his seatbelt on at the same time.

  “Directions?” Derek asked.

  “On it!” Rafael said.

  Despite Derek being completely winded, Rafael just seemed a little out of breath.

  “Turn left,” Rafael said.

  Derek didn’t question it. He simply did. He was grateful for the opportunity to sit for once and breathe. “We’ll get to her,” Derek said. He tried to make it sound inspirational and comforting, but he was also breathing like he’d swam up from miles under the ocean. “She’ll be alright,” Derek gasped. “We’ll find her.”

  Rafael’s face screwed up in pained hope before saying, “Turn left again.”