Page 113 of The Commons

Levon and I hug tightly.

“Ride fast. But ride safe. And please, don’t die,” Levon says to me.

“I won’t.”

“And I won’t disappoint you. Come on, Swin, let’s go!” Levon says, then leaves with Swin.

I mount onto the glowing Motoron and race toward Patron De Londe’s mansion.

A flash of lightning.

A flash of thunder.

A force surges into me, crashing me to the ground.

Lenon.

Screw you!

He rides around in a thunderous silver Motoron that looks like a ruthless beast. His eyes collide with mine. “I told you not to let me catch you again.”

My heart drops. What? That was a dream. My eyes widen in shock that those things could have been real. He smirks, winking at me while riding away, flying the white sand like an ocean current to my face. Argh! He must have just made me have those thoughts. It can’t possibly be real, I tell myself. I hate him! I grip the Motoron and press hard, riding against the surging pressure.

Fifteen minutes later, I arrive at the secret entrance to Pesh’s room in Londe’s house.

I open the door above me and enter.

I see a picture of Pesh as a child, as well as a picture of his mom in the corner. I smile, then turn. To my shock, I see two guards waiting for me at the door. Before I can pivot, another guard grabs my arm from behind. Before I can fight, strong hands grip my neck back, cuffing my wrists. Urgh. It’s Lenon. He smiles, delighting in this. Is this some sort of a joke to him?

“Your little sand trick didn’t work on me,” I say with regard to not only his attempt to stop me from coming here, but also whatever the bloody heck he did to my mind.

He smiles, whispering into my ears from behind, “If I wanted to stop you, I would have. Don’t doubt how fast I can kill a person I don’t like.”

He smirks, drawing away from me.

I open my mouth to tell him off, but before I do, a net covers me completely. They tie my hands and mouth. And Lenon disappears. He is not in sight. Bloody bastard!

The guards pull me toward the living room, where I see Pesh on the floor.

Oh God. He’s dying. My body shivers, distressed.

Patron De Londe presses Pesh’s neck violently, and Pesh groans in pain, fighting for a grain of air. The blue poison in Pesh’s body seems to hurt him more when Londe touches his skin.

Oh my God. Pesh.

Just as De Londe is about to claw his hands deeper into Pesh’s skin, he jerks Pesh’s head up. Pesh’s gaze shifts to see me held by two men.

As soon as Pesh sees me struggling and fighting against their vicious grip, a torturous yell tears through his throat, “No! Shantavia! Nooooooooo!”

My Pesh… He was suffering, and I couldn’t do anything but watch.

CHAPTER 26

For The Love of The Commoners

“You might not care about dying. But I know you care if I kill her!” Londe roars. “You have exactly 160 seconds before I kill your lover girl there. You know I don’t play with time.”

Pesh struggles for breath as the blue serum dries up his neck.