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Suddenly, the branches behind me crack, and I twist around. People in robes come through the bushes on both sides of me, and I hop onto my feet right away. They spread out around me, their masks covering their faces.

“You,” one of them says. “You shouldn’t be out here.”

“Get out of my fucking way,” I say, glaring at them, my hands curling into fists.

They all lunge at me at once. The closest one steps forward, and I duck under his arm and drive my shoulder into his chest. We crash into the branches together, and hands close around me from behind, hauling me backward, and I twist hard and pull away.

A fist catches me across the mouth, and I taste blood. I swing at whoever’s closest and my knuckles connect with a mask, pain shooting up my arm.

Someone kicks the back of my leg and I go down as one of them comes down on top of me. I grab a fistful of his robe and shove him off into the branches, but then someone’s arm hooks around my neck from behind and squeezes until my vision goes spotty at the edges as I claw at him.

If they hold me here long enough, Supreme will go right past me while I’m pinned in a bush, and then I won’t be able to stop him from getting to Veronica.

I snap my head back into the guy’s face, and he grunts, letting go of my neck. A knee comes up into my side and I double over. Someone else hits me across the cheekbone hard enough that the whole side of my face throbs.

They’re not going to stop, and there are too many of them. Fuck!

But I can’t give up now, so I get my feet under me and rush the closest one with everything I’ve got. All I need is to escape these guys and get to Veronica as soon as possible.

Chapter 34

VERONICA

ONCE I GET TO THE DOOR that leads to the roof, there’s a masked guy in a robe in front of it. He steps toward me, his hands going over my jacket pockets first, and then he hesitates before tapping the rest. He doesn’t come anywhere near my chest, where my pocketknife is wedged into my bra.

Finally, he grunts and shoves the door open.

Lovely. So welcoming.

As the door closes behind me, I climb up, digging the pocketknife out of my bra and slipping it into my jacket pocket. Once I reach the top, I push through yet another door.

A low wall runs along the edge of the roof. Supreme is standing in the middle of it in his mask and robe, and he watches me carefully as I make my way toward him. I come to a stop with plenty of space between us, because getting any closer than I have to so isn’t happening.

“You wanted to meet,” he says.

“I did.”

“Then talk.”

Right, because I’m supposed to jump when he says so, and I’m not even one of his people. But I spent the whole day trying to figure out what to ask him, so there’s no reason to delay this any further.

“I want to know why you think I’d ever join the society,” I say. “Because so far, the recruitment has been all about threats, people ruining my exams, and basically breaking into my room, and everyone here is treating me as if I’ve done something horrible. And then there’s a list of perks I’m supposed to believe in, like jobs, connections, strings pulled for me, doors opening... But it’s just a promise, and no one has shown me anything real yet.”

“Oh, I assure you the benefits are very real.”

“Then show me one.”

“I can’t.”

Sure. Obviously.

He tilts his head a little. “If I show you something, that would mean revealing who those people are, and you’re not a member yet, so I can’t let that happen.”

“Ah, so privacy now matters. How noble of you all.” I spread my lips into a quick smile.

“It’s the only reason the society still exists.”

“And how many of the members actually get anything?” I cock my head at him. “I’ve met a few of your people now, and all they seem to do is run errands for you.”