Resistance by C. J. Daugherty Page B

Nicole. She could get hurt.’
    ‘I’ve already been hurt, Allie.’ For the first time, Rachel sounded angry. ‘And I couldn’t fight back because I didn’t know what to do. I was just Nathaniel’s victim. His toy . Waiting for someone to come and save me. Waiting for you to save me. Waiting to watch him cut you. And to see Gabe nearly break Nicole’s leg …’
    She shuddered at the memory and an angry tear streaked down her cheek. Dashing it away with the back of her hand, she took a shaky breath.
    Allie was stunned. She’d spent three months with Rachel and she never once mentioned she was considering joining Night School. Had she just been sitting there the whole time keeping secrets? About Lucas? About Night School?
    Had she told her the truth about anything ?
    ‘If I’m staying at Cimmeria, I have to learn how to defend myself. And I’m going to,’ Rachel continued defiantly. ‘You can’t stop me.’
    The rush of anger and fear made it hard to think clearly and Allie pressed her fingers against her eyelids. There was no way this could be happening.
    ‘Maybe not,’ she said, dropping her hands. ‘But I’m bloody well going to try.’
    Whirling, she ran from the room, hurtling down the dim corridor almost unaware of the tears pouring down her cheeks. Her steps were sure but inside she was reeling. How could Rachel do this? How could she betray her like this? Nathaniel would … he would …
    She rounded the corner, so blinded by anger and fear she couldn’t see where she was going. She’d made it to the foot of the stairs when someone grabbed her arms, pulling her back. She struggled wildly to free herself but the hands held on to her.
    ‘Allie, stop.’
    It was Carter.
    Still she fought back, hitting his shoulders with her fists.
    ‘Let me go, Carter. Let me go. Let me go.’ But he didn’t. Instead, he pulled her into his arms and she collapsed against his chest, sobbing, repeating over and over again, ‘Let me go.’
    He held her until her tears finally quietened. Then he guided her up the stairs to a darkened alcove where they could talk in private.
    ‘Now,’ he said when they were settled, ‘what the hell is going on?’
    They sat side by side on a stone bench. Allie felt sore from weeping – as if she’d cried with her whole body. In one hand she clutched a tissue he’d handed her.
    Her voice shaking, she told him everything. The hook on the wall. The look on Rachel’s face.
    When she finished, he swore under his breath. ‘I can’t believe she’d do something so bloody stupid. And what the hell is Isabelle thinking?’
    Somehow, the fact that he agreed with her made things worse. It meant she was right about how dangerous this was for Rachel.
    ‘We can’t let her do this, Carter,’ she said, fighting back a fresh flood of tears. ‘Gabe will kill her. I know he will. I’ve got to go and talk to Isabelle. And tell her … tell her …’
    He took her hand, folding it in his. Allie couldn’t remember the last time they’d been this close without tension between them. It felt natural to be here.
    But his next words took her by surprise.
    ‘Or not,’ he said.
    Dropping his hand, she blinked up at him. ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘Look, I love Rachel as much as you do,’ he said. ‘But think about it. She’s not the most physically fit student at Cimmeria, right?’
    Still puzzled, Allie nodded. ‘She hates exercise.’
    ‘So …’ He looked down at her, his dark eyes fathomless in the shadows. ‘How’s that going to work out for her in Night School?’
    Allie considered this.
    ‘It’ll be hard,’ she said, still not getting it. ‘It’s hard for everyone.’
    ‘Raj is our lead trainer. You know he’s not going to go easy on her just because she’s his daughter, right?’
    Finally realising what he was getting at, Allie sat up straighter, her gaze fixed on his. ‘No. He’ll be harder on her. Much harder.’
    ‘Precisely. And Rachel will not handle that