MAXINE

I shut my eyes, fear gripping me in a way that it had never done before. I had been shot. Never have I been shot before. I looked down at my body, searching for the gun wound.

I needed to stop the bleeding. But I realized that I was fine. I looked at Oz, he was unarmed. And then Cinder. She was also unarmed.

I heard the thud behind me and turned to see one of the rogues drop to the ground, gripping a gun wound on his chest.

"Thank you, Zel." Oz exhaled even though she couldn't ...