Sauter (Ironside Academy, #3)(130)
She paused as cheers rose through the gathered crowd, before speaking again.
“This year at Ironside has been nothing short of exhilarating, and if there's one specialisation that has consistently captivated our attention over the last year, making us tune into our screens with bated breath, it's the world of dance! Therefore, with no further delay, I have the privilege to present this year's Icon, and it should come as no surprise to you all what her specialisation is! Her dance ability has left us all in awe, and as sad as we are to see her leave Ironside, we’re ecstatic to announce that she will be joining the Paris Opera Ballet. We expect big things of her in the future. Please join me in giving an enormous round of applause for the remarkable Astrid Johannson!"
A familiar, petite blonde Beta bounded across the stage. Isobel was sure that she had seen the other girl hanging out with Niko on and off-screen, and she was so distracted by intrusive thoughts about whether or not she was one of the girls he had already seen naked that she didn’t hear the sound at first.
The familiar pop pop pop that still haunted her dreams.
It wasn’t until the screaming started that she realised what was happening, and by then, it was already too late. The crowd surged in an instant panic, all of them trying to push and shove their way to safety. Isobel was toppled over with several other people, and all she could do was hold her arms over her head as a rush of feet threatened to trample her.
Cian managed to fight his way back to her side, and he picked her up by the arms, forcing her up until her head broke the crush of people and she could breathe again. He started forcing his way through the rush, holding her steady with one arm.
“The others!” she shouted, tugging at his arm.
“They can look after themselves,” he said. “But you’ll get crushed.”
Another round of shots rang out, and Cian ducked, the crowd surging again. She was torn away from him, people shoving her backward as they clambered toward the stage.
She strained to keep her head above it all, spotting Cian with a bloody nose, pushing people out of his way. When his eyes found her again, he pointed behind her. “That way!” he shouted.
She immediately stopped fighting the pushing and shoving of the crowd, allowing them to fight in Cian’s direction while she squeezed in the other direction until she could suddenly duck and weave between the panicked students.
She caught sight of the chapel, now running toward it at full speed, her heart threatening to burst out of her chest. She was almost at the door when the first wave of dizziness hit her. Her vision blurred, and her heartbeat slowed to a crawl, dark spots flashing over her vision.
The feeling was accompanied by a sharp flash of memory. A blade cutting into her arm and Eve’s scathing voice in her ear.
Eve.
She forced herself to stumble forward, collapsing against the doorjamb to keep herself upright as the screams and gunshots warbled into a strange cloud of sound. The pressure against her head doubled, making her fall forward, a groan catching in the back of her throat as she stumbled into the chapel and caught herself on her hands as her body hit the floor.
She flopped onto her back, trying to force away the dizziness, to pull herself up and lock the door, but Eve was already there, stepping into the opening, her blue eyes clearly shining with smugness, even with Isobel’s blurry vision.
“Well, this all turned out rather well, didn’t it?” Eve asked. “I’ve been following you around for weeks, waiting for my moment.” Her gaze flickered up, focussing on something behind Isobel.
Sophia stalked forward, her short dark hair flopping up and down with how fast she moved, and then suddenly her fist connected with Eve’s face.
“Not today, bitch.” Sophia shoved against Eve as Maya knelt beside Isobel, pulling her up into a sitting position.
Eve stumbled back, clutching her nose as blood spurted through her fingers. “What the fuck?” she snapped. “Who the fuck even are you?”
Sophia shoved her backward and then slammed the door in her face and locked it, before collapsing against the wood, looking pale and sweaty, her hands shaking. She shook her head like she was trying to clear away a fog in her mind—Eve’s power somehow working on both of them at once—before she turned to the side and shouted through the door, “A real friend, you psycho!”
“Isobel?” Maya was touching her forehead. “What’s going on out there?”
“S-Shooter,” Isobel slurred.
“You’re going to pay for that!” Eve collided with the other side of the door, her fists pounding against it. “You’re all going to pay for that! Shit, he’s coming.” She suddenly backed away from the door.
Sophia stumbled away, looking at the door in horror. “He’s coming? Who’s coming?”
“Soph,” Maya snapped. “Get away from the door. Luis! Get behind the podium! Is the back door locked?”
“Yes, Mama.” Luis’ voice trembled like he was crying, and he squeaked when he ran into something, knocking it against the floor.
“Get down on the ground, Luis,” Maya ordered over her shoulder, helping Isobel to her feet.
Sophia grabbed Isobel’s other arm as the effect of Eve’s power began to wear off, and the three of them stumbled toward where Luis was hiding.
“I saw you go in there, Carter!” Heavy fists crashed against the chapel door, and Isobel ducked away from the other two women, pushing them toward the dais when they tried to grab onto her again. She turned to face the door, dread dropping into her stomach.