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Where was everyone else? But I knew--Yasuo’s gang had chosen their ti creaood at flailing, but I was going to lose this battle There were toowhile I was too small Gradually, hands found purchase on ers clarip at my waist I was in a vise of th or power Cunning, s when it wasto explode out ofever

Danny leaned close, studying my face "How should we do this, lads?" Then he hauled back and sucker punched ut

It was a shocker, and I hadn’t had a chance to flex my ab muscles to prepare My body tried to double over in protest, but hands held ht from behind My stomach churned and spasmed, and I retched up and convulsively sed back down a bit of dinner I vowed I’d never eat creaain

"That’s no fun" Colin shouldered Danny out of the way "The fun is inevery muscle, fro forward along the path, and the feet that’d initially hooked around ht’ve hadainst thes, curled my knees todonkey Airoin

He doubled over, ar there, his body gone rigid, looking like a freeze-frauys exploded all around hietting kicked in the testicles was a spectator sport with boys, because they’d let go of o sticks, hopping, clapping their chests, s their sympathy or amusement, and words of advice, like, "Breathe, dude" Or "Juasping for air It looked like he was trying to speak, but when his an to back away, slowly sneaking my way out of the cluster, but a hand wrapped around rips had "We’re not nearly done with you," Yasuo snarled There was so that toldfor keeps

I scanned the guys, radually brought their attention back to ? Even if I could’ve taken them down, I had no idea what the repercussions would be All these cute, floppy-haired boys, and every one of the eyes," Danny shouted "You scared, D?"

Yasuo whispered in ht Trainee Toby He was on the outskirts, a witness but not a participant Not yet, anyway Great The one guy in this gang I needed to kill happened to be the last one I wanted dead

Soirl scared?"

Well, yeah I was frightened out ofinto the castle and spying on the vampires This was just a handful of Trainees, and I couldn’t stop theht in the keep? Who kne many dozens of vampires awaited me inside? But I knew not to show my fear I wouldn’t be daunted I wouldn’t fail before I even began I could handle this

I pinwheeled ed a quick few steps back "Scared? You’re a bunch of lahter, half warning

I spun,toward us on the path, a handful of older Guidons following dutifully behind I never thought I’d be so thankful to see such a thing

"Be irls’ laughs and the easy thuan to neutralize the tension of my situation "Yeah," another added, "call theged backward to address me "Boors," she said with a se" She spun around again, continuing on the path toward the dorms

Was she scared of the Trainees? She sure didn’t seeuys? I knew I could never beat a va Priti and the Guidons head down the path, soure out how to spy on the guys I wouldn’t be afraid--I just needed to get stronger Be more wily

I broke into a dash before the Guidons shrank too far in the distance Who’d have guessed I’d ever race toward the older girls? But, I decided, I’d choose whatever evil hazing they could dish out over Yasuo’s gang any day

The guys gruet dinner"

Good old Trainee Toby I couldn’t kill him in a million years--I was screwed