Sacrifices Read Free Page A

her. “Ow,” Spirit said ruefully, and Burke chuckled.
    “Sorry,” he said. He started to let go, but Spirit held on.
    “Don’t,” she said. “It’s going to hurt anyway. And I—”
    “Shhh,” Burke said, kissing the top of her head. “I know.”
    Spirit closed her eyes tightly, fighting to keep from ruining this brief moment of happiness with tears. Nobody dared go easy on anybody in Systema —not with Ovcharenko watching all of them. It was fight or …
    Well, she wasn’t completely sure of what “or” involved, except that she probably wouldn’t like it much.
    But if not for the fact Oakhurst was trying to kill her the way it had killed her family, this would have been the most wonderful time of her life. Burke was nothing like the kind of boyfriend she’d imagined for herself when she’d dreamed about someday dating and falling in love. But she did love him. And she knew he loved her.
    And just think, I wouldn’t have met him if I hadn’t come to Thunderdome Academy.
    “Do you think we can all get together after dinner?” she asked, deliberately keeping her voice low.
    “Loch’s making arrangements,” Burke said against her hair. “I don’t know the details. He hasn’t been able to talk to Muirin, though.”
    “Funny thing,” Spirit said snarkily, and Burke snorted.
    Despite her mocking words, Spirit was honestly worried about Muirin. For as long as Spirit had known her, Muirin had chafed at the restrictions of life at Oakhurst—the dress code, the dreary school uniforms, the complete lack of social life. Breakthrough’s arrival had changed all that. Madison Lane-Rider had started courting Muirin early, and Muirin had been more than willing to play along. As far as anyone with Breakthrough knew, Muirin Shae was drooling with the desire to become a Shadow Knight and join the international party crowd.
    It was a good act.
    At least Spirit hoped it was an act. So far Muirin seemed to love the glamour and excitement of playing double agent: the things she’d told Spirit and the others about Breakthrough’s inner workings had saved them more than once. But eventually Muirin was going to have to pick one side or the other … and Spirit wasn’t quite sure which one it would be.
    Breakthrough’s offering her money, freedom, glamour—and what can we offer her? The chance to get fed to demons. Not much of a choice.
    “We have to get out of here,” she said desperately. Before Breakthrough makes us just disappear. Or worse.
    “I know,” Burke said. “I wish I could say—” Suddenly he pushed her away. She opened her mouth to protest, but then she saw movement at the end of the hall. Someone was coming.
    They didn’t dare be seen together. If anyone knew about them, Oakhurst would manage to make both of them wish they’d never met.
    She turned away, shrugging her bag full of sweaty gym clothes higher on her shoulder. She forced herself not to look back, not to wave, not to smile, as Burke walked away.
    At least she could be pretty sure he’d still be here at dinner.
    *   *   *
    A few minutes later, Spirit opened the door to her room. She was lucky—having a free hour after Systema meant she didn’t have to shower in the gym like everyone else—but right now the bathroom seemed too far away. She flopped down on the couch, wincing again at the pain of strained and bruised muscles.
    I remember when I thought we could win, she thought tiredly. I remember when I thought being here was just an accident—a horrible accident, but an accident.
    When Oakhurst had sent for her, they’d told her that her parents had arranged for Oakhurst to take care of her. Only it was just another lie. Her family—just like the families of every other kid here—had been murdered by the Shadow Knights. The bad guys found out you had magic, your family died, you ended up at Oakhurst.
    We have to get out of here. They’d all agreed about that after the February dance, but it wasn’t as easy as