The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 172

Liora’s POV

Chaos.

The concert that had once been my brief sanctuary from the outside world had suddenly descended into utter chaos, and I didn’t understand why.

I couldn’t see, couldn’t move. I could hardly even breathe through the sudden impact of people pushing and shoving and screaming.

“Liora!” Zane grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the way just as a group of males went barrelling past me, so close I could feel one of them catch my shoulder with their own. Pain barked up my arm at the impact, but I composed myself and followed Zane as closely as I could, pressing myself against his body.

“What’s happening?” I shouted over the noise. I had heard people shouting that rogues were here, and I had seen a commotion break out, but the chaos that ensued had completely blocked my view of what exactly had happened.

“Rogue attack,” Zane said, holding me close as we dashed toward the exit. “Had to have been a dozen, at least. Watch out!”

I gasped, jumping out of the way as a girl fell in front of me. She went rolling across the floor and cried out, gripping her knee with one hand while she held her other up to protect herself from the stampeding concertgoers.

I ran toward her, shoving my way through the crowd.

“Liora! Liora, wait!” I heard Zane call out, but I couldn’t just leave her there. I skidded to a halt beside her and crouched, wrapping my arms around her.

“Can you get up?” I asked.

I cried out over and over and over again, begging for help, but no one stopped. No one even seemed to notice me, too busy worrying about themselves to think straight.

I lost Zane entirely, and the world turned into a mass of boots and hands and screams. Someone kicked my head when I tried to crawl away, and light danced across my vision, momentarily blinding me. Someone else stepped directly on my belly with their entire weight before my vision even returned. The air was knocked from me again, and this time, it was even harder to breathe again.

I was going to die like this, I was sure of it. It wasn’t unheard of—people being crushed during stampedes, skulls cracking, bones breaking.

Another wave came, and in a final act of self-preservation, I did the only thing I could think of: I balled up as tight as I could, tucked my head into my arms, and braced myself.

But then I felt it.