The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 184

Liora’s POV

“Get out of the way! Move!”

Mr. Alder practically shoved the throng of confused students out of the way. The crowd parted like the sea, everyone murmuring and shifting back and forth. Callum turned around, and the principal froze when he saw the bloodied vest dangling from his fingers. I was still standing beside the tree, in too much shock from what had just happened to move.

Bella was gone. Taken. Right before our eyes.

It didn’t make any sense. I had jumped in front of the rogue, but it had only thrown me aside as if specifically seeking out Bella. It hadn’t even fought with Callum. It just took Bella and ran. This clearly wasn’t a random attack, but rather something calculated.

Why? What did it want with her? Did the rogues take Marissa for the same purpose?

“What happened here?” Mr. Alder barked, snatching the vest out of Callum’s hand. “Did someone get hurt?”

“It was Bella,” Callum explained. “Bella Robinson. She was…” His throat bobbed visibility. “Taken. By a rogue.”

The onlookers gasped. Mr. Alder’s face went pale. “There was a rogue?” he asked. “Here?”

Callum nodded, and Mr. Alder looked at me. He noticed the way I was swaying slightly, still leaning against the tree for support. “And what happened to you? Did you get hurt?”

“I’m okay,” I said, which was technically true. My ribs ached from where I had hit the tree and each inhale still burned from having the wind knocked out of me, but I was fine other than that. As for my mind, however… I wasn’t sure if I would ever get the image of Bella’s limp body being carried away in the mouth of a rogue out of it.

Mr. Alder’s jaw tightened. He turned, waving his hand to call over the rest of the faculty, who were already running our way.

“I’m fine.” I sat on the edge of her bed and carefully lifted the ice pack, wincing at the sight of her ankle. Her pale skin had turned an ugly, mottled map of purple and black. “Is it broken?”

“No,” Zane replied, looking at me with concern. More concern than I had for myself, apparently. “Nurse said it’s just sprained. She’ll be fine. Will you be, though?”

“I’m just a little shaken up.” I looked at Zane, and felt my face fall. “A rogue took Bella, Zane. Right in front of me and Callum. I don’t know… I don’t know if she’s…”

Zane tried to control his expression, but I could see the anguish that was written there. “Fuck,” he whispered, looking away. His jaw feathered. “What happened, exactly?”

I really didn’t want to recount it, but I had no choice. I told Mia and Zane what happened, although I left out the part about how I’d forgotten I couldn’t shift. When I was finished, the room fell silent.

After a long moment, Mia said quietly, “They’ll find her. I’m sure they will. Marissa, too.”