#Chapter 76: Ambush

Rowena The crisp evening air hit me like a slap in the face as we burst out of the cafeteria—the chaos inside still ringing in my ears even as we put distance between us and the furious mob of angry students. My lungs burned, my heart thundered in my chest, but I couldn’t even feel it. Not after what had just happened. Before I could so much as catch my breath, Eric’s arms were around me—his solid frame enveloping me in a tight, crushing embrace. “Thank you,” I rasped, curling my fingers around the rough fabric of his shirt. “You didn’t have to do that, but…” Eric pulled back after a moment, his hands settling on my shoulders as his blue eyes searched my face. A small, relieved smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “You don’t have to thank me, Rowena. Not for doing the right thing.” It was then that I noticed Emma standing there beside us, frozen in place with her eyes wide and her lips slightly parted in shock. Her gaze flickered between Eric and I, the colo