"That. Was. Freaking. Amazing," Nee said, her eyes as wide as plates.

"You're crazy!" Cole barked at me. "Now you're as good as dead."

"I'm not telling your parents," Nee said, still a little shell-shocked.

"Liyz," Arveya said, voice cracking. "You're - you're-"

"Awesome?" I suggested. "Powerful?"

"Both," she said.

"I will also accept death incarnate," I said with a smirk.

"I believe that title belongs to me," Khrene said, coming into view. Arveya drew her sword and Kel and I drew our daggers. Nee pulled her bag into view and I heard Cole's watch click. "Well!" Khrene continued. "You certainly have a lot more weapons than at first glance!"

"Touch my dagger and I'll rend you with it," I hissed. Khrene seemed surprised and almost shocked that I had responded like that. I let all my fire inside flow to my eyes. "You hear that?" I said. "Touch my dagger and you DIE. So be a good demon and freaking walk away." I shook my dagger at him, voice cracking at my own stupidity. "Shoo. Shoo."

He laughed. I yanked my shirt over my face again, but he didn't attack. Strange.

"And just so you know," I began, "you are not 'death incarnate.' You are a psychopathic demon who is totally happy to give a kid PTSD because your boss said so. Curse the day you were born."

In hindsight, I probably shouldn't flip a demon off, but that's what I did.

He laughed.

Laughed.

I. Freaking. Snapped.

I came flying at the bars between us, yelling, dagger spinning in my hand. If I could cover this last foot, I could get the dagger, yup, aim at the chest-

He backhanded me across the face.

I went flying. I bet this guy could bench-press 800 pounds. Pretty sure he knocked my braces loose with that one.

"Keep up the fight!" a prisoner snake-man yelled. "The rebellion livess on!" The rest of the prison freaked out as well, yelling "Long live the rebellion!" and "We fight forever!" and various epithets in various languages. I had no idea about a rebellion, but apparently the other prisoners did.

"SILENCE!" Khrene bellowed, dropping his "creepily happy" act for once. His eyes flashed, and I saw my life flash before my own.

You could hear a pin drop. Or an electron.

"I don't love that attitude," Khrene said, smarmy attitude returning. He looked at the others. "How about I give her a little special attention?"

"NO!" Arveya yelled.

I didn't even have a chance to pull my shirt over my nose.

She is showing strength as never before.

Maybe it's time I showed my own strength.