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Scout took a deep breath, ignoring the stabbing pain like a knife between her ribs at the point where Shi Jian’s elbow had struck her, and yelled as fiercely as she could.
“Shadow! Gert! Come!”
Shadow darted past Shi Jian’s flailing arm to get to her, ears flat against the sides of his head. He was deeply upset.
Gert stayed where she was, standing on Shi Jian’s chest, her growl building to an intensity that had every hair on Scout’s body standing on end.
Shi Jian swung an arm and sent Gert flying back down the hall. Scout rushed forward to catch her before she hit the ground. She managed to break the big dog’s fall, although she didn’t think she had so much prevented any injuries as spread them out between the two of them.
Shi Jian leaped to her feet with a snarl but was blasted b
