TLJ Jr - Stairs

The Supreme Leader studied the weapon. “That light was Skywalker, I assumed,” he said, “wrongly.”

He placed the hilt on the arm of his chair, then motioned to Rey. “Closer, I said.”

Rey dug in her heels, but she was pulled forward against her will, past a pair of guards in red armor, until she stood at the foot of the throne. While her body would not obey her, her mind remained free.

“You underestimate Skywalker and Ben Solo,” she said, with a look at Kylo Ren, “and me. It will be your downfall.”

“Oh.” Snoke sounded intrigued. “Have you seen something? A weakness in my apprentice? Is that why you came? Young fool. It was I who bridged your minds. I stoked Ren’s conflicted soul. I knew he was not strong enough to hide it from you, and you were not strong enough to resist the bait.”

As if pulled by cords, Rey was wrenched up the stairs in front of Snoke’s mangled face. “Now you will give me Skywalker,” he said, “then I will kill you with the cruelest stroke.”

She wanted to mount a proper defense. But all she could manage was one word. “No.”



- The Last Jedi: A Junior Novel, Chapter 19