Finn blinked rapidly as though he couldn’t believe his eyes. Hawthorne let out a low, rumbling growl that shook the dust from the rafters.
‘So, we’ll be going now,’ I said as casually as I could muster. The grin was hard to wipe from my face. ‘Maybe I’ll see you around some time, yeah?’
‘Wait,’ Finn croaked. ‘That thing must be worth a fortune.’
‘You’re the Hunter.’ I shrugged. ‘If you’re an exceptionally good finder, why not start with Hawthorne? I’m sure he’d love to see you again.’
‘I found you within a matter of hours after that bounty was placed over your head. What makes you think you can run from me?’
This was true. If Finn’s Power was to hunt then surely I would see him again soon.
‘I look forward to seeing you again,’ I lied. Finn scowled, but he didn’t dare approach me with Hawthorne by my side.
I mounted Hawthorne with ease, and we backed out of my house, leaving Finn looking rather stumped.
Chapter Six
Scyre
I wasn’t sure where Jack was. I wished we’d had more time to arrange a safe meeting place.
My first thought was his father’s home in Scyre, where the Greenwoods owned an apothecary. It was the most likely place to find him, so it was worth a shot.
Of course, without Jack, we would be much faster as Hawthorne could carry me for longer periods. But that also meant that I would arrive in Scyre before Jack.
We flew above the clouds to stay out of sight from the people on the ground, dipping downwards every few minutes to make sure we were on the right track. Once again, Hawthorne’s sense of direction was essential to our journey. Every time we dropped beneath the clouds, the scenery looked exactly the same to me. Green fields, farms, and little villages dotted the countryside.
I had the feeling that we must be growing close. I knew our journey would pass within a matter of hours if we flew the whole way.
The never-ending expansion of clouds soon grew tiresome, and I found myself wishing we were on land again. Almost as soon as this thought entered my mind, Hawthorne began to dive downwards once more. I knew this would be our final descent before landing in Scyre.
As usual, we did not want to alarm the villagers by landing a monster in their midst, so instead, we descended upon the outskirts of town so Hawthorne could lay low.
I was glad when my feet hit the ground. My thighs ached from the long flight, and it felt strangely slow to walk.
‘I’ll be back before nightfall,’ I told Hawthorne, hitching my rucksack higher on my shoulder.
Hawthorne looked down at my dress, which was still ruined from my earlier encounter with the booby-trap. I had completely burned the hem, and my socks.
‘You’re right,’ I said, agreeing with Hawthorne’s stare.
I dropped my bag to the floor and began rummaging through the contents, pulling out underpants, socks, and clothes.
I removed the black dress that my parents had made for my birthday and held it in front of me. Looking around to make sure I was not being watched, I quickly stripped, using Hawthorne as a shield.
I slipped the black skirt and chemise on and fastened the leather bustier. At least this dress was fireproof. I pulled out a cloak that Jack had packed for me and wrapped it around myself, pulling the hood over my head. This would provide a small amount of cover if anyone were to look my way.
Stuffing my ruined blue dress into my bag, I slung it back over my shoulder.
‘How do I look?’ I asked Hawthorne, giving him a twirl.
He sighed heavily and rolled his eyes.
I dropped my arms to my sides. ‘Fine. I’ll see you later, okay?’
Hawthorne nudged me with his nose before sitting on his hindquarters and watching me leave.
We’d landed right on the edge of the forest, so it was easy for me to find the road that led to Scyre. I only hoped that I would be able to find the apothecary that Mr. Greenwood owned. Of course, I would beat Jack to Scyre. In fact, it was possible that it would be a couple of days before he arrived. Hopefully, they would let me lay low during that time.
I kept my head down as I walked along the main street, avoiding eye contact with passersby. No one paid me much attention as I swerved between the lunchtime shoppers, though I did notice a scattering of my wanted posters, strewn along every street. Some had been plastered to walls, while others lay on the pavement, dirty and crinkled. Shoppers trod on my drawn face left, right, and centre.
I rounded a corner and was pleased to find that this street seemed familiar. I was sure Jack and I had been here just a few months before.
Yes! Looking ahead, I could see the hanging wooden sign featuring a mortar and pestle. Underneath was the name of the shop ‘Greenwood’s Apothecary’.
I broke into a jog, wanting to reach the shop as fast as I could. It was not safe on the street.
Finally, reaching the shop front, I peered through the glass and saw Mrs. Greenwood bustling around the shop. She was currently helping a customer.
I waited until the shopper had left and slipped through the door quietly.