“Avalon, you would have to be barking mad to approach a five foot tall fox, which could not only swallow you whole but out run you in a second flat.”
I muttered darkly to myself, stuffing my hands into my pockets as I started falling behind Jack’s fast pace. I was starting to linger in the hope that Hawthorne might pop out at any second. The sound of rustling made me stop dead in my tracks.
Jack hadn’t heard it and continued walking, though after a few paces he realised that I was no longer behind him. Turning around he gave me a quizzical look, wondering what I was doing.
I was standing very still, listening very hard for the noise again.
“Ava, what-”
“Shhh!” I hissed at Jack, holding up a finger to indicate that he needed to be quiet for a moment.
Jack watched me in confusion and we stood there very still for several seconds, listening.
Crack.
The sound of a twig breaking rung through the silence between us, though neither one of us had moved a muscle.
“Hawthorne?!” I called desperately.
“Shut up!” Jack hissed, “It could be anyone!”
“Hawthorne?” I called even louder, “Hawthorne?” Adrenalin pumped through my body and my heart raced, “HAWTHORNE?” I swirled frantically on the spot.
Jack closed the distance between us in a few short strides and clasped his hand over my mouth. I struggled furiously with him momentarily before slapping his hands away, but he kept a firm hold onto my shoulders.
“What are you doing?” I said angrily.
“It’s not Hawthorne.” Jack fumed.
“How do you know?” I snapped.
“Because,” Jack began, taking a deep breath, his nostrils flaring, “The noise came from above.”
My expression was one of confusion momentarily before I realised what Jack meant. We looked towards the treetops in unison and from above a pretty black bird stared back at us.
My breath caught in my chest and I clutched at Jack.
“Jack,” I breathed, “Do you think she is working for Sebastian Forsythe? What if she was sent to find me?”
Jack licked his lips nervously, “I think she has been following us for a while.”
“Should we run?” I whispered, though it felt like my feet had been glued to the ground.
“She can fly. She’d beat us anyway.” Jack muttered from the corner of his mouth.
I swallowed hard and Jack and I continued to stare up at the black bird. My heart pounded uncomfortably in my chest and I remembered that Jack had asked R?ven on a date yesterday. Had it really been yesterday? It felt like a lifetime ago. I had never even bothered to ask Jack how it had gone for I had been so absorbed with my own problems for the last twenty four hours. Though of course this was normal behaviour for someone who was going through the worst ordeal of their life.
Time seemed to pass in slow motion as the black bird took flight from the branches above and soared towards the ground so elegantly that it almost broke my heart to see such beauty.
Yet the bird’s beauty was nothing compared to R?ven’s true form. She morphed into her Mage self before she had even touched the ground, landing perfectly upon her feet. R?ven’s piercing blue eyes looked serious and as usual she only seemed to acknowledge me. She stared, and I stared back. Jack and I were both thinking the same thing. Was she here to let us know that it was all over? That I had been found? Perhaps there were people on the way? We didn’t know how long she had been following us. Surely long enough to fly away and collect reinforcement.
“R?ven” I breathed, “Please.” My eyes were wide with fear.
The young girl held up her hand to indicate silence. Her fingers were pale and petite like the rest of her. I suddenly wondered what Sebastian Forsythe had offered as a reward for my capture. Of course he would go to the fastest Mage’s in the city for help capturing me, and the fastest I knew were those who worked in the Messenger Service shop.
R?ven took one step closer to us, her hand still raised to indicate silence. Or was she warning us not to move now?
Jack had his hands on my shoulders, and I could tell from his body language that he seemed to be in a protective stance. It was flattering, but the silly boy was getting himself into trouble when he had done nothing wrong. Once again I was making someone’s life difficult.
“Jack, you should leave.” I muttered under my breath.
I felt his hands tighten their grip upon me.
“No.” He hissed without taking his eyes off R?ven who took another step closer.
“People might be on their way.” I objected, turning to face him.
“You don’t get it, do you?” Jack said incredulously, taking his eyes from R?ven and turning to look at me, “I’ll follow you no matter where you go.”