Something was out there. Watching us.
“Hey, ice-boy.” Puck appeared at my side, peering into the rain with me. He acted perfectly normal, as if the words between us earlier that day had never happened. “Whatcha looking at?”
“I don’t know.” I searched the trees, the shadows, my gaze cutting through the storm, peeling back the darkness, but could see nothing unusual. “It feels like we’re being watched.”
“Huh.” Puck scratched the side of his face. “I don’t feel anything like that. And Furbal is still here, so that’s something. You know if there was anything dangerous coming he’d be gone faster then you could say poof. Sure you’re not being paranoid?” The rain continued to fall, and nothing moved beyond in the darkness and shadow. “I don’t know,” I said again. “Maybe.” 54/387
“Well, you can stand here and worry. I’m going to eat. If you see something big and hungry coming at us, just ye—”
“Goodfel ow.”
My voice made him pause, then turn back, wary and guarded. We stared at each other by the mouth of the cave, the storm whipping at us and making the campfire f licker.
“Why are you here?”
He blinked, made a half hearted attempt at humor. “Uh… because I don’t want to get wet?”
I just waited. Puck sighed, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. “Do we really have to go through this, iceboy?” he said, and though the words were light, his tone was almost pleading. “I think we both know the reason I’m here.”
“What if I asked you to leave?”
“Why would you want to do that?” Puck grinned, but it quickly faded.
“This is about what happened earlier, isn’t it?” he said. “What’s going on, Ash?
Two days ago, you were fine. We were f ine.” I glanced over to where Grimalkin sat watching the spitted rabbit with something a bit stronger than curiosity. I could feel the darkness in me rising again, despite my attempts to freeze it out. “I’m going to kill you,” I said softly, and Puck’s eyebrows rose. “Not tonight. Maybe not tomorrow. But soon. Our past is catching up to us, Goodfel ow, and this feud has gone on long enough.” I looked back at him, meeting his solemn gaze. “I’m giving you this chance now to leave. Run. Find 55/387
Meghan, tell her what I’m trying to do. If I don’t come back, take care of her for me.” I felt my chest squeeze tight at the thought of Meghan, of never seeing her again. But at least Puck would be there for her if I failed. “Get out of here, Puck. It would be better for both of us if you were gone.”
“Huh. Well, you sure know how to make a guy feel wanted, prince.” Puck glared at me, not quite able to mask his anger. Pushing himself off the wall, he took a step forward, never looking away. “Here’s a heads-up, though—I’m not going anywhere, no matter how much you threaten, bribe, coerce, or beg. Don’t get me wrong, I’m mostly here for her, not you, but I’m betting this isn’t something you can do alone.
So you’re going to have to suck it up and get used to me, prince, ’cause unless you want that duel right here, right now, I’m not leaving. And I can be just as stubborn as you.”
Outside, lightning f lickered, turning everything white, and the gale tossed the branches of the trees. Puck and I glared at each other until we were interrupted by a loud pop from the campfire. Breaking eye contact at last, Puck glanced over his shoulder and let out a yelp.
“Hey!” Whirling around, he stalked back toward the fire, and its now-empty spit, waving his arms. “My rabbit! Grimalkin, you sneaky, gray…pig! I hope you enjoy that, ’cause the next thing over the fire might be you!”
As expected, there was no answer. I smiled to myself and turned back to the rain. The violence of the storm had not abated, nor had my feeling of being watched, though continued searches of the trees and shadows yielded nothing.
“Where are you?” I mused under my breath. “I know you can see me.
Why can’t I find you?”
56/387
The storm seemed to mock me. I stood, looking out, until the wind finally died down and the rain slowed to a drizzle. All through the night, I stood there, waiting. But whatever was watching me from its mysterious location never made itself known.
CHAPTER FOUR
THE HUNTED
The next day dawned dim and ominous, with a persistent fog that clung to the ground and wrapped everything in opaque silence.
Sounds were absorbed into the surrounding white, and it was impossible to see more than ten feet ahead.