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There’s really nothing else we can do until Fury gets back, so I settle myself with my back against a nearby boulder, stretching my feet toward the fire. The fireImade.

Wow. I’m impressive. Now, I just have to get everybody safely to Zandar Aurion, find Hecate, and save the goddamn world.

Easy peasy.

Twigs snap outside the circle of light. Every muscle stiffens. I glance up and see red eyes peering out from the darkness.

For a moment, panic grips me—shadowguard.

Chapter 17

Be Careful What You Wish For

It can’t be shadowguard.

I would have noticed them coming, long before they actually got this close. It’s just Fury, and it looks like his trip was successful. He moves slowly into the light, dragging something in his jaws, then drops his burden beside the fire.

I look away. There’s a reason I don’t eat meat. Ilikeanimals. Forcing myself, I look back. It’s some kind of small deer, its little horns still intact, wide brown eyes staring—dead.

Fury sits back on his haunches, his muzzle smeared red. I think he’s already hadhisdinner.

“What on earth are we supposed to do withthat?” I ask.

But Winter is already on her feet. “Do we have a knife?” she asks.

“I’ve got a sword,” I say, though I’m not sure I want to use Nightfall to chop up dead animals. I’m okay with dead shadowguard, but animals? No way.

“I have a knife,” Zayne says.

He reaches into his belt and pulls out a sheath with a sharp-looking blade. He tosses it to Winter.

“Can I watch?” Josh asks.

Whyon earthdoes he want to watch? I sometimes worry about young boys. But I suppose there’s no harm. It might be a useful skill for him to learn, considering what his life has come to.

“Go ahead,” I say.

He scrambles to his feet and follows Winter as she hauls the carcass toward the water. I look away. Ireallydon’t want to watch. And I’mdefinitelynot eating it.

“Pass me the backpack,” I say.

Zayne kicks it my way, and I rummage inside. Two more packets of biscuits. One of them ismydinner.That’s non-negotiable.There’s also a bag of apples. One of those has my name on it too.

Apples and biscuits. A balanced, healthy dinner.

I sit, munching on my non-meat dinner and drinking water.

About ten minutes later, Winter returns, carrying meat laid out on a thin, flat stone. She places it across the fire.

Soon, the meat is sizzling, filling the air with thedisgustingscent of cooking flesh. It makes me think of the village. I shuffle backward, putting distance between myself and the fire.

The others, though, are staring at the meat like it’s the best thing they’ve ever seen. I get up and walk a little way down to the river, kneeling on the bank. I wash my hands and splash waterover my face. Then I find a nearby bush and do what I need to do.

When I return, they’re all tucking in, eating with their fingers.

“Fuck, that isgood,” Zayne says.

“It’sdisgusting.”