Page 8

Pain slaps me back to consciousness. There isn’t a place on my body that isn’t aching. My wrists are tightly bound behind me, and the rough bark of a tree scratches against my back.

It is still dark out; I’m not sure of the hour but I figure I couldn’t have been out for too long.

With the light from the moon, I can make out a camp about thirty feet away with a few tents next to each other. I can’t see horses but can hear them nickering. The camp appears quiet, and I wonder where everyone is.

I pull uselessly at the bonds and let out a frustrated noise, cursing myself.

There is shuffling beside me, and I turn to see a boy who can’t be older than sixteen, sitting on a stump. He fidgets, staring at me, looking unsure. “Oh! Uh, um hello,” he starts nervously. “I’m Cam.”

I stare.

“Are you thirsty?” He gestures to the canteen in his hand awkwardly.

My mind reels and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. My throat is scratchy and dry. I nod over to the boy, accepting his offer.

“Okay.” He makes his way over to me, uncorking the canteen. His hands tremble as he brings it to my lips. The water is warm as it slides over my tongue and down my throat, but I’m grateful, nonetheless.

I study the boy as I drink. He’s skinny and tall. The dim light of the lantern glows off his short blonde hair.

I roam the length of him, my eyes snagging on a tear in his shirt. The fabric is stained a dark red. When he pulls the canteen away, I watch him walk back over to the log. He winces as he sits, and that’s when I know I have my opportunity.

“I’m Layla,” I start. “Are you hurt?” I ask innocently, my face feigning concern. “I saw you wince.”

His eyes drift down to where I am referring, and he waves me off. “It’s nothing, just a flesh wound.”

“Those are some of the most dangerous ones. I’ve seen many men with flesh wounds. Wounds too shallow to kill immediately but deep enough to sting, to bleed, to become infected. Wounds that are difficult to keep clean that end up festering.”

I see the moment he second-guesses himself. His hand drifts down to his wound.

“I could look at it for you,” I offer.

He hesitates, looking wary.

“You can just lift your shirt. Let me check for infection.”

He is quiet for so long I think I have lost him. “Just a quick look, okay?” He looks around nervously as he stands and then bounds over to me. He rips up his shirt, exposing the cut on his rib.

The skin is red and angry, but the cut is shallow. It could use a good clean and a bandage but nothing too serious—however, I need him to get these bonds off.

I let out a gasp and contort my face into a mask of concern.

“What, what is it? Is it bad?!” Cam looks at his cut and back at me, his eyes wide and worried. Right where I want him.

“Don’t panic, Cam, but it’s worse than I thought. It looks like it could be infected.”

“I knew I should have been cleaning it more. It’s only a few days old, but it’s starting to hurt more and more.” I let him ramble on, waiting patiently. “Could you heal this?” He stops abruptly and looks expectantly at me.

I nod up at him. “I could. ”

“How long would it take to heal something like this?” He points to the still-exposed cut.

“I suppose I could do it in less than a minute, but I’d need at least one hand free.” Come on, Cam, untie me.

“I’m not sure.” He backs away and lowers his shirt. “Ledger wouldn’t want me to untie you.” I’m losing him.

“It is up to you, but the infection could spread to your heart if not treated. I’m sure you’ll be fine though,” I say as nonchalantly as I can. “You don’t have to untie both hands, I could do it with just one.”

He considers my words before relenting, “Okay.” He looks around again before continuing, “I can give you twenty seconds.” He begins removing one of my bonds.

As soon as my hand is free, he is retying the rope to the tree branch next to my head. I caught a glimpse of a dagger strapped to his side when he lifted his shirt. I know how to make this work, I have to be fast and calculated.

When he is sure the rope is secured, he turns to me and exposes the wound again. “Hurry, please.”

I nod, raising my hand to hover above the cut; I reach for any trickle of power but can’t seem to find even a whisper of it beneath my skin.

“Just a moment,” I assure him.

He shifts restlessly as his head swivels around. Once I’m sure he is fully distracted, I strike .

My hand grips the hilt of the dagger and in one fluid motion, I swipe it from the sheath and bring the end of it down on his temple just like Maddox taught me.

I’m so shocked it works when Cam hits the ground, he conveniently takes me down with him. He lands with a thud on the ground. I struggle to sit up. My arm strains as the rope digs into my wrist, still connected to the tree.

“I’m so sorry, Cam,” I murmur as if he can hear me, a pang of guilt eating at me.

I squeeze the handle of the dagger and slice the rope shakily, freeing my other hand. Then I’m running like hell.

I trip and stumble through trees and the uneven forest floor wanting to get as far away from their camp as I can. The adrenaline pumping through my veins is the only thing that keeps me moving.

My body has such little energy to pull on I have no choice but to grasp at my sheer will to live. The thought of stealing a horse crosses my mind, but I’ve never ridden one by myself and haven’t a clue if I’d even be able to get one to move without being caught.

I continue like this for what feels like forever, every noise or snap of a branch making my heart race.

My breathing is ragged, and my shoulders heave from exertion.

My body rebels with every move, forcing me to stop and rest against a tree.

My legs all but give out the second I stop and my back scratches roughly against the bark, leaving scrapes in its wake .

I’m gasping for air as I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to conjure anything that will help calm me down. I place my palms into the cold, damp earth, and my nails claw around it, hoping to ground myself.

A twig snaps, alerting me of another’s presence a second before a body hits forcefully into mine. A warm hand snaps roughly around my mouth, muffling the scream that tears from my lips.

I struggle, grappling with the form, my dirty nails scraping against the firm hand at my mouth and waist, my feet kicking blindly.

“Lay! Stop! It’s me; it’s just me.” I immediately stop struggling, and his hand leaves my mouth.

“Maddox, what the hell are you doing out here; you scared the shit out of me!” My whisper is shrill as I roll out of his embrace to face him.

“Oh, just having a nightly stroll,” he retorts.

“What the fuck do you think I’m doing out here?

! I go to check on you, and when I search your room, to no one’s surprise, you’re not there.

I found your report with Oliver’s name on it and knew you couldn’t help yourself.

” He continued, “When I get to their house, Thea is hysterical and tells me you were carried out of her house unconscious by two men! She pointed me in the direction they took you, and you’re about as quiet as a wild boar, so it didn’t take long to find you. I knew this would happen! ”

I grimace listening to my foolish decisions as he finishes and then blurt out, “The prince snuck into my room last night asking me to go with him to Westray. He needs my power. I told him no and thought that would suffice, but clearly, he didn’t like that answer. ” Maddox’s eyes bulge at my omission.

“You didn’t think to tell me that?” he questions, and I open my mouth to respond before he cuts me off. “Never mind, we have to keep mov?—”

Before he can finish, a branch snaps in the distance. I freeze.

“I nearly drained all her power; she couldn’t have gotten far. Mia, you go left. Arch, you go right. I’ll look around here. If you find her, you are under orders not to harm her, just restrain her and call for me.” I recognize Ledger’s voice.

Maddox gives me a panicked look and gestures to the tree next to him. “Climb it” he mouths. I shake my head furiously back and forth.

“I will not leave you, just turn us both invisible,” I mouth back.

“We will have a better chance if we split up. Listen to me for once, Lay.” The plea is barely a whisper in my ear. “I’ll distract them and be back for you.” He squeezes my arm before activating his power and blinking out of sight, invisible to all around him.

I gulp and start to climb the tree. Every muscle in my body contracts. I grab limb after limb, climbing as quietly as I can, praying I won’t fall. My injured ankle rebels against the action but still responds to my requests.

My body freezes when I spot Ledger walking right beneath the tree. “Come out wherever you are. We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”

My skin pebbles much like it did the first time I heard him speak. Sweat trickles down my spine. Do not look up, I chant repeatedly in my head.

My tired legs tremble so violently as they hold my weight, I fear I’m shaking the tree. I attempt to readjust, moving as carefully as I can.

Without warning, my ankle gives out, my boot scraping a small piece of bark that falls in slow motion to the floor of the woods. I can’t make out where it lands but I can make out the moment Ledger freezes.

Oh fuck. I shrink into the tree hoping to blend in through the dark.

“You can come down, or I can bring you down; your choice,” he calls from below. I squeeze my eyes shut against the onslaught of panic.

After a few silent moments, he sighs, and I can hear the scraping of tree bark. I look down and see vines snaking up the tree. My eyes bulge, and my body begins to move.

He has two powers… that is almost unheard of.

I frantically grip the branches in front of me hauling myself higher. My feet scramble for purchase as the vines beneath me continue their ascent .

I’m a little more than halfway up the tree when the vines wrap around my ankles. A strangled noise escapes my mouth as they yank me back with surprising force.