Page 49 of Soul of Shadow #1
Charlie didn’t care that she drew stares as she pushed her way through the gym.
Didn’t care that her dress was torn, her makeup smeared, that she probably looked like she had been hit by a truck.
Let them stare , she thought as she shoved through the crowd, searching every face until she found her brother’s.
The v?tte sat on her shoulder. Thankfully, he seemed to be healing quickly—the gash on his nose had already closed, leaving behind no scar or even a sign that it had been there before.
She spotted Mason at the edge of the crowd, skin illuminated by the glow of his phone’s screen.
He was typing quickly as he chewed on his bottom lip.
She glanced over her shoulder, scanning to see if Abigail was anywhere nearby, but saw no sign of her.
Good. Better that she remain unaware of what was happening.
She barely felt okay about endangering one person she loved by dragging them into this mess. Better that she not make it two.
“Mason,” she said as she pushed out of the throng.
His head shot up. “Hey. Have you seen—” But his voice shut off as he took in the torn hem of his sister’s dress, the dirt smeared on her kneecaps.
“What the hell?” He hurried forward, tucking his phone into his back pocket and placing his hand on her arm.
“ Jesus , Char. What happened? Are you all right?”
“It’s Elias,” she said, and the words were like the snap of a rubber band, drawing Mason’s eyes up to her own.
All at once, Mason’s face darkened. His nostrils flared. His eyes turned murderous. And Charlie realized her mistake, realized what he must be thinking.
“Not like that,” she said quickly. “He didn’t… he didn’t hurt me. Not directly, anyway.”
“What do you mean, not directly?” His voice was flat, dead.
“I had to fight. But not him—something else. I’ll explain everything, I will, but Mason…”
Charlie squeezed her eyes shut. She hadn’t even considered how she was going to break this news to her brother. Hadn’t considered that he probably wouldn’t believe her. She needed backup to save her best friend, and she needed it now .
Her eyes reopened. Mason’s expression had shifted, looking more concerned than angry.
“He’s not who you think he is,” Charlie said. “He’s dangerous. And if we don’t stop him—”
“Stop him from what?”
“Mason.” She grabbed her brother’s shoulders. “What I’m about to tell you will sound absurd. You’ll think I’ve lost my mind. But you have to listen. I need your help.”
Her brother was watching her with concern. “Charlie…”
“It’s Lou,” she said. “He took her.”
Just like that, Mason’s face shifted. Concern fled, replaced with razor-sharp focus. Everything in his gaze zeroed in on this moment, on the fact that Lou was in danger.
In a voice she’d only ever heard him use when on the brink of violence, seconds away from laying into another guy on the baseball team, her brother said, “Tell me.”
“Let me get this straight,” Mason said as Charlie turned the Bronco off the main road, bumping into the forest. “For the past week, you’ve been seeing magical creatures everywhere you go?”
“I’m not seeing anything,” she said. “They’re there. They’re real. And I know I sound insane, but just give me five minutes. I’ll prove everything to you.”
“How?”
“The berry thing that I told you Elias gave to me? There are more inside his house. I’ll find one and give it to you.”
“We’re going to break into his house?” Mason stared at Charlie, mouth agape. “Who are you?”
“It’s not breaking and entering,” she said. “He’s basically squatting there. I wouldn’t—”
“I don’t need to hear any excuses.” Her brother folded his hands behind his head. “I’m honestly impressed. Charlotte Hudson, breaking the law. Never thought I’d see the day.”
Sighing heavily, Charlie swerved the Bronco around a cluster of trees. “You have no idea what—”
The sound of a plastic bag crinkling rose from the back seat, followed by a muttered, “Shit.”
Charlie slammed on the brakes. Then, in unison, she and Mason swiveled around to inspect the back seat.
“ Abigail? ” Charlie asked, spying her friend hunched on the floor of the car. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Abigail, whose head was tucked under her hands, looked up sheepishly from between her fingers. “Hi.”
“How did you— ”
“I left the dance to change out of my heels,” she said. “They were killing me. I brought an extra pair of flats and left them in the car, so…” She scratched her chin. “Anyway. Then you guys came storming in, and it sounded like whatever you were talking about was private, so I just kind of… hid.”
Charlie’s face fell into her hands. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I don’t know what all this ridiculous Nordic mumbo jumbo is about,” said Abigail, untangling her limbs and plopping herself onto the back seat, “but if Lou is actually in trouble, I’m coming with you guys.”
“Absolutely not,” said Charlie. “It’s too dangerous. You don’t understand the sort of creatures we’re up against, and I’m already risking the life of one person I care about—”
“Charlie.” Abigail crossed one leg over the other, leveling her friend with the kind of stare that had made many past debate partners shrivel into nothing. “You and your brother are going up against, in your own words, a fear-eating demon made of shadow , and you don’t think you need backup?”
“Hey,” said Mason, holding up the baseball bat he took out of his locker before they left, “I brought my Slugger.”
Abigail held out a hand. “Case in point.”
“I thought you didn’t believe what I said,” said Charlie.
“I don’t,” said Abigail. “But if there’s any truth to this whatsoever, I’m not letting you guys walk in there alone.”
Mason stared at Abigail, eyebrows raised. “Damn, Abby. I’m impressed. Here I was, thinking the only thing you cared about was SAT vocab.”
Abigail raised her chin. “You don’t know the first thing about me, Mason Hudson. ”
“ Gah. ” Charlie, who had been tugging on her hair in frustration, dropped her hands onto the steering wheel. “Fine. You can come.”
“What?” Mason said, turning to his sister.
“But only because every second we spend arguing is a second that Lou’s life is in danger.
” Charlie shifted the car back into drive.
Mason shot her a look, probably wondering why she’d picked empty air up off the floor.
Charlie ignored the question in his eyes.
“It’s just a little further. From there, we go by foot. ”