Page 69 of The Secret of Drulea Cottage

Tears sprang to Briony’s eyes, but she held them back. Instead, she channeled her rage and swung a fist at the girl who had just spoken.

The punch landed right on the girl’s chin, knocking her to the ground with its force.

“She hit me!” Adaira whined as she put a hand on her face.

Her complaint seemed to jar the other bairns from their shock, and soon they were all pelting Briony with the same rocks they’d used on the dark-eyed boy.

Briony flinched and tried to get away, but at some point, while she’d been focusing on Adaira, Alastair had snuck around behind her. He laughed at her surprise and slapped her across the face.

Briony fell back as blood spattered from her nose onto the beach. She tried to catch herself, but her wrist landed the wrong way and crunched under her weight.

More rocks slammed into her, bruising her arms and stomach. The children came nearer and enclosed her in a dreadful circle as they kicked at her mercilessly. Briony cried out for help, but her voice couldn’t be heard over their chants of “Changeling! Changeling! Briony the changeling!”

Briony shifted to her side and held her hands over her head. The moment felt as though it would never end.

Then a noise resounded over the taunts. Something feral and angry. Briony opened her eyes and peered between Alastair’s legs, just barely getting a glimpse of the source.

About twenty feet away, three large grey seals were growling and snarling, their gazes fixed on the children.

The largest seal shuffled a few feet closer to the group, which made most of the bairns scream and drop their rocks.

Briony sat up, wincing in pain at first, but she soon began scooting back, not taking her eyes off the seals. There was something strange about them, something almost familiar, though Briony couldn’t figure out what.

Then the large seal barked and locked eyes with her.

Briony’s breath caught. Those black orbs were so full of emotion that they looked—

They look like human eyes. And they’re na scary anymore. Nay, they seem almost friendly.

Suddenly, sand flew into her face. “Are you talking to it, Fairborn? Does it understand you since neither o’ you is human?”

The others tittered at Alastair’s joke, but no one else was bold enough to actually speak. Instead, they began taking slow steps backward, all while keeping a close watch on the seals.

“Let’s go, Alastair. I don’ like the looks they’re giving us,” Ewan said.

The laird’s son rolled his eyes. “If yer too much o’ a coward, go on ahead.” He looked at each of them in turn. “And the same goes fer the rest o’ you. I’ll just catch up with you later.”

The girls immediately fled, but the other boys hesitated.

I guess they can’ stand being called cowards. But what else do you call six people picking on one wee lad?

Briony’s eyes swept over the four boys.I hope one o’ them gets bitten, preferably Alastair.

Gareth peeked at the big seal, who promptly bared its teeth. “I’m leaving!”

St. John and Ewan looked at each other before running after Gareth. Soon it was just Briony, Alastair, and the seals.

Briony coughed and looked up at the boy’s hateful face. “Just leave me alone!”

“Ha! You need to figure out where you belong, changeling! In the dirt!” He grabbed Briony by the back of the head and slammed her facedown into the sand.

Briony tried to resist, tried to claw at the hands making it impossible for her to breathe.I have to get him off!

But he’s so much bigger and stronger than me! What if I can’ stop him—

But then he was gone! All the pressure and pain started lifting. Briony tilted her face to the side and coughed up the sand in her throat.

What happened? Why did he let me go?Briony opened her eyes just as she heard the shrieks.