Page 102 of The Tracker's Revenge

I let out a groan that morphed into a sob. A heavy hand fell on my knee. I knew instinctively it must be Jake’s. It offered little comfort.

Closing off, I pulled away from him, drew my knees to my chest, and pressed my body tightly to the side of the car, hiding my face and doing my best to cry in silence.

The car jostled for several long minutes, then eventually pulled up onto a smooth road where we started going much faster. Knowing that there was nothing I could do but feel sorry for myself, I squeezed my eyes and willed myself to sleep.

The next time I awoke, I wasn’t in the car. There were covers on top of me and a soft pillow under my head. I was in a bed.

Where?

I could only try to imagine because none of my senses had returned yet. Another hideout? A motel? And what if they found us again? The Midnight Witch was powerful and, somehow, she’d been able to find us in that remote cabin. Or maybe, they’d hired a tracker, someone like me. Stephen and Bernadetta certainly had the funds to hire the best of the best.

I sat up. Rosalina took my hand in hers as soon as I pushed to the edge of the bed and settled my feet on the floor.

“You’re here,” I said.

One tap on my hand followed by the letter “H”. She was asking if I was hungry. It was part of the simple hand gestures we’d come up with to be able to communicate.

I shook my head.

A “T” followed.

Thirsty?

“Yes,” I said, realizing that my tongue was practically stuck to the roof of my mouth, and my throat felt like sandpaper.

She was gone for a moment, then back, pressing a plastic cup into my hands. The water was cool, and ice swam in it. I drank every drop. Rosalina took the cup back.

I sat at the edge of the bed, trembling. “Are Jake and Eric here?”

She tapped my hand once.

“Where is here anyway? A motel?”

Two taps in my hand.

“Another hideout?”

Another two taps.

“Eric’s house?” I didn’t think we would’ve gone back there but maybe.

Rosalina tapped twice again then traced the letter “S” on my palm.

Sleep.

I shook my head. I didn’t want to sleep anymore, but just as the thought materialized, a groggy feeling descended on me, and my eyelids became heavy. I blinked slowly, fighting to keep my eyes open even though I couldn’t see a thing. I swallowed thickly, tasting something bitter in my mouth.

“There was something in the water,” I said. A half question, half statement.

Rosalina patted my hand, then, pushing on my shoulders, guided my head into the pillow and lifted my legs, depositing them on the bed.

Like a curtain falling, I immediately went to sleep.