Jenna Black - Sirensong

“If you can hide us, do,” I said to Ethan, then turned to Keane. “We’re not cowering. We’re trying to be smart about this, and Ethan’s right. Leaving a trail anyone and their brother can follow is going to get us caught real fast.”

Keane didn’t like it one bit, and I thought he was going to waste more time arguing with me. But I guess it was easier for him to concede the argument to me than to Ethan, because he nodded tightly.

“This had better work,” he warned Ethan, giving him a narrow-eyed stare that would have been more intimidating if we weren’t running for our lives. If this didn’t work, Keane was going to be the least of Ethan’s worries.

“It will,” Ethan said, though I wondered if that was confidence, or arrogance. “I’ll run back to the road and do what I can to hide the evidence of where we veered off.” He looked back and forth between the three of us. “If I get caught, I’ll holler.” His eyes landed on Keane. “If that happens, it’ll be up to you to protect the girls.”

Kimber punched Ethan in the shoulder. “We’re not helpless damsels in distress. We don’t need protecting.”

Even in the darkness, I could see Ethan rolling his eyes. “Fine, you two protect Keane. Just don’t try to play hero if I get caught.”

“Don’t worry,” Keane muttered, “we won’t.”

Ethan pretended not to hear him, slipping away from us and heading back toward the road. Leaving the three of us alone and strung out on adrenaline in the darkness of the forest.

At first, I could hear the rustle of Ethan’s footsteps as he moved away. Then there was nothing but the sound of crickets and the occasional hoot of an owl.

My heart was still thudding in my throat, and I still felt like my lungs were coated with soot. I didn’t dare cough, not when the road was so close by, but the very fact that I didn’t dare cough made the urge even stronger.

Keane had taken a couple steps toward the bushes through which Ethan had disappeared, putting himself between Kimber and me and the road. He probably thought he was being subtle, but you could bet that if Ethan shouted an alarm, Keane would stand there to cover our retreat while ordering Kimber and me to run. What he could do to protect us when he was apparently unarmed, I didn’t know.

And that was when I remembered the gun my father had given me before we’d set out. Like every other mortal artifact I’d brought with me, it was in my backpack. I wasn’t sure I could shoot anyone, even in self-defense, and I doubted killing our pursuers would make my situation any better, but at least I didn’t have to feel completely helpless.

Moving as quietly as possible, I slid the backpack off my shoulders and lowered it to the ground. Keane jerked at even the small noise I made, turning to me and putting his finger to his lips. I ignored his furious look, digging through the backpack until I found the case at the very bottom.

When I pulled out the small silver gun, Keane gaped at me. I hadn’t told anyone I had it. Kimber looked at me with a raised eyebrow, but she seemed less shocked and more amused by my possession of a firearm. I stood up slowly, keeping the gun pointed at the ground and the safety on.

“Do you know how to use that thing?” Keane asked in a whisper so quiet you could almost mistake it for the wind.

I put my finger to my lips, happy to be able to return his gesture, then nodded. Hey, he only asked me if I knew how to use it, not if I was any good at using it. I think he read between the lines, based on the look of pure skepticism he gave me.

“Just don’t shoot me in the back,” he said, and this time both Kimber and I put our fingers to our lips. He shook his head and turned back to face the remnants of our trail.

We were quickly back to the oppressive silence, although soon an unfamiliar, high-pitched whine added to the cricket-and-owl chorus. I hoped it was just some harmless kind of Fae insect or frog rather than some terrifying night-stalking monster. I comforted myself that neither Kimber nor Keane seemed alarmed by it.

The quiet of the night made it easier to hear the pounding sound of horses’ hooves on the road, nowhere near far enough away for my tastes. Kimber reached over and took my hand, squeezing my fingers and biting her lip. I squeezed right back, my heart racing once more as the sound of hooves got closer.

Had Ethan had enough time to cast his illusion spell? It seemed like he’d been gone forever, but time tends to get sort of wonky when you’re in danger, so I wasn’t sure. I flicked the safety off my gun, though I was careful to keep it pointed at the ground and to keep my finger off the trigger. It would be ready for use if worse came to worst, but it would be my absolute last resort.

I couldn’t tell from the sound how many horses there were in the pursuit, but it sure sounded like a lot. I heard at least four distinct voices as the Fae search party called to each other. They were moving pretty fast by the sound of it. I hoped that meant they were moving too fast and wouldn’t notice any telltale signs of our passage even if Ethan hadn’t had enough time to cover us.

I held my breath and squeezed Kimber’s hand more tightly as the sounds moved ever closer … And then moved past, without stopping. The relief made me practically dizzy, and I could see Keane’s shoulders relax as some of the tension drained out of him.

We all listened intently as the search party continued down the road, but there were no shouts of alarm, and no indications that they were turning back. As the sound of the horses faded into the distance, I heard the rustle of undergrowth, and then Ethan appeared before us seemingly out of nowhere.

Keane jumped, and it was probably a good thing he didn’t have the gun, or Ethan would have gotten shot for the second time since I’d met him. Ethan smirked at his nemesis, and though it was too dark to see, I’d have bet anything Keane’s face was turning a uniquely angry shade of red.

“It’s just me,” Ethan said unnecessarily.

“You’re lucky I’m not armed,” Keane said, echoing my sentiments.

“I guess it worked?” I asked, hoping to head the two of them off at the pass.

Ethan made a face, but nodded. “It will keep them off our tail for the time being. I made sure the illusion covered any tracks we might have made near the road, but it only reaches about ten yards into the forest. It’ll hold during the night, but when daylight hits, it’s likely someone will start combing the woods and see around the illusion.”

Ethan’s face looked pale in the moonlight, and he swayed ever so slightly on his feet. He’d probably expended more energy than was wise creating his illusion, especially after inhaling a ton of smoke and then running like hell. Not that he was going to admit it.

“So we need to put as much distance as possible between us and the palace before the sun rises,” Keane said, stating the obvious.

“Without getting ourselves hopelessly lost,” Kimber muttered.

“Or getting eaten by Bogles,” I added, because hey, if we were going to be so cheerful and optimistic, we might as well go all out. “Who has the best sense of direction? I know it isn’t me.”

All three of my friends stifled laughs at that. I’d have been offended if I’d been the least bit sensitive about my ability to get lost in a closet.

“Um, that would probably be me,” Kimber said, surprising me—and Keane, by the look on his face.

Ethan nodded. “No doubt about it,” he agreed, then grinned at Keane. “Unless you’ve got bloodhound in your family tree we don’t know about.”

“The only hound here is you,” Keane retorted.

Kimber and I gave stereo groans, and both the boys shut up, though not without giving each other macho glares.