el

never felt da

rees barefoot with leaves in my hair, it had a

ot to

elt like they were h

. Or maybe it was because something had changed-s

n bruised purples and dusky gold. I wasn't far from the compound-only a few minutes

melled like sweat and metal. The kind that smelled wild-dam

e. Even now, when I knew I shouldn't be out here,

thrill buzzed in my veins. I wasn't supposed to be here. Not after curfew. Not after eve

he weight of his disappointment

hing. I didn't know. I just neede

silvery blades. The air was cool, scented with

yards ahead, the trail dipped into a denser thic

n a slope slick with leaf mulch. The forest whi

ath it all.

st

top

it was

n. Like eyes craw

n't a

nife on my belt. A rustle came from behind-t

ath hi

e. Not with my training. But fear wasn't logica

wly, scannin

th

eeling didn

, a whisper. The trees didn't move quite

o

was wa

heart thudding. "

ans

y a sliver above the trees, its light did littl

k to the camp before an

her

napped t

rd the sound.

ans

. It wasn't much, just a training knife I'd stol

, every mu

I saw

y

glowing

elf back against a tree, heart pounding.

red, though my voice

t a friend anymo

linked. Th

aws on bark echoed

e to see a dark figur

ere

ed to hate and fear them. Cunning creatu

ake the strange pull–the magnetic power of th

olt

through underbrush, muscles burning, lungs gaspin

ped through the dark

dn't

nfuse them. But the steps followed, nev

s catching on trunks. My leg

idn't see the root un

mbled up but I wa

d into me, send

rough hands grabbed

clatter

rled close to my ear

ase-I won't tell

p didn'

oked

. Sharp tee

s ca

e out as they h

o my skin. Shadows closed in, swallowing everythi

creature didn't slow. The scent of

you taking me?" I

e climbed a narrow, hidden t

different now.

t on metal cuffs around m

un

e free. Panic sur

choed in my mind. T

hink that w

sure it was

s echoed nearby. Others

g leaves

surr

ust c

ai

ut as they dragged me

longer whisp

h the promise

s my