Page 63 of Strength of Desire

“We can cover more ground this way,” I snapped, and after a second’s hesitation, Seb nodded.

“Okay.”

I didn’t bother to respond. I just peeled off to the right and into the night. I made myself breathe through my nose, forcing the breath to come in slowly, to keep myself calm. It was hard, though. Cory could be out here.

Isaac, too, but the thought of Isaac getting shot didn’t pierce my heart the way Cory did. Isaac could protect himself. But Cory—fuck.

I couldn’t deny it anymore. The thought of Cory hurt made me want to scream. Made me want to hurt somebody else. I couldn’t let that happen.

A third shot rang out, and I stopped, trying to work out where it was coming from. I grimaced. It sounded like it had originated in the direction I’d sent Seb. Shit.

I veered off the path, angling to intercept Seb’s path closer to the source of the gunshot. I had to slow down as I moved through the trees. I cursed each second of delay as I dodged boulders or picked my way over thick roots.

A light appeared in the woods in front of me, and a high-pitched voice came through the trees.

“We have to get back to the manor,” the voice said. “We have to let them know.”

“It could be a trick,” said another voice, a little lower. I could hear the fear in it. “Maybe it’s just a joke. To scare us off and improve the odds.”

“I know what gunshots sound like, Adenike,” said the first voice. “Those weren’t a joke.”

“Stop!” I called out. I heard a startled yelp, and the light ahead of me bounced wildly. “Calm down. It’s Noah. I’m coming to help you.”

Twenty feet farther into the woods, I reached Adenike and Meredith. They were in the same class as Cory. Not that that made a difference…unless it did.

“What the hell are you doing out here?” I demanded.

Adenike’s eyes went wary. She pointed her flashlight down at the ground. “Nothing. We were just—”

“No lies,” I said. “Meredith was right. Those were gunshots. I don’t have time for you guys to lie to me.”

“The Spring of Irylis,” Meredith said. “It’s this magic spring that’s supposed to—”

“I know what it is,” I said wearily. Damn Seb for being right. “How many of you decided to hunt for it? How many of you are out here?”

Adenike frowned. “I don’t know. Maybe twenty-five, thirty?”

Fuck. That wasn’t good. None of this was good. Any decision I made would have drawbacks. But I’d heard three gunshots tonight, and I didn’t want to hear a fourth. I needed to find the shooter before things got worse.

I pointed to my right. “There’s a path about fifty yards that way. You’re going to walk there, thenrunback to the manor. Tell the first professor you find what’s going on out here. Tell them to keep the rest of the students inside with half the faculty, and to send the other half out for backup. You got it?”

Both girls nodded fervently, and for once, I thought they might actually follow instructions without me having to stand around and watch.

“Where are you going?” Meredith asked.

“To find out what’s going on.”

“Here,” Adenike said, holding out her flashlight. “Take this.”

I considered that for a moment. I didn’t like leaving them without a light, but once they made it to the path, they’d have clear footing. And if I had a light, I could move through the trees faster. I took it, then pointed to my right.

“Go.”

They went, and as soon as they were moving towards the path, I headed off through the trees again. I don’t know how far I’d half-walked, half-jogged through the forest when I heard a fourth shot, but it stopped my heart for a moment, before sending me forward at a run.

Too many people were missing, and it was my fault. I should have insisted that Isaac question Sheridan immediately. Should have stayed on campus to keep guard tonight. Should have kept Cory safe.

I could only hope that I wasn’t too late.

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