Page 119 of Mistaken Magic

Likesomething out of a movie, the horses were ghastly things made of hanging flesh and gaunt bones.Morefollowed after.Somany more.Onmy shoulder,Jackbegan to scream and rattle, clearly pissed off, butIneeded to get this damned door locked before they got here!

Ipulled, a break in the wind finally making it easy, and thenIspun the dial just as fast asIcould.Thehorse was racing straight toward me, looking like it was going to come through the glass, butIwouldn't budge.NotuntilIheard the click.Anotherspin, and finally the whole thing locked into place right as the man on the horse jumped off.

Thehorse veered, but the man stormed closer.Hewore all grey.Evenhis skin was grey, and there was something strange about him.Hehad the lines of the fae, with their beautiful angles, but this man looked like he'd dried up.White, necrotic eyes stared straight at me the same wayHawkedid so often.

Myheart was racing.Myfingers were trembling.AtleastIhadn't forgotten to breathe, butIwas panting instead, and the man kept coming.Whenhe reached the door, he thrust both hands onto the glass like he was going to push through it.

"Comewith me," he said, the words sounding hollow, ghastly. "Ridewith us."

"Jack!" my bird screeched, flying at the door.

Histalons were out like he was ready to attack, but they simply skittered on the glass.Still, theHuntsmanflinched back, his attention turning to the crow.Asnarl crossed his face, and then theHuntsmanbanged the flat of his hand right at whereJackwas trying to get through.

Andhe spoke again.Thistime,Icouldn't make out the words.Iknew they were inFaeril, and whatever he said sounded like a threat, but he couldn't get in!TheHuntcouldn't getinside with the doors locked.Ijust hoped all the others were completely secure.IhopedI'ddone it right.

"Jack!" the crow yelled again. "Rain.Jack!"

Hearingmy name from the bird shook me out of the stupor, andIstepped back, thinking about reaching for my phone.Instead, my fingers brushed against the keychainBrackenhad given me.Iron.Aweapon.Ifthis thing spokeFaeril, then it had to be fae, and they didn't like iron.

SoIwrapped my fingers around the butterfly and thrust it out before me. "Youhave nothing to hunt here,"Iwarned. "Leave."

"ButIsee you," theHuntsmansaid, his attention back on me like a switch had been flipped. "Youand your bird."

"Rain?"Thistime, my name came from a man, and he sounded worried.Liam,Irealized, butIdidn't dare look away.

"Go!"Iyelled at thethingon the other side of the glass.

AndthenIpressed the keychain right up against it.TheHuntsmanhissed, jumping back two paces as fast as he could.Yeah, it seemed iron did work against them.Ifelt my breath fall out in a rush, butIdidn't get a chance to enjoy my small victory.Jackbegan fussing again, and then he flew up, straight up, aiming for the other crows still hugging the roof of the atrium.

Thecrow cawed like it was a battle cry.Immediately, the other birds took to the air.Groupswent off in different directions, and a large cluster shot straight down.Beforemy eyes, theHuntsmanbegan to retreat, but he was still on foot.Thecrows targeted him, each one swooping in to peck, claw, or grab at anything they could reach.

Aroundthe school, others were doing the same thing.Iknew they were screaming like a murder of birds, but inside,Icouldn't hear it.Ifanything, that made the scene even more surreal.

"Rain?"Liamasked, moving to clasp my shoulder. "It'sok.They'llleave now.Itusually doesn't last more than fifteenminutes.Theyhave to ride the storms.It'sthe only magic they have to get around."

"Whatare they?"Iasked.

"Theyused to be theWildHunt," he said. "ThentheQueenenchanted them, and now they're... this."

"Jack!" my bird said, coming to land before me.

Heslid on the slick floor, grumbled about it with his ticks and clicks, then turned back around.Whenhe tilted his head to examine me,Liamexamined him.ThenJackturned to look at my guardian.

"Jack," he said, hopping closer. "Rain.Jack."

"That'sthe bird from the house,"Iexplained. "Hefollowed me here."

"How'dhe get inside?"Liamasked.

Ilicked my lips nervously. "Torianlet him in right before he pulled the fire alarm."

"Huntalarm, but yeah,"Liamsaid.

"Hunt.Jack!"

"Yeah, and he keeps saying that,"Iadded.

Liamjust crouched down. "Didyou warn us about theHuntcoming,Jack?"

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