Page 30 of The Stone Secret
I didn’t get why this goyle would ally himself with Dayn, of all people. It couldn’t just be about family name and status, surely, because if that was the case, then Bax would be sucking up to Curi, Sharniza, or even me. So why was he so tied up with Dayn?
There was only one way to find out. “Why do you hang out with Dayn?”
He pressed his lips together. “That’s none of your business.”
“I didn’t say it was. I’m just curious, because you don’t seem like an asshole.”
He made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. “You shouldn’t go around saying things like that.”
“I’m not afraid of him.”
“Yes, you can afford not to be.”
“What’s that supposed to—”
The world around us was suddenly silent.
Beside me, tension rippled off Bax. He felt it too. Danger. But we continued to walk, to act unaware even though we were no longer alone.
There was something in the woods to our left. Something stalking us. I caught a shift of shadows in my periphery, and ice gripped my spine and pooled low in my belly.
Whatever was out there was lethal, deadly, and sentient.
I wasn’t sure how I knew that, but the conviction blared in my mind. As long as it thought we were unaware of its presence, it might hold off attacking.
But itwouldattack.
We’d have to fight it, and the farther we went, the softer the ground got, to the point where it was almost muddy. This terrain would make it harder to stay upright in a tussle.
“Bax, the ground’s getting too soft.”
“I know.”
The path widened up ahead. We couldn’t be far from exiting the forestland. The map showed rocky terrain leading into the mountains.
“It has to be now,” Bax said.
He was right. We couldn’t risk taking the fight deeper into mushy ground.
We both came to halt.
The tension in the air spiked.
“Where is it?” Bax said.
I could feel the presence pressing in on us—close, watching, assessing. “We know you’re there.” Silence, pregnant with expectation, followed. The hairs on my arms stood to attention, fear clawing at my insides, chased closely by rage because whatever was out there was powerful, and we had no weapons except a penknife, tucked in the pack, and our fists.
Why would the academy do this to us? Why throw us into this situation so unprepared? There was no way we would have gone on a mission unarmed.
The shadows beyond the tree line moved, sliding back and forth. The mass was huge.
“Fuck…” Bax fell into a crouch.
I caught the flash of red eyes and the low rumble of a growl. It was toying with us. Scaring us.
Rage burned away my fear, and I took a step forward. “I’m not afraid of you. You want a bite of me, then come try to take it.” My body vibrated with tension, muscles bunched, ready for action.
The shadow stopped moving, and the low rumble rolled over us again…not a growl but something that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle, and then the shadow vanished.
