Page 40 of A Little Red
“I took a sniff around myself. The tracks end at the woods.”
“Last night when you was arguing with Aisling, I heard the girl talking to Liam,” said Bryn. “She said she wanted to take him to her Grandma and that her Grandma could help.”
“Her Grandma…”
“They say that there are actual witches in some places still,” continued Bryn. “And you can’t tell me that a human could sneak past twenty wolves and the patrol guards, even with Liam helping.”
“That’s what I’m saying! Something isn’t normal with her! She smells human, but there’s something else going on. And if she’s messed with the alpha awareness then that just proves my point. Only Mom won’t listen.”
“Nah, she won’t,” agreed Bryn. “And do we really think that because those footprints they found are going toward the city that’s really where they’re going?”
“No,” said Paxton, remembering one of the few facts he knew about Scarlet. “We think she’s going to her grandmother in Abingdon. And that’s where I’m going. Cover for me with Mom.”
Aunt Bryn nodded. “Good luck,” she whispered as he turned back into the house and ran for the back door.
Scarlet
Scarlet leaned against a birch tree, panting. The wolf pressed against her side and growled at the shuddering, swaying shadows of the woods that were not woods. In one hand she held the thin green line that connected her to her grandmother. Her other hand was tangled in a red line that also wrapped around Wolf.
“We’re almost there,” she said. “Just a little further.”
All forests were connected. With a little bit of focus and power it was possible totravelacross the in-between places and come out in another wood. Scarlet knew that her grandmother could do it easily and that Azure had done it at least twice, so obviously Scarlet should be able to do it too. It was just that right now she was finding it harder than she had anticipated.
She looked at Wolf, vibrant neon rainbows flexed in and out of his shape and she blinked trying to clear the afterglow. She’d heard other people describe being on drugs—this seemed like a similar experience. Nervously, she clutched at the tenuous threads that anchored her to her family and the wolf. If she didn’t get this right, they would be lost in the fairy woods forever.
“OK,” she said, gathering her strength and taking a firmer grip on the green thread. “One last push.” She smiled reassuringly at Wolf, who looked worried. “We got this.”
Holding tight to the green and red threads she stumbled forward, leaning against a force that couldn’t be seen. The wolf stayed at her side, giving her his strength. She pushed through whipping branches and underbrush and then the force abruptly gave way and she fell face-first into a cold, wet pile of snow.
Slowly she picked herself up and looked around. Her grandmother’s farm was ahead of them. Dawn was a wan, pale thing that was creeping above the tree-line as if trying not to be noticed. Scarlet wanted to be happy that she’d arrived, but she felt exhausted and on the point of tears.
“Come on, Wolf,” she said, climbing wearily to her feet. They stumbled down the muddy drive and Scarlet wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. The farmhouse door opened and a warm, yellow shaft of light spilled out. She could see her grandmother’s silhouette in the doorway and she hurried forward eagerly, flinging herself into her grandmother’s arms and breathing out a shaky sob of relief.
“It’s all right,” said Diana Lucas, holding her tight. “You’re home now.”
“Oh, Grandma,” said Scarlet with a sniffle. “We’re in such trouble.”
“Well, I can see the trouble,” said Diana, leaning back and swiping a finger across the mud on Scarlet’s face. “But who is thewe? Who is this you have with you?”
Scarlet stepped back and stood beside Wolf. “Um, Grandma this is my boyfriend, Liam.”
“I see.”
“But he’s stuck in this shape. Apparently it’s warlock magic? They attacked us.”
“Ah,” said Diana. “Nasty creatures.”
“He’s covered in this black gunk. I tried to get it off of him, but I’m still sort of…”
“Unstable because of that little stunt you pulled with Azure and Ochre?” Scarlet nodded and her grandmother’s face saidI told you soas surely as any words. “So, of course, you thoughtif I can’t do that then I should definitely try traveling?”
“I had to get us here. His family wouldn’t listen to me. And it’s magic I understand. I don’t know about warlock magic.”
Diana shook her head again. “Well, stop standing on the porch like a stranger and go on into the kitchen. We’d best get it sorted out.”
Scarlet led the wolf into the kitchen and then stood dripping in the middle of the tile floor.
“Off with the clothes,” yelled her grandmother from the laundry room. “You’re making puddles.”
