Page 76 of Tattered Huntress
Perched on my shoulder, Hester let out a tiny snort. It was barely audible – but it was enough. Hugo’s head jerked up, his eyes piercing the foliage with such laser focus that I was certain he could see me.
Humphrey, by contrast, paid no attention to my hiding place. ‘Unfortunately for you, Hugs old chap,’ he continued, ‘I’m the greatest actor.’ He reached into his coat and in one swift movement pulled out a gun. He raised it towards Hugo’s back.
Oh shit. So I’d been right then.
Chapter
Twenty-Nine
Ididn’t hesitate. I flung myself out of the bushes and threw my entire weight at Hugo, smacking into him and bringing him down to the ground in a tangle of limbs. A split second later, the gun went off above our heads.
‘Fuck!’ Humphrey exploded.
I caught a fleeting glimpse of Hugo’s eyes, which were wide with shock as he stared at me. Then he shoved me away and bounded up to face Humphrey, blasting him with air magic so that he was thrown backwards.
‘Take that, you bastard!’ Otis shrieked, shaking his fists at Humphrey who was writhing on the ground, blinking and grimacing with pain.
Humphrey released another shot, sending it wildly into the sky where it startled a passing seagull but did no actual harm. I clambered awkwardly to my feet and rubbed my eyes while Hugo flung out more magic, snapping together enough molecules to form a plume of water that knocked the gun from Humphrey’s hand. He walked over, picked it up and frowned at it before ejecting the ammunition clip and tossing it to the side.
‘You’re welcome,’ I said pointedly.
‘What the hell is going on?’ Hugo muttered under his breath.
I’d thought he was smarter than that. ‘Obviously I just saved your life.’ I gestured to the treasure chests. ‘And I got here first, so I win. I’m the greatest treasure hunter. Not,’ I added with satisfaction, ‘you.’
‘Daisy,’ Hugo said, running a hand through his hair, ‘you?—’
‘—are a fucking bitch,’ Humphrey interrupted. Hugo and I glanced towards him; he was still on the ground, flat on his back and red-faced.
I raised an eyebrow. ‘Language, Humphrey!’ I scolded. ‘How very shocking.’
Hugo stared at me. His expression was still confused but I could see that he was starting to work it out. ‘When did you get here?’ he asked.
‘Before the last high tide,’ I said smugly. ‘I had an inkling that something like this would happen.’
‘Daisy,’ Otis whispered.
‘How?’ Hugo asked.
I grinned. ‘Well,’ I began, ‘it started when?—’
Otis’s voice grew more insistent. ‘Daisy!’
Hugo and I glanced at him. His face was strikingly pale as he raised a shaking arm to point at Humphrey. I turned around – and when I saw what was happening, my stomach sank to the soles of my feet.
Humphrey was still on the ground. I’d assumed that being knocked down plus losing his gun had neutralised him, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Something was happening to him. Something very, very wrong.
His body was twisting and jerking as strange red shapes danced across his skin. Bizarre lumps were travelling across his forearms and neck, and one was bulging upwards, pulsating beneath his cheekbone. Another appeared at his right hand,threatening to burst through his skin itself. An inky dark cloud was forming in front of him. It wasn’t a random puff of smoke; it appeared to be arranging itself into some sort of symbol.
‘Daisy, get back,’ Hugo said desperately, his voice low in warning.
I continued to stare as snaking tendrils slithered out of the strange cloud towards us. Otis yelped and flapped out of the way but Hester was braver. She flew towards Humphrey to attack him before being thrust back by some sort of invisible force.
‘I said get back!’ Hugo repeated. ‘We have to get out of here!’ He grabbed my hand and yanked me away. Seconds later, we were running through the bush where I’d been hiding.
‘I don’t understand,’ I gasped. ‘What’s happening? Whatishe?’ I glanced over my shoulder. The smoky snakes were speeding through the air, following us.
‘Just run!’ Hugo yelled. ‘We have to get out of here!’
