Page 42 of Rebel Fae
Flying up, I went slowly, weaving between branches like a thread on a loom. Green leaves brushed past my arms, and birds flew away as I disturbed their nest. All the jungle life made my going slow, but, eventually, I broke through the canopy and into the open air.
The sky was a stunning blue and cloudless, but the wind up here was brutal. I had to fight against it just to keep from being blown leagues away. Keeping my wings buzzing hard, I scanned the island down below.
From our camp’s location, a never-ending sea of green stretched for miles. The tree canopy was dense, making it impossible to see what was happening below. I scanned the horizon and found the turquoise sea on either side of me. When I turned north, I saw the sun glinting off the dome.
The island was vast. I could search for days and not find Antonio.
Still, I couldn’t go back empty-handed. I flew around for at least an hour, stopping only when my skin began to sizzle from the direct sunlight. Finally, I sunk beneath the treetops, weaving my way back between the branches, following the smell of campfire smoke. As I landed close to the camp, the others gathered around me.
“Anything?” Vaughn asked.
I shook my head. “I’m sorry. The island is massive.”
He nodded, but the disappointment was clear.
“Whatever,” Becca said, going to sit back down on her rock. “They can’t punish us if we don’t find someone they never told us how to find.”
Ronnie’s eyes narrowed. “You’re still thinking they play fair. Did you forget this?” He held up his damaged hands as his voice quavered.
So, he’d learned about their cruelty, but Becca still wasn’t convinced. She didn’t argue back, but she didn’t seem able to wrap her head around it, either.
“There has to be something else,” I said, guzzling from a water jug Vaughn handed me.
“I can scout in my wolf form,” Vaughn offered.
“No offense,” said Regina, “but I don’t think I trust a werewolf to find a vamp. Centuries-long grudge and all.” She lifted one blond eyebrow as if challenging Vaughn to contradict her.
He opened his mouth to do just that, but halted, tilting his head to the right.
Listening.
That wasn’t good.
“Vaughn, what is it?” I asked, but his widening eyes told me everything I needed to know.
“It’s back,” Vaughn said, jumping into action. “Get everyone and run!”
Before I could ask even one question, he shivered and shifted into his werewolf form, his clothes shredding into tatters before me.
“What’s back?” Becca said, standing up.
Bael was already on his feet, Regina too. Ronnie’s scared eyes darted to my face as a crashing sound echoed from the forest. Panicked going off like an alarm in my brain, I grabbed for Becca and Ronnie, dragging them with me as I took off through the jungle away from the sound.
The beast was back? And during the day time? And we thought we were safe. Yet, I realized now how foolish that was. I forgot the key rule of this island: expect the worst.
“What is it?” Becca squealed, stumbling through the jungle. She tried to look back, but I shoved her forward.
“Go,” I said. “Run for your life!”
This seemed to inspire her. She ran.
Ronnie was having a much harder time, however. Without the use of his hands, navigating around the branches and fronds was proving much harder than I’d thought. He got tangled in twining vines and couldn’t get himself out, his cottony hands doing little to help him. I ran over, wishing for a knife, but it was too late now to go back for Vaughn’s.
Unable to help myself, I glanced back, trying to spot him. Where was he? When I got these two somewhere safe I could go back. For now, I had to hope that the three of them would be able to keep the beast at bay. Still, my worry was mounting.
Suddenly, Regina broke through the bushes behind me. Her arms and legs were pumping as she ran at a dizzying speed.
“What’s going on?” I shouted as I helped Ronnie untangle again.
