“Hey!” another voice shouted.
“It’s that witch!”
Something hot sped past my ear. I looked in horror to see a fiery arrow embedded in the side of the boat. I managed to yank it out before the wood could catch fire, and threw it overboard.
Arrows continued to fly. I had to scramble around the deck attempting to dodge them. They stopped only once Kai and Evie had managed to gain enough ground that we were out of reach of their slower-moving vessel. Although their ship was powered by at least a dozen large sharks, we still had the advantage of being small and nimble.
I breathed a deep sigh of relief, looking back toward them once more.
“That’s right, witch!” one jeered. “Run away!”
“Just know that you can’t run forever!” another bellowed.
“Don’t know why they even call you a witch!”
I winced as raucous laughter broke out.
We’d made enemies out of the ogres on board the Skull Crusher the moment we’d offered Brett protection in our group. Brett was the son of their captain. Gentle soul that Brett was, he never did fit in with their crowd. They’d tried to make him perform violence he wanted no part of, and when he’d refused, they’d attempted to torture him into submission. We’d found him washed ashore on our island, beaten to a bloody pulp. He’d escaped by jumping off the ship.
They’d found out that Brett had survived, and they’d tried to reclaim him ever since. But thanks to Matteo’s able management of our defenses, we’d outsmarted them repeatedly. The humiliation that came with their defeats only made them twice as dangerous to encounter in open waters.
Once I was sure that I was a safe distance away from them, I didn’t turn around again. Instead, I focused all my attention on guiding Kai and Evie home as fast as their fins could manage. As soon as we arrived on the beach, I jumped out, dropped the anchor, and loosened the dolphins. Then I ran back to the wall. It was almost sunset.
The werewolf let me in through the gate, eyeing me with irritation.
“I thought you said you’d only be a few hours? Saira will kill me if she finds out I let you out alone for so long.”
“I’m sorry,” I said.
I walked back through the woods toward the lake, hoping I wouldn’t bump into Saira along the way. On rowing across the lake and reaching the front door of my cabin, I was met with a long object lying on the floor. Next to it were a handful of shriveled lilies. Unwrapping the object, I found myself looking down at a steel dagger.
I hurled it into the lake, along with the dead flowers, hoping that Kiev was watching.
Chapter 27: Kiev
I was beginning to run out of ideas.
I needed to throw everything I could at her. I couldn’t leave a single stone unturned. But the fact that she’d stopped showing up at the well after all my efforts wasn’t a good sign. I had hoped that my gifts would have warmed her to me, not turned her away. As I sat in my dark room, I ran through all the hours I’d spent with the witch since I’d first met her. She was always so guarded.
But then, as I traced my memory further back, I recalled an incident on the boat, after we’d just escaped from Aviary. An uncharacteristic eagerness had taken over her eyes as she’d asked me questions about my personal life. About Sofia. I had cut her short, refusing to indulge in what I considered to be a senseless and uncomfortable discussion.
Thinking back, I realized that was the only time I’d witnessed any true spark of enthusiasm in her face. And she had looked disappointed when I’d refused to comply.
A plan began to form in my mind. I had no idea if it would work, but I was a man with nothing to lose. I stepped out of my room and exited the tunnels. I looked around the trees until I found a broad leaf that was dry enough for my purposes. Then I walked to the wall and crumbled off some of its chalky brick. Smoothing the leaf against its surface as much as I could, I inscribed a message. I read it through. Then I crumpled up the leaf, breathing out in frustration. I picked another leaf and started again.
Better, I thought, once I’d finished.
Next, I ran to the lake, and, placing the folded leaf between my teeth, swam toward Mona’s house. I was about ten feet away from it when I heard a splashing nearby. It came from the other side of the cabin. Careful not to make a sound, I swam around the house’s foundations toward the noise.
There, bathing in the moonlight, was Mona.
Her long hair flowed down her back as she tipped water over herself. My breath hitched when I saw that her shoulders were bare. Grateful that she hadn’t noticed me, I retreated silently to the other side of the house. I climbed onto the veranda and placed the folded leaf between the gap beneath her front door.
I slipped back into the water and returned to the mainland. Crouching in the trees, I waited, my eyes on the entrance of the cabin. After several minutes, she appeared climbing out of the water, wrapping a wide cloth around her. I watched her stoop down and pick up my note. I ducked further into the bushes when she turned and cast her eyes around the lake. Her arm made a hurling motion toward the water. Then she hurried into her cabin.
Curse that witch!
I planned to head back to my room and try to calm myself down. But Saira came bounding toward me just before I reached the entrance of the tunnels. My sour mood intensified.
“Well, good evening, Kiev,” she said, eyeing my soggy clothes. “It looks like you’ve been busy.”
“What do you want?” I snapped.
“I just wanted to see how things are going for you.”
“I need more time,” I muttered, not willing to mention my failures. “I’ll come to you when I’m ready.”
“Oh, these things can’t be rushed. I understand that. I just wanted to make sure you’ve been keeping yourself busy with the task.”
“Well, I have.” I scowled and turned to leave, but she padded round me, blocking my way. Her shining eyes looked up into mine, suddenly intense.
“You’ll thank me for this one day, son,” she said softly.
Before I could spit back a retort, she turned and galloped away. I stood watching as her large form disappeared into the dark woods.
Crazy wolf.
Chapter 28: Mona
I frowned at the folded leaf wedged beneath my door. I had no doubt that this was another one of Kiev’s gifts. I shuddered. It hadn’t been there when I’d left the cabin less than an hour ago. That meant that Kiev had been in close proximity while I was bathing. I hoped that he hadn’t seen me undressed.