Page 57 of Dance With Death

“Track him,” I demand as Grayson catches up to me again.

“Violet. Stop. Wait for the others.”

Rain soaked the lawns at the edge of the woods earlier, and I smile that this time the weather will aid me. I can track him—via footprints in the mud. “If he’s leading me somewhere again, I want to follow.”

Again, I sprint away from Grayson who swears and catches up to me a second time.“Violet!”

“I can’t let this person disappear,” I say. “He’s connected to Holly.”

“Slow down slightly. If the guy is taking us to an ambush, I’d like prior warning.” He scratches a damp cheek. “And if the shifter scent grows stronger, that means there could be more than one, and we definitely stop.”

Neither of us pause as the conversation continues, and I’m forced to slow in order to follow the imprints that change from sneakers to wolf paws. I forge on as Grayson calls the others on his phone and tells them to meet us back at the academy “while I deal with her latest crazy move”. I huff to myself but don’t reply.

The weather brings darkness earlier than normal this evening as our long day moves towards dusk. Rowan and Leif couldn’t assist in the dark, anyway.

Grayson bumps into me as I stop and slant my head. “The guy isn’t headed back to the crime scene. Prints lead further into the woods.”

“No, Violet. We’ve lost him.”

“No, Grayson. We have not. Is there anywhere nearby where he might choose to leave the woods again?”

“This direction leads to the fields that cross to the estate outside town.”

“Not towards the shifter settlements or the lake?” I ask. “Perhaps he lives in one of the human houses.”

“If the guy does, he’s unlikely to wander along the streets shifted.” Grayson lifts his head and pulls a face. “The wind is in the wrong direction. Unless the guy’s bleeding again, I’ll struggle to sense which way he ran.”

“And is there any other location to hide between here and the housing estate?” I ask, slowing in annoyance. “Abandoned house? Cave?”

“Nothing.”

The tracks continue, and our trip through the woods doesn’t end. I’ve never explored the area fully, unaware how much the woodland dominates this part of the locality. I’m on the verge of stopping after losing the tracks in the thickened vegetation, when I spot human footprints again. Footprints that indicate he paused and walked around the tree.

“Interesting.” I circle the trunk, a large oak tree, examining every inch of the bark. “Grayson!”

A hollowed part of the old trunk is large enough to place items in, and I crouch down, patting the inside.

“Anything?” asks Grayson.

I shake my head. “Oh. Wait.” Not in the trunk, but something out of place pokes out from the dense briar bushes beneath the tree. Ignoring the thorns prickling my hands, I pull out a small, rectangular card, which almost snaps in my grip.

“Thornwood ID card.” I clench my jaw. “Holly’s.”

“Huh?” Grayson takes the card from me. “How?”

“A trophy perhaps?” I say through gritted teeth and drop to my knees, dragging through the bushes for other items. An empty wrapper from an energy bar. Loose coins. “The shifter grabbed a bag that wasn’t fastened properly. Items fell out.” I pass my discoveries to Grayson. “Rowan could use psychometry.”

“The shifter must live or be staying locally,” says Grayson. “He obviously has knowledge about the woods because he lost us and has a place to stash his gear. Spare clothes, I’ll bet.”

“Clothes!” My eyes brighten. “Why didn’t I think? If he shifted, his original clothes must be somewhere in the woods.”

Grayson gawks. “You want us to search the woods for discarded clothes? We’ve no idea where the guy left them.”

“Where his footprints change from human to wolf?” I suggest. “We may’ve lost the shifter’s trail, but if we locate items he wore, Rowan’s psychometry can definitely help.”

Although I’m tempted to run onward through the woods to look for the shifter, if we find the discarded clothing, we’ll have physical clues and a better chance of discovering more.

But after half an hour, even I’m growing doubtful that we’ll locate him.

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