Page 96 of When the Woods Go Silent

Why hasn’t she told me anything about this, even if it were to joke at my expense? She got somadthe other day, when I suggested her sleepwalking and all the other weird stuff could be evidence of magic. She acted like I was a kid, clinging tightly to some stupid imaginary friends.

Was it all just a cover up for whatever this is? Why would she do that?

How long has she been hiding things from me, and more importantly,why? Of all the people in the whole world, Rose is the only one I’ve never thought would keep things from me, and it rocks me to my soul that something like that could have changed between us.

“I’m good. Are you good?” Rose asks, ducking down to look directly into my eyes. I can barely hold her gaze, wondering if there are other things she hasn’t told me. It’s probably a trauma response from so many times I haven’t understood the world and the people around me, but I can’t help but imagine a layer of guilt shining in her hazel eyes.

“Yeah. Just wondering what that was all about.” I force out the words, gesturing to the crumpled paper in her fist, then to the front door.

“Did you... what did you hear?” she asks, and her caution about breaks my heart.

Whatever it is, she doesn’t want to tell me. Rose really is keeping secrets from me - secrets about magic. Secrets about the only thing in my life that comes anywhere near being as important as our friendship. I don’t want to believe it.

I never would have believed it before today.

“Nothing,” I lie, using a bright tone even though I feel like freaking crying. “Just you yelling at that dude. What was that all about, anyway?”

Rose glances down at the paper again, and I can tell she’s trying to form a story. “I... I think he was looking for someone else.”

I take a step backward, feeling like a dumb kid whose big sister is hiding her diary, unwilling to share secrets. And I don’t like it. Not one bit. I’d come downstairs eager to tell her all about the super-sexy dream I had, but now? Now, I just want to get away from here. Away from her.

Why would Rose be lying to me? About anything, but especially about this?

“Ru... I’m sorry. Let’s go get some coffee or something.”

“And talk about that?” I point stubbornly to the paper she still won’t show me. She stuffs it in her pocket, and my eyes narrow.

“That’s nothing. Let’s just go grab a latte. We can go over ideas for our opening.”

I watch her a second longer, waiting to see if she admits that there’s more we need to talk about. Instead, she gives me a nervous smile, and something in my heart hardens for the first time in our friendship. Rose has always been the one who helped me figure out the world, and why people do what they do.

Sure, I was hesitant to tell her about Torrence biting me, but it was only to avoid a lecture and my own stupid embarrassment. I have the haunting feeling that Rose is hiding a hell of a lot more from me now, and there’s no fucking excuse. She knows how much that would hurt me.Ishurting me.

“Um, okay. Let me change really quick,” I hedge, turning back toward the stairs and hoping she doesn’t process the fact that I’m already dressed. Because instead of going up the stairs, I slip past them, unlocking the back door as quietly as I can and sneaking out into the woods behind the shop.

I know I’m being petty and overdramatic by leaving like this, but Rose is the one who taught me so diligently all these years to follow my gut. My gut led me here to Clearwater, and now it’s leading me to the only other person I can find right now, who might know some of these secrets.

Torrence.

He’s got secrets of his own, and the fact that both he and Arlo tried to bite one of us makes me wonder if I’ve been looking for the wrong kind of magic. After all, if I believe I saw a fae womanin the woods all those years ago, then why wouldn’t I believe other types of magical creatures exist?

Vampire stories are one of the most common folklore out there, and while I’m not exactly interested in being his lunch, I think Torrence might answer me if I confronted him with everything I just heard. He may not know everything, but he knowssomething.

His dislike of Kier goes way beyond whatever personal history they might have.

I’d rather hear Rose’s story first, but if she isn’t planning to tell me anything, I’ll turn to Torrence. And if I’m wrong, or he denies everything, at least I won’t have wrecked my friendship with Rose by accusing her of something huge like this. But if I’m right... what has our friendship changed into?

I cut quickly through the woods, staying clear of the sidewalk until I reach the blank rear wall ofGoblin Market. Obviously, they won’t be open, but it’s a place to start since I still don’t know where Torrence lives. I knock at the side door where they probably get deliveries, but everything is silent.

I pull out my phone and text Torrence.

Where are you? I need to ask you something.

A few seconds go by, and nothing. Pacing the sidewalk next to the building, I send another.

Are you here? I’m at the Market.

I’m getting antsy, wondering if I should just go back and get that coffee with Rose. Maybe I overreacted, leaving like that. Then I hear a noise from inside, like something dropped on the floor. I knock harder, and this time my knuckles press the heavy door open a crack. It’s not locked - not even fastened.

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