Page 26 of Raelia

Another branch snapped, closer this time, causing her body to tense.

A thick bush rustled only a few feet away from where she stood. The shrubbery was at least twice her height, with a width more than three times that. The rustling increased until the whole bush was moving and Alex’s heart began to pound in her chest as she backed away.

When the rustling stopped, Alex released the breath she’d been holding. But it turned into a squeal of fright when something lunged towards her. She scurried backwards until she was pressed up against a tree. But when she caught sight of her ‘attacker’ she let out a relieved laugh.

“Aren’t you cute!” she gushed at the furry little creature that looked like some kind of squirrely possum—fluffy with big eyes and a long curling tail. Hardly the nightmarish monster she’d feared.

Alex knew better than to reach out to touch the animal— knowing her luck, she’d catch some funky disease from it— but she had to admit it was adorable. So much so that she was too busy watching it scavenge for food to notice that the bush was still rustling. A snarl was the only warning she had before a black shadow burst through the shrubbery and caught the squirrely creature in its teeth, snapping its body with a sickeningcrunchand swallowing it whole.

Alex shrieked and threw herself to the ground just as the animal lunged for her next. It was hideously terrifying; huge and hairy, with unnatural blood-red eyes and dilated black pupils. Talon-like claws ripped into the tree where she’d been standing, and when the animal turned to growl at her, she could see its razor-sharp teeth, each of which was about as long as her hand.

Alex scrambled to her feet when her fight-or-flight instinct activated and bolted blindly into the forest. She had no defence, no weapon, nothing at all. She didn’t even have speed to her advantage, since she could hear the creature quickly gaining on her. She wouldn’t be able to outrun it. But what else could she do?

At least the dense woodland was working in her favour, helping to slow the beast. She dared not look back; hearing the creature’s frustrated growls as it struggled through vines was enough to know that it was still close behind. Too close. She needed to get out of there. She needed to get…higher.

Alex glanced back at the creature as she tore through the forest. While its front legs held lethal talons, its back legs had no claws that she could see. She could only hope that meant it couldn’t climb, and with that thought she grabbed onto a thick vine and scurried up the closest tree. But she wasn’t high enough when the monster caught up with her, and before she could scramble out of reach, it jumped up and swiped its claws along her back, tearing into her flesh.

Alex cried out in pain and nearly lost her grip, but she managed to hold on and continued to heave herself up. She stopped when she was nearly at the canopy, and shakily rested against the thick tree trunk. Her back was screaming in agony, but she was more concerned about what to do next. The creature was prowling at the base of the tree, snarling and growling at her. She had no way to escape.

And then, out of nowhere, Alex heard voices.

The creature heard them too, and it turned away and looked in the direction of the noise. It jumped into a thick bush until it was concealed entirely from sight, its dark, hairy body camouflaged by the dense foliage.

Just as she was about to call out a warning, three people walked into view. Alex jerked back with shock and shrunk further into the tree, hiding amongst the vines and leaves.

Her reaction may have been dramatic, but it was also justified. Because one of the people was Aven.

Seriously, did she have the worst luck, or what?

“She’s nearby. I can sense her,” Aven proclaimed.

Alex shuddered at his announcement. Was he talking about her? How did he know she was there?

She peered at the silvery scar on her hand, feeling an unpleasant churning in her stomach at the reminder of when his blood had mixed with hers. Was it possible that…? No, she couldn’t bear to consider the thought that he was somehow able to sense her through the scar. It wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be.

“Are you sure?” Gerald asked. Even from her elevated position, Alex could easily recognise the tattoo-covered man she’d last seen fleeing from the Library with Aven.

“You doubt me, Gerald?” Aven asked dangerously.

“Of—of course not,” Gerald stuttered.

“He’d never be so stupid as to doubt you, my prince,” said the third member of the group, a woman Alex did not recognise. She was tall and refined, with blond hair and vacant, glassy eyes.

“You’re right, Calista,” Aven agreed. “He must know how unwise it would be to question my judgement.”

Gerald opened his mouth, most likely to apologise again, but Aven quieted him with a look.

“Silence. She’s here.”

Gerald and the woman—Calista—tensed. They both withdrew blades from belted scabbards and held them at the ready. Alex froze, wondering what they planned to do to her.

“Put your weapons away,” Aven said. “This is between me and her.”

They did as he commanded, and he stepped closer to the tree in which Alex was perched high above them.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are,” Aven goaded as he unsheathed his own weapon.

Alex gripped the tree trunk, her knuckles white. Aven hadn’t looked up so there was a possibility that he didn’t know where she was exactly. She wasn’t going to give away her position, no matter what.

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