Page 16 of The Tree of Spirits
“How do you know?” I nibbled on my lip.
“Because if they could control them, they wouldn’t need that fence.” His gaze cut past me, to the fence beyond. “I don’t think they’re controlling them. I think they’ve just found a way to scare them away.”
“Do you know of anything that can repel the Cursed Ones?”
“I’m looking right at her.” He shot me a smirk.
I sighed. “I meant, do you know of anythingelsethat repels the Cursed Ones?”
I followed him past guards and houses and a big, fat power generator. We headed for a small shed on the other side of the compound. That’s where Conner said they were keeping Marlow.
“The Cursed Ones aren’t overly fond of fire,” Conner said. “But I don’t see any of that around here. Plus it would be a pretty bad idea to cut off our retreat by setting the field ablaze.”
We passed boxes filled with supplies. One of them was full of some very-familiar utility belts. I’d seen them before, at Lydia’s stand in the Black Market. It seemed she would sell to anyone.
“Other than fire and you, I don’t know of anything the Cursed Ones don’t like.” Conner dropped the smirk. “Sorry, I guess that didn’t come out right. It’s not like the Cursed Ones don’t like you.”
“No, it’s more like theyhateme. But I don’t care. If it keeps them from trying to maul me, they can hate me all they want.”
“You’re pretty pragmatic for a girl who wears lip gloss and perfume.”
“Actually, it’s shampoo, not perfume.”
He leaned in and gave my ponytail a sniff. “It smells like roses.”
“It’s my mom’s new shampoo. I always test out her products. The lip gloss is one of her creations too.” I smacked my lips together, distributing it. “It smells like strawberries.”
“I like strawberries.”
“When we’re done here, I’ll get you a tube of that lip gloss.”
“Or you could just kiss me.” He fluttered his eyelashes.
I gawked at him. My jaw dropped.
He snickered. “Kidding, Red. Just kidding.”
I managed to snap my mouth shut again.
“You should see the look on your face,” he said.
Honestly, I really didn’t want to.
Conner’s lips twitched with amusement. “You are a very interesting person.”
I drew in a deep breath. “So everyone keeps telling me.”
We entered the tiny shed. Inside, Marlow was lying on his lumpy cot. Across from him, a single guard sat in a creaky rocking chair. Marlow jumped up when the guard spontaneously fell out of his chair and hit the floor.
“Who’s there?” Marlow looked around, his eyes manic, frightened. “A ghost?”
“No ghosts,” I replied, turning the knob on my magic coin to make myself visible.
“Savannah? Savannah Winters?” His eyes went wide. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to rescue you, of course.”
“But how did you do…” He waved his hand at the guard on the floor. “…that?”
