Page 84 of Skalterra By Nightmare
Fana giggled at something the pastry woman said, and I shook my head, trying to clear it, trying to dislodge Ciarán’s voice from the ridges of my brain.
WouldGalahad kill me if he knew I was compromised like this? The fact that I even had to ask the question was a bad sign.
“I saved your life.” My voice trembled. “Ihelpedyou.”
“Did you? I still have questions about that, but they’ll have to wait. Because, again, you’re being followed.”
“By you.”
“No. Well,yes, but like I said, I’m still far enough that you don’t have to worry.” His laughter sent a shiver down my spine. “No, Blue. I’m talking about the brute with the tattoos hiding behind those crates three huts over.”
“Tattoos?” I spun, and my foot slipped on the edge of the walkway. I managed to catch myself before I fell into the river, but Fana turned back to look at me, her arms laden with fresh pastries. “Fana, we’re going.”
Fana pushed Tiernan’s money across the counter to the woman, and skipped to reclaim her spot at my side. I put a protective arm around her and tried to pull the hem of my hood lower over my face.
Titus was supposed to be preparing for his trip back to Vanderfall with Tamora, not following us through Riverstead. I couldn’t imagine the Baron letting her bodyguard go too far without a good reason. Maybe he was helping to restock the boat? But that didn’t explain why he’d hidden from sight.
“Taking my warning seriously, then?” Ciarán crooned. “Good. I was afraid it might take extra convincing.”
Not only was he in my head, but he could see what I saw. He’d be able to track us all the way to the Second Sentinel through me.
Galahad would absolutely kill me if he found out.
I glanced back as I led Fana down the busy walkway, but it was hard to see through the fishermen and stacks of crab cages.
“He’s still there, to the left,” Ciarán said, and I saw a flash of tattooed arm disappear into a cabana.
Tamora had only helped us after seeing what I could do as a lucid Nightmare. She’s spent the voyage up the river testing me and my limits, studying me.
Now that study was over. She’d gotten what she wanted out of us. She could revert back to her original goal.
She wanted Fana.
The shifting light of the steam-lamps brightened as night fell heavier. The patterns of white light cast across the boardwalk and up the walls of cabanas reminded me of sunlight refracting through water, and I felt like I was drowning.
Titus was following us.
Ciarán was in my head.
Galahad would kill me.
“What’s wrong?” Fana asked through a mouthful of pastry. Bits of jelly and crumbs stuck to the corners of her mouth.
I chanced another backwards glance. Children played with orbs of Skal, and a teal ball of skalfire escaped their game. It rolled through the air, dissipating as it went, but not before its green-blue hues illuminated the side of a hulking man hiding in the shadows of towering crab cages.
I recognized the edges of Titus’s face just as the fizzling light returned him to the dark.
“This way!” I tightened my grip on Fana’s arm and took a hard turn to the left.
“What is it?” she whispered, fear creeping into her voice.
“Nothing.”
“Wren?” Fana stopped next to a barrel that reeked of fish and algae to stare up at me over her pastries.
I took a steadying breath. I didn’t want her to panic, and I didn’t want Titus to realize I knew he was behind us.
“You said you wanted to play.” I forced levity into my tone. “So come on. You better run fast if you want to make it across.”
