Page 44 of Kiss for My Kraken
“I’m sorry, Flora, but I really have to run. I’m supposed to be at a town meeting at four.”
Flora stepped aside, allowing her to pass. “Oh, I know. We’re on the committee together. See you there, dear.”
The town square was bustling with mid-afternoon activity, by the time she’d showered and changed into her one “nice” outfit—a simple green dress with a vintage flair she’d found at Posy’s thrift store, paired with a cardigan to ward off the autumn chill. She felt slightly self-conscious as she crossed the square, aware of how different her life had become in such a short time.
A few weeks ago, she’d been sleeping in her car, nearly drowning in the river, desperate for any job that would keep her fed. Now, she had a home, steady work, friends—and Sam. The thought ofhim sent a pleasant warmth through her. She couldn’t wait to see him again.
Lost in these pleasant thoughts, she didn’t notice the small gathering near the gazebo at first. It was the familiar cadence of the speech that caught her attention—the rhythmic, sing-song preaching she’d grown up hearing.
“…and deliver us from the Devil’s creatures that walk among us, tempting the righteous with their unnatural ways…”
She froze mid-step, her blood turning to ice in her veins. A small group of people in plain, drab clothing—the women in long skirts and head coverings, the men in somber shirts and pants—were gathered by the gazebo. They were handing out pamphlets to passersby, most of whom shook their heads with bemused expressions before continuing on their way.
But she recognized the pamphlets. Recognized the people.
The Chosen. The people she’d fled two years ago, leaving behind everything she’d ever known.
Panic surged through her. She turned quickly, hoping to retreat before being spotted, but her sudden movement caught the attention of one of the women, and their eyes met across the square. She ducked behind the closest stall, her heart pounding, but she knew it was too late.
She saw me. She knows I’m here.
She hurried along the perimeter of the square, keeping her head down as her thoughts raced frantically.
Why were they here? Fairhaven Falls was over two hundred miles from Haven’s Grace. The Chosen rarely ventured beyond their own small town except for necessary supplies. Andproselytizing? That was even more unusual. The community preferred isolation, viewing the outside world as irredeemably corrupt.
But perhaps that had changed. Unless…
Unless they’re looking for me.
The thought sent a fresh wave of terror through her. She quickened her pace, no longer caring about the town hall meeting or making a good impression. All that mattered was getting away, putting distance between herself and the people who had controlled every aspect of her life for so long.
She hurried down the back streets and past the tavern to the river path, her legs shaking so badly that she almost fell down the riverbank. She clutched the closest tree, fighting to control her breathing.
They found me. After all this time, they found me.
Did they know she was in Fairhaven Falls? Where she lived? Where she worked?
What would they do now that they’d found her? Try to force her to return? Hurt her? Hurt her new friends? Her new life felt suddenly precarious, as if the foundation she’d been building might crumble at any moment.
And Sam.Oh God, Sam.
Her heart lurched painfully in her chest. The Chosen’s reaction to discovering one of their own was involved with an Other—especially one as visibly non-human as Sam—would be swift and merciless. They would see it as their duty to “save” her, by any means necessary.
In Haven’s Grace, she’d heard whispered stories of the Chosen using extreme measures against those they deemed ‘corrupted.’ She’d thought it was just hysteria, exaggerated tales designed to reinforce their beliefs and control the congregation, but she’d found out that she was wrong.
Her hands gripped the tree, the rough bark biting into her palms as she fought to calm her racing thoughts. Maybe she was overreacting. The Chosen had never come after her before, why would they start now?
Maybe they weren’t even here for her. Maybe their presence in town was a coincidence, nothing more. She only wished she could believe it.
She forced herself to start walking again, her fists clenching at her sides as she approached her home. The familiar sight of the small shack, which had become so precious to her, now seemed vulnerable, exposed. She scanned the river for any sign of Sam, and spotted a faint disturbance in the water near her dock. He was there, waiting for her.
Relief surged through her, followed immediately by a renewed spike of anxiety. She needed to warn him, to explain the danger. But how could she make him understand the threat posed by a handful of humans in plain clothes?
She hurried down to the dock, her heart racing, praying that he would understand—and that they would have time to figure out what to do before her past engulfed them both.
“Sam,” she called urgently, dropping to her knees at the dock’s edge. “Sam, we have a problem.”
CHAPTER 20
