The Chosen Ones

Chapter Twelve

Chapter 12

"Good. You shouldn't."

What had he meant by that?

The question rolled through my mind over and over as we hiked along the shoreline, in and out of the woods. We didn't speak as we walked, and it gave me plenty of time to think about Thane's odd response.

For three hours we hiked, following the perimeter of the island, and still we hadn't made it back to the dock, which made me realize the island was larger than what I'd expected, and how many places this Raven could be hiding. Every snap of a branch, every slight shift of a shadow had my heart jumping into my throat. Where was this supposed leader?

I wasn't sure why we continued, or when we would stop, but I assumed Thane knew what he was doing and so I didn't question his plan. Still, the large boots rubbed against my heels, and the raw skin stung. Blisters were dangerous, or so Will had told me. They could get infected, they made it hard to hike, and more importantly...to run. But the fact that we had to wear clothes we'd stolen or found made it difficult to find perfect sizes, and I'd had to learn to adjust.

"We'll find smaller boots soon," Thane said.

I resisted the urge to curse. How did he always know? "I'm fine."

"You're not. You're walking funny."

I frowned, unsure how he knew considering he hadn't once looked back. "Do you have eyes on the back of your head? Is that a blood drinker trait?"

"No. I can hear the way you step."

Of course...superb hearing. I stared at his back, watching the way his hair gleamed and glistened under the sunlight that managed to pierce the branches above, and wondered for what seemed like the millionth time what else he could do that I couldn't. There was no doubt about it, Thane could see better, hear better, and somehow sense things much better than I'd ever be able to thanks to his beautiful blood.

Taking in a deep breath, I forced my attention away from his broad shoulders and looked back at the shadows. I'd been out here a month, but it felt like years. I realized now that Will had been right to push me so hard at the skyscraper those first two weeks. In this world you had to grow up fast, accept what it was and move on...always move. Never stop. Never rest.

We followed the coastline, climbing over rocks and more rocks until my mind grew almost numb to the effort. The water was rough, slamming against the shore as if angry with the land. Rain was coming and the very wind that tore at my hair had somehow made the waves larger. How very interesting that everything in the world seemed to affect something else...it was all connected.

Even if Will and the others had survived, they would never be able to swim through such a fierce ocean. I glanced toward the horizon, but we were on the other side of the island and the mainland was nowhere. Water. Lots and lots of water. It made me nervous to realize I was trapped on this small piece of land. Not just trapped, but trapped with Thane, with no supplies, little food, and Raven somewhere lurking out there in the shadows.

"What were the howls?" I asked, trying to keep my mind off more unpleasant subjects.

"What howls?"

I sighed. Was he intentionally being evasive? "On the mainland, right before we jumped I heard the howls. You said they weren't wolves. What were they?"

He didn't respond, just continued his trek through the woods.

"I heard them before, you know."