Unfamiliar Territory by R. Lindsay Carter

Author:R. Lindsay Carter [R. Lindsay Carter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: R. Lindsay Carter
Published: 2022-04-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Fal’s heartwrenching cry shook me from my stupor. I rushed over to where Wren and the bandits had been just seconds before. Fal met me at the entrance, pure panic etched on his youthful face. Grimm, who had been close enough to watch the spectacle, also approached the wagon, his ears pricked with confusion.

“What just happened?” I asked. Fal just shook his head, unshed tears in his hazel eyes.

I took two seconds to rehouse Hail Mary back in my boot, and then I refocused my attention back on Fal. I grabbed his arms and gave a small shake. “Fal! What the hell? She just … just … disappeared! How?”

He met my eyes, and those depths still held fear, but also a little anger. “I don’t know,” he responded, his tone deliberately wooden.

Grimm let out a tiny growl, a small warning. I looked at him, expecting him to have his attention on our environment or Fal, but he was staring at me. I nodded, and let Fal go, knowing that I was being a little unreasonable. Even though I had just witnessed an unreasonable scene, I had to keep it together. After all—and I laughed inwardly at this thought—I was the grownup in the situation.

“Sorry,” I breathed as I let his arms go. I took a step back and he clambered out of the interior. Fal looked around wildly, but no clues were to be found. “Fal, we won’t go anywhere. Not until we figure out what happened. Okay?”

Fal nodded, pacing and running his fingers through his greasy black hair. I went over to him with a gentle touch on the shoulder this time. He stopped pacing and looked at me again.

“Has she ever disappeared before?’ I asked him once I saw he was calming down.

He nodded after a couple of breaths. “Yes. I’ve woken up in the middle of the night and she was gone. I always assumed she was using the bathroom. Like last night. But sometimes I wasn’t sure, since I couldn’t seem to find her. I should have checked, but she was always back the next time I woke up.”

“Okay, that’s … promising,” I replied with forced cheer. I was desperately hoping he would latch onto this optimistic idea. Me? I still was not sure. I wasn’t sure of anything, to be honest. “If she’s gone away before and always returned, why would this time be any different?”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Fal agreed, although not wholeheartedly. He let out a shaky breath. “So, I guess we just sit here until she returns?” He looked over at me with a small smile, a silent gesture of genuine appreciation. The look suddenly transformed to one of concern when I raised my arm to shove a few stray wisps of hair out of my face. “Oh, you’re bleeding!”

I had forgotten about the knife cut, what with all the vanishing people. Plus, adrenaline was a hell of a drug. I kept my arm raised and turned my forearm toward my face. Dried blood lined my arm, and the twisting motion had caused the cut to reopen.

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