The Blood Hours by Ann H Fox

Author:Ann H Fox [Fox, Ann H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lake Country Press & Review

There are nine days left until the Blood Hours end. And we have a plan.

“How do we know she will follow me?” Ever asks, glancing down with apprehension at the marks I’ve sketched on the paper. They create a rough outline of the city and the surrounding land, mapped in slashes of gray charcoal. After seeing the bloodhounds so close to our cave the other night, and knowing Isla is still scouring the woods for us, I no longer want to hide. We may not be able to save everyone, but we can at least save ourselves.

With Isla gone, we may just make it out of the Hours alive.

“She’s seen you with me twice. With any luck, she will assume wherever you are, I won’t be far behind.” A blush no doubt accompanies the heat creeping into my cheeks, and Ever’s smug smile only confirms my fear. She reaches out to touch my face, and I snap my teeth at her playfully.

“Weirdo. You’re cute when you get embarrassed,” she says, shaking her head and pulling her hand away. She turns back to the map, growing more serious as she looks over it again. All traces of pain are gone from her face; we’ve rested a few days, and the magic working beneath her skin gives her a new, healthy glow. “But really, what if she doesn’t? The whole plan will fail.”

“It’s not going to fail,” I say, pointing to the star I’ve drawn on the map to indicate where I’ll be waiting. “She’s going to follow you, but not too closely because she won’t want you to realize she’s there. Lead her to the river but hide before she reaches you. Once she notices me, I doubt she will be able to resist the opportunity, especially with so few days of the Hours left. The river isn’t sturdy anyway, but with your ebbing, the ice will crack under her feet. And as you conveniently reminded me, people from Toeska can’t swim.”

The plan is simple and involves little risk on our part. Even if Isla makes it across the ice somehow, I’ll be armed and ready. If there are other bloodhounds with her, I doubt they will dare to cross. Isla is just mad enough to do it anyway if it means getting to kill me.

“What about Ena?”

I shake my head. I’ve thought a lot about this, as much as it pains me to leave her behind. “I don’t want to risk anything further happening to her. She’s been safe here so far.”

Ever agrees, thoughts already skipping ahead to the next problem. “I’ve never heated something from that far away.” She frowns, her fingers tracing the distance.

“It won’t take much to break the ice up—it’s not very thick. The river runs too fast for it to get a good freeze. If you aim just enough energy into it, she will be swept under and with any luck, we won’t have to worry about her anymore.”

“I’ll have to climb a tall tree,” she says, cocking her head as if imagining the river and the surrounding forest in her mind.

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