Wolf's Bane by Kelley Armstrong

Author:Kelley Armstrong
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: K.L.A. Fricke Inc

Chapter Nineteen

Kate

When a door bangs in the hall, we go still at first. Then footsteps sound, coming our way. Elijah wheels for the pantry, but I catch his arm and mouth, “No hiding spot.” He hesitates only a moment before realizing I’m right. Once we’re in that pantry, there’s no place to go. If someone else is coming for food, they’ll head straight for the pantry.

The question is: What other option do we have? Only one. I run and duck behind the kitchen island. Elijah frowns, and I know what he’s thinking—that it’s hardly a perfect spot. But he slips over and crouches beside me, and I whisper a plan.

The footsteps approach. They stop at the door. It creaks open. We’ve left the lights off—we can see well enough with the moon filtering through the skylight overhead. Whoever it is doesn’t hesitate at finding the lock undone. Footsteps enter. The person pauses. I wait for the click of the lights, but the room stays semidark. The steps sound again, heading for the pantry.

The setup of the room puts the pantry on the intruder’s right. To get to it, though, they’ll step past the island, meaning if they look left, they’ll spot us. I track the intruder’s steps as I creep toward the left side of the island. As soon as the footsteps pass the right edge, I zip around, and Elijah follows.

We’ve left the pantry door open, but the person doesn’t seem to notice that. When the footsteps move into the pantry, I lean out, just a little, and inhale deeply. I don’t pick up a scent, which is odd.

I creep out from my hiding spot. We’re on a direct path to the door here. We just need to get to it while our fellow camper is inspecting the snack options. I dart soundlessly across the room. Elijah follows, bare feet padding as he carries his sneakers. I’m opening the kitchen door when I hear Elijah stop. I look back to see him frowning in the direction of the pantry. He mouths something I don’t catch.

I wave for him to get over here. He starts my way . . . and the footsteps head from the pantry. I look around wildly, but there’s no place to go. I yank open the door and swing out, but that leaves Elijah in the kitchen, and I’m not going to abandon him.

I reopen the door and step through, ready to take my punishment as Elijah says, “Kate?”

He’s standing in the middle of the room. And he’s alone.

I look around. Then I circle the island, checking the pantry as I do.

“We didn’t both hallucinate those footsteps,” he says.

I shake my head.

“And we heard them stop right about here.” He stands on the right side of the island. “No one could have gotten past you.”

“No one did.”

“I don’t know much about magic,” he says. “Any spell that can do this?”

“A blur spell distorts your form,” I say. “That’s sorcerer magic. A cover spell hides you. That’s witch magic.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.