Page 68 of For the Strange and Surprising

I’m going to feel like the biggest pervert on the island if he’s just walking out here to piss on a plant or jerk off in nature.

It could be Spiran playing more mind games with me or my own intuition, but I keep following him because something feels off. It’s one of those I can’t put my finger on it situations.

He stops as he passes through the gate of the stone barrier, checking right. And I duck behind a tree before he swings his head in the opposite direction. His footsteps aren’t silent as he quickly stalks into the denser growth, veering left toward the Mongrel-Shade border. For trying to be secretive, he sure is loud.

He may not be doing anything unusual, though. Which would mean I’m floating in the gray area between right and wrong.

I need to fall back a little more so he doesn’t catch me.

The trunks of the nearby trees are wide enough to conceal my body and then some, so I don’t have to crouch anymore. I stay on my toes, praying that each step I take between coverage is quiet. I think feather-light thoughts when I cross over patches of decaying leaves, hoping there are no sticks underneath.

Or snakes.

I shouldn’t have come out here alone. This was a mistake. I’m going to either be caught by the man I’m creeping on, or strangled by an alien python that’s camouflaged as a tree branch.

I suppose the upside is I can’t scream if I can’t breathe.

I’m a fucking idiot.

A lost idiot who didn’t leave any bread crumbs to find her way back to civilization, and who definitely doesn’t understand anything about the wildlife on this island.

We haven’t passed any animals yet. I haven’t even seen a single bug since I’ve been following Pavelo.

I pause in my tree-hopping pursuit to glance around, but there’s nothing except eerie shadows and the sound of crunching leaves under his boots.

My heart skips a beat when I think about how fast this woodland trek could turn into something horrible.

With that thought, I don’t go any farther. And once he’s out of my sight, I’ll head back to where I think I came from. Or wander the forest until I find the stone barrier.

His footsteps stop, and I put my hands over my mouth as I hold my breath. When I lean around the mossy trunk, I’m relieved to see him at a greater distance than before. That means he doesn’t know I’m here, so I can stay hidden while I wait for him to continue his journey.

The lowest branches of this tree are above my head, but the hanging foliage should help cover my face. I’ll be fine as long as my body isn’t seen, because there is no way not to see this peach-colored dress.

Pavelo kneels as a cloud of gray mist appears in front of him. Then he straightens and begins talking to it. He’s angry and hissing between clenched teeth. I can’t hear the words he says, but his tone is agitated.

I know it’s the same thing Connak and I saw around the beast at the lake, or at least a part of whatever it is. I thought it was just an aura of some sort, but now I feel like that isn’t the correct term. It’s unnerving, raising the hairs on my arms the longer I stare.

I’m torn between leaving and staying, wanting to memorize everything I can about the ghostly orb so I can ask Isolde about it.

I need to get closer to hear what Pavelo is saying.

I survey my surroundings for the best option, catching a dark movement dart into my peripheral.

A wall of muscle presses against my back as a hand wraps over my mouth.

Fuck.

Someone caught me.

22

Ecaeris

Rinya’s mom never fails to ask me how I’m doing whenever she sees me. I usually enjoy catching up with Shyla, but I’m trying to stay focused on my task while still being polite. She’s quick to notice my split attention.

“William wants to meet her,” she informs me. “We’re all excited to have her here.”

“I’m sure Rin will bring her over soon. If not her, then Connak will.”