Free Arise (Awakened Fate Book 4) by Skye Malone Page A

woman suggesting we use Longtiel as a reference.”
    I fought to focus. Something was coming this way. Maybe someone.
    It could just be a bear.
    That didn’t make me feel better.
    The rustling sound came again, closer this time. A voice murmured, the words too low and distant for even my ears to pick them out.
    My heart began to pound harder. Someone was coming. Someone avoiding the main path.
    That couldn’t be good.
    I hesitated. I needed a way to tell the others without those idiot landwalker elders learning what I was. Chloe hadn’t said anything about that to Olivia and from what I could tell, Ellie hadn’t either – though God knew why. But I appreciated it.
    If I had it my way, the fewer people who knew I wasn’t human, the better.
    I glanced to Chloe. She was looking back and forth between Phil and Robin like she was watching the tennis match from hell. At her side, Baylie held one hand protectively to Chloe’s arm, while Ellie was studying her phone, which was once again buzzing.
    I swallowed, scanning the clearing. There had to be a way to get their attention.
    Zeke was watching me.
    I hesitated, but there wasn’t another option. The girls weren’t looking our way.
    My gaze twitched illustratively back toward the forest. He drew a breath, tensing.
    At Chloe’s side, Baylie caught sight of his motion. She looked to me and obviously read something of what was going on from my face.
    “Uh, guys?” she called.
    “And I don’t believe we can just– what?” Robin cut off.
    “I, um… I think someone’s coming,” Baylie finished.
    They all paused. Olivia’s eyebrow climbed.
    “ Excuse me?” Phil asked, disbelief clear in his voice. Craning his neck, he looked beyond us to the trail, while Robin leaned past him to do the same.
    Dave fidgeted anxiously. “Were you expecting anyone else?”
    Olivia shook her head, still studying Baylie.
    I took the opportunity to move closer to the trees, straining to hear anything more. I couldn’t pick up on any of my cousins, although that didn’t mean much. Stupid as they were, they’d still know I’d be near Chloe. They’d hide their presences so I wouldn’t be able to tell they were coming.
    Though, on that account, they also wouldn’t make noise. Or talk. They were good enough hunters to be careful about that, especially when they knew I’d hear them.
    My brow drew down. Something wasn’t right.
    A rustle came from beyond the opposite side of the clearing.
    I looked back toward the sound.
    “We need to go,” Baylie said, seeing my expression. “Now.”
    Chloe and Zeke were already getting to their feet.
    Another branch snapped, the sound coming from a different direction entirely.
    A breath left my chest. We were surrounded.
    How the hell had anyone gotten around us without me hearing them?
    I pushed the thought aside. The answer was standing in the middle of the clearing, still seeming like they wanted to continue their argument. And meanwhile, I was burning time.
    I strode toward Chloe and Baylie.
    Ellie looked between us and Olivia. “What do we do?”
    Olivia just watched us, saying nothing.
    Something inside me went cold. She wasn’t helping. She only stood there.
    Like we were a science experiment. Like she’d set this up.
    “Come on,” I said, jerking my head toward the far side of the clearing. I hadn’t heard anyone that way yet. Maybe they hadn’t gotten that far.
    Chloe nodded and hurried after me, with Baylie and Ellie sticking close behind. When I reached the next rise, I glanced back to see Zeke throwing a quick look to the other directions and then following as well.
    “Now hang on,” Phil blustered, starting after us. “We don’t have any evidence there’s anyone actually–”
    “Excuse me, folks.”
    I froze. I knew that voice.
    Turning, I looked back at the camp. A portly man wearing a brown police uniform walked out of the forest. Two guys followed him, both dressed in camouflage with rifles strapped to their backs, and