Magic Misled (Lizzie Grace #7) - Keri Arthur Page 0,56

then through a gate into another paddock. There were no horses here but there were a few cows, and they looked just as spooked as the horses. In the distance, a thick line of trees followed the fence boundary. Our beastie was heading straight for them.

“Is that forest part of this property?” I asked.

“No, it’s a government reserve, although there are a couple of homesteads within it.”

“Is it a big area?”

“Fifty or so acres, at least.”

“Then let’s hope this thing isn’t simply on an evening jaunt through the bush,” I muttered.

“A simple jaunt would be a better option than an attack.”

Which was all too true. We reached the fence line. Aiden held up the top two wires so I could climb through, then motioned me back into the lead. The shadows closed in once we were in the trees, but I could nevertheless see reasonably well thanks to the wild magic leeching Katie’s werewolf senses to enhance mine.

The acidic scent of magic neither grew nor lessened. Wherever this thing was going, it wasn’t yet in a hurry. We walked on, Aiden’s steps light, mine heavier; neither would carry to our quarry, though, thanks to fact we were walking into the wind.

We’d probably gone just over a kilometer when Aiden grabbed my arm and hauled me to a halt. “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

He cocked his head sideways, his expression intent. After a minute, he said, “That.”

I frowned, but after a moment, I heard it—a faint, childlike cry.

The creature was on the hunt again—and it was definitely a she rather than a he. Samuel had been right. “Can you tell how far away she is?”

“Half a K, at least. Can you run?”

“You lead, I’ll try to keep up.” I hesitated. “But please don’t leave me behind. Not after what this thing did to Patrick.”

“I’m not about to leave you roaming the reserve alone, even if you’re even more able to protect yourself than me. Let’s go.”

He immediately broke into a run. I took a deep breath and followed. While I had been jogging of late in a vague attempt to get fitter, running at night on uneven ground was a very different matter.

We went as fast as was practical in the darkness and the trees. The wind carried the soft, childlike cries to our ears even as it carried away the sound of our footsteps. We weren’t getting all that much closer; the creature might be laying the bait, but it was also continuing to move.

Sweat began to trickle down my spine, and my breath was short, sharp pants of air. I concentrated on keeping up with Aiden, ignoring the ache in my side and the growing burn in my legs. We had to stop this thing before she claimed another life.

Another cry, this time shorter, sharper, and closer. It really did sound like a child, and that made me wonder if we were dealing with someone whose growth—through the use of dark magic—had been frozen at a youngish age even if it was far older in practical terms. It would at least fit with Jackson’s comment that this thing was small, pale, and upright.

The cries grew louder as we drew closer. Then, from somewhere to our left came a shout—a male voice, telling the so-called crying child to stay put because they were on their way.

Aiden swore. “He’s going to get there before we are.”

“Shout to him.”

“We do that, and this thing is gone.”

“Then cut sideways and intercept him.” The words came out as little more than harsh pants. Running and speaking clearly wasn’t easy. “I’ll continue on.”

“Liz—”

“Don’t Liz me. I can protect myself, remember.”

“Yeah, but as you pointed out, I might not be able to.”

He was right. But so was I. I sucked in a breath and then said, “Then let’s try to correct that.”

I quickly created a repelling spell, wove it into a net, and threw it across his body. The slender threads of silver and gold settled around his body, shimmering lightly with every movement. It looked to be in full working order. I just had to hope looks weren’t deceiving, especially given this sort of net wasn’t something I’d ever tried before.

“I just cast a protective net across your body. You’ve ten minutes, if that, before its force fades.”

“Can I shift shape without losing it?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Be damn careful, Liz. Promise.”

“Always.”

He snorted but leapt away to the left, his body blurring as he moved from one form to the other. I raced on, crashing through the scrub,