Fear of Fire and Shadow (The Fade #1) - Samantha Young Page 0,78

flinching at the forgotten blisters, and shook myself out. Not sure I was safe from the insects, who obviously liked the Aran root as much as I did, I curled into a ball in the open soil, glancing around to make sure there was nothing else near me.

Oh haven, I hated this.

Thankfully, I must have drifted back to sleep for I woke up lying flat out on my back, the forest ceiling above me now giving way to the blue of the sky.

The blue of the sky!

What time was it?

I cried out and lunged sleepily for my things. It was definitely past sunrise. Probably midmorning. I’d missed a good few hours of light for walking. Grumbling at myself, I chewed on a biscuit and sipped from my canteen as I hurried upward, remembering to hold back the whimpers from the pain in my feet and body. Those first few steps were agonizing. I sucked in air and took a few more tentative steps, building momentum and chanting Haydyn’s name as incentive to keep moving.

At the thought of Shadow Hill, I chanted inwardly, sure I was close to the town by now. I didn’t want to be heard.

By afternoon, the sun was stronger than ever and wearing me down. But my feet. The pain was unbearable. At the constant sound of the stream to my right, I gave in. It didn’t deviate from the direction of my magic, only from the worn track that kept me from the thick of the woods and all the plants and twigs that would trip me. The thought of cold water against my sore feet was too terrible a temptation to ignore.

I headed off, stepping carefully, until I found the wide stream rushing past. I could almost feel its soothing, cool liquid. I smiled wearily and sat down to remove my boots.

“Ahh … hsss …” I whimpered and hissed as the boots knocked against sores. I pouted like a little girl as I peeled off my stockings, a garbled shout of pain escaping before I could stop it, as the stocking, stuck with sweat, ripped open a blister.

I glared at the boots.

Perhaps taking them off hadn’t been such a good idea. They might not go back on without a fight. Slumping at my losing battle with my feet, I slid them into the stream, wincing at the stings. And then the cold water did what I had hoped it would, numbing my swollen appendages until I didn’t feel a thing.

When they’d had enough, I kneeled and ripped off the jacket and waistcoat and scooped water up to clean my neck and behind my ears as best I could. Feeling sweat along my hairline, I tugged off the cap and uncoiled my hair, sighing in satisfaction as my scalp drew breath.

The crack of a branch made me flinch and stiffen.

I was terrified to look behind me.

I heard the heavy breathing and my heart spluttered in absolute horror. A smell drifted upwind. Stale. Dirty. Human.

“What be here, then?” he growled in my ear.

Chapter 24

Huge arms encircled my waist, dragging me back from the stream as if I weighed nothing more than a sack of flour.

I shrieked and reached behind me, clawing at skin and pulling at hair. The stranger merely grunted until I was shunted up onto his shoulders, high off the ground.

He was huge.

I wriggled and screamed and fought and pummeled, and was merely slapped at for my troubles. My heart raced so fast it hurt, bile threatened to rise in my throat, and I was shaking so hard, my teeth chattered.

Frustrated tears welled in my eyes.

I was so stupid.

Brint had warned me about the Shadow Hill people. Had I listened? No. I’d wandered off the path because my feet hurt! Not only that, I’d unbound my hair.

I beat at the man’s back once more with fury. “Put me down!” I cried, exhaustion making my voice weak.

How was I to escape these people? My feet hurt, I had no energy, I was useless. Once again kidnapped and taken. I could only hope the people showed me mercy.

The stranger’s hand slid around to my buttocks and he squeezed, making me blanch in revulsion. “Good,” he commented gruffly. “Very good.”

What the haven did that mean?

The more we trekked, the more my magic wailed at me to turn back. He was deviating from my path!

Just as I was about to yell at him again, he slowed, walking up a few stone steps before I heard the creak of a