“It’s good that we’ve both found our soulmates and have people around us who have our backs.You’ve got the herd, I’ve got the park, and both groups watch out for each other.”
“I don’t want to be afraid anymore, but every now and then a little bit of fear works its way into my brain.”
“I think that’s normal.Hell, after Dario came for us, I was twitchy as heck in the park.I kept seeing things out of the corner of my eye, worried that we’d be attacked again.Sometimes the brain is a messed-up thing, you know?”
“Yeah, for sure.But you feel okay now?Out in the park.”
“For the most part.But I also know I can’t just be afraid all the time.Otto doesn’t know where you are, so you’re safe there.But I am sorry about Avi’s cousin causing problems.If it’s not one thing, it’s another.”
“Certainly seems that way.But it’s worth it.To be with our soulmates.”
“It really is.”
Fallon and Sunny chatted a little while longer as she made her way from the back porch around toward the fields where Avi and Crew were working.As she ended the call, something caught her eye in the tree line: a quick glint of silver among the sunlight-dappled shadows.
She froze and stared.Was it sunlight reflecting on a leaf?
Or…something else?
Her heart started to pound as worry plagued her.
Lifting her phone to her ear, she dialed Avi’s number.
“I think I see something in the woods.Hurry!”
* * *
Avi and Crew ran to her while she stayed rooted in place, staring where she’d seen the glint of something.After telling them what she saw, they stared into the trees for a moment and then strode forward, disappearing into the dense woods.
It felt like ages before she saw them again.
They walked to her, and Avi gave her a hug.
She melted into him, soaking in his warmth.
“Did you see anything?”she asked.
“Nothing obvious, I’m sorry,” he said.“We didn’t see anything metal anywhere, no people or strange scents.We did see a small area of mashed grass, but there’s no telling how long it’s been like that or if it’s recent.”
Crew put his hands on his hips with a grumble.“We don’t doubt you saw something, but we don’t know what it was.”
“I don’t think it’s Otto,” Avi said, reassuringly.“There’s no reason to suspect he knows where you are.But whatever you saw, it’s gone.”
“We’ll stay alert,” Crew said.“Thanks for letting us know what you saw.And definitely carry a walkie with you from now on when you leave the farmhouse.Sometimes the cell service is spotty out here.”
“I will,” she said.
“Do you want to come work with us in the field?”Avi asked.“I can walk you back to the house if you’d feel better inside.”
She shook off the worry.“I’d love to help.I don’t want to be cooped up on such a beautiful day.”
He looked at her curiously, then smiled.“It’s going to be okay, sweetheart.I promise to do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
She nodded and walked with him toward the fields.For the first time since Colton’s attack, she’d been feeling safe and hadn’t been looking over her shoulder quite so much.Now the safety she’d felt seemed to have cracks in it, and she didn’t like that feeling.
The sun was warm on her face as they walked, and Avi’s hand in hers helped steady the nerves that fluttered in her chest.
It was probably nothing, right?
