24
A Tempting Offer
Istiffened.
Behind me, deeper in the field, something was moving through the stalks of grain. I couldn’t see what, but judging by the ripples in the grain, it was larger than me.
Immediately I thought of the boarlath. Maybe it had come back to hunt me down and get its revenge. Or maybe there were other giant, dangerous creatures in this world just waiting to chew me to shreds.
Maybe it’s a person, said the part of my brain that was desperately trying to remain calm and logical.Maybe it’s Radven, come to find you.
But unless he’d looped all the way around the field, the direction was all wrong. Radven had been ahead of me, not behind.
And, since I had no idea what I was up against, I had no idea what to do. Did I stay still and silent and hope it passed me by? Slip back out onto the path and take my chances with the zhespers? I wished I’d thought to ask Radven for one of his knives. He certainly had more than necessary for one person, and I would’ve given anything for a weapon.
In the end, the still-and-silent plan won out. I told myself it was the most sensible thing to do and ignored the fact that it was also the most cowardly.
Trying to keep my breathing as quiet as possible—which wasn’t easy, considering I was still recovering from my first intense physical sprint in years—I stayed low, watching the grain and listening for the whir of zhespers overhead.
For a long moment, nothing moved. And then the grain rippled again, and a deep, low growl trembled through the stalks.
Nope nope nope.
That sound made my decision for me. Whatever was in this field with me posed more immediate danger than being spotted by one of the zhespers.
As quietly as I could, I rose to my feet again, then moved slowly back toward the path along the edge of the field.
Only the path wasn’t there. I wassureI’d only gone a few feet into the grain, but the path wasn’t where I’d left it.
Think, Marigold.I’d probably just gotten turned around when trying to hide from whatever terrifying creature was in here with me. I simply needed to turn slightly to the left and—
The growl came again, closer this time. The grain moved, the ripples coming nearer.
There was no reason to try and be sneaky anymore. I picked what I thought was the right direction and ran, praying that the path would appear under my feet.
It didn’t. There was only more grain.
I veered to the left again, but I still found nothing but more shadowy stalks. Behind me, I heard heavy footsteps give chase.
The creature had spotted me.
My bare feet protested with every step. There were dead, dried bits of stalk along the ground, and their edges sliced into my skin like papercuts, but I didn’t slow. My arms were out in front of me, batting the grain out of the way as I pummeled through.
All the while, I kept looking for the path. Ithadto be here somewhere.
My foot caught on something. I managed to keep myself from falling, but when I found my stride again, my entire body was suddenly wracked withshivery, shuddering pain.
I gasped, stumbling again, and this time, I didn’t manage to catch myself before I hit my knees.
At first I assumed the creature had done something to me, but as that familiarshiverysensation quivered through my body, the horrifying truth dawned on me.
The pearls had fallen off.
Desperately, I reached for my ankle, but I really didn’t need the confirmation that they were gone. I already had plenty of physical proof.
The pain was blinding, running inshiverywaves up and down my body, and I bit down on my tongue to keep from crying out. Not that it mattered—the creature was still moving toward me through the shadowy grain, and it would be upon me in seconds.
They can’t be far.The thought broke through the pain and panic.They must have fallen off when my foot got caught…
