“Ignore it,” Steve whispered.
Garrett glanced at him and Theo nodded back. Okay, he was ignoring the whistle. Nope, nothing going on here. No whistles. No strange rustling. It was all good. Tucking his hand insideGarrett’s elbow in case they needed to run, Theo got them back to following Steve.
The branches above their head swayed.
Ugh, he was not going to look.
Forcing his eyes straight ahead, Theo locked his gaze on Steve’s back right between his shoulder blades. If they did get out of this and Steve ended up helping them, Theo wondered what would happen to the kid. Steve said he was going to be in trouble but maybe that wasn’t really a bad thing. Actions had consequences. Theo knew that better than anyone.
Another whistle and it was so hard to not turn his head and look for whoever was making the noise.
“Friend Theo?” Garrett’s voice was low.
“Just keep walking,” Theo replied just as quietly. “It’s fine.”
“Many eyes are on us,” Garrett told him.
Yeah, Theo had already figured that out. “I can see light ahead.” Hellcats, it was dark in the middle of the forest. And cold. Even in Wylder’s hoodie Theo was getting chilled.
“I keep walking, friend Theo,” Garrett said.
“You are doing a great job, buddy,” Theo replied. “I’m very sorry that you got dragged into this with me.”
“I do not like it,” Garrett said. “This…body. I should not be like that.”
“I know.” Theo was the worst friend ever. There was no guarantee that Garrett would be able to return to his oldform. Theo hoped that getting out of the fae realm meant that everything would return to normal. But what if it didn’t?
“I do like talking to you, my friend,” Garrett told him.
“I love talking to you too,” Theo replied sincerely.
“I wish I could talk to Josh too,” Garrett shared.
Theo laughed. He’d been wondering what was going on between Garrett and Josh. Both Theo and Wylder believed that Garrett and Josh were mates. Fated to be together.
“You laugh?” Garrett’s voice held confusion.
“Josh has been teaching me how to talk with you for days. I worked really hard learning signs to exchange with you,” Theo responded. He squeezed Garrett’s arm where he still held him by the elbow. “He cares a lot about you.”
“Josh is good. Nice. Pretty.”
“He is pretty,” Theo agreed. “And nice and good. I wouldn’t be surprised if he insisted on coming with my mates. You might just get the chance to talk to him like you want.”
“I will think good thoughts. Papa Carson says thinking good thoughts is important.”
“Papa Carson.” Theo started to smile. He’d been thinking about his mates but there were so many more people on their side than just Wylder, Alek, Dario, and Mitch. They had Alek’s fathers and brothers. Dario’s connections including Ferguson, who was fae. And Mitch. Mitch had the demons of hell on his side. With hellhounds. Not that Theo wanted to meet those dog creatures, but if they were attacked by pixies again, the hellhounds could eat them.
They had a whole family who would be searching for them.
Theo squeezed Garrett’s arm again. “We’re going to be okay.” He believed it with all his heart.
“Just ahead,” Steve called back. “We can exit the forest here. The bridge is just around the corner.”
Theo picked up the pace, practically dragging Garrett the rest of the way out of the forest. Once he was free of the trees, Theo could breathe easier. The dread that had been clawing at him flowed out.
Looking around, Theo was once again shocked by the difference of this whole new world. Realm. Whatever. The color. The scents. Everything was just more.
Steve was looking back into the dark forest, even after he’d told Theo to avoid doing just that.
