Page 85 of The Wild Zone

Harper stared into the Wild Zone. “I wouldn’t worry about the harpies. The monster most likely to eat campers is about to get a fresh batch of them at its doorstep.”

I gave him a pained look. “I don’t want to be a ‘fresh batch.’ ”

“Stale single?” he asked with a grin.

I snorted and pointed ahead. “Let’s do this.”

We were just inside the Zone when a twig snapped nearby.

Benny and Harper raised their swords. Zuri drew her bow. I swung my scythe around.

A racoon waddled past us. We lowered our weapons.

It was possible we were a little on edge.

Harper cleared his throat. “Here’s an idea. Katie, why don’t you put on the ring and scout ahead so we don’t accidentally kill one another when one of us sneezes?”

I shook my head. “I told you, it gives me violent visions. Plus, I lose track of time.” I pulled the ring out of my pocket and held it out. “But if you want to try it…”

Harper shied away. “Oh, you don’t want me to get violent.”

Benny gave him an amused look. “I don’t think I’ve ever even seen you get angry.”

“Yeah,” Zuri said. “What’s a child of Aphrodite like when they’re violent? Do you insult someone’s haircut? Threaten to give them a makeover?”

I wagged a finger. “Hey, they’re not bad chemists. They could probably match your skin tone with a poison-tainted lipstick, and you’d be dead before you knew it. But you’d look great.”

Harper frowned. “Are we done? Can we maybe lower our voices and get back to being heroes now?”

I slipped the ring back in my pocket and motioned to the others. “Come on. This way.”

We crept through the Wild Zone until we reached the spot along the creek where Grant and I had parted ways. Benny pulled a flashlight from his bag. He swept the beam across the forest floor, illuminating patches of fallen pine needles and dried leaves.

“There.” I pointed to an area where clods of dirt had been unearthed by three long gouge marks side by side, each about eighteen inches long. Then a few feet over, we could see three more gouges.

“Is that…a footprint?” Harper asked.

Zuri knelt next to the markings. She wrinkled her forehead and worked her jaw from side to side. “Talons.”

“Definitely avian,” Benny said.

“How can you tell?” I asked.

“Back in Iowa, we had neighbors who raised emus,” he said. “Similar bird tracks. But, uh…these are even larger.”

Harper eyed the marks warily. “That’s a big bird. And not the kind that lives on Sesame Street.”

“It’s more than just a bird,” Zuri said darkly.

I shivered. Being back here, I was tormented by the memory of Grant’s last stand. I could almost smell his cinnamon gum. I could see him holding his makeshift spear, shooing me away as he tried to sound brave for my sake. Once I deal with this thing, I’ll follow. I’ll see you at the edge of the woods.

Why had I listened to him?

“Zuri…” My voice quavered. “Now might be a good time to tell us what you think we’re facing.”

She scowled, but she didn’t look angry, more…concerned.

“Believe me, this is exactly the wrong time,” she said. “I don’t need any of you paralyzed with fear.”