Chapter 183
PIPER
The forest seemed unnaturally quiet as if even the trees were holding their breath.
My heart beat fast in my chest, a steady drumbeat of caution and determination. Every rustle of leaves made me flinch, my fingers twitching near the dagger I’d strapped to my side.
Aurora was like a thin string pulling me onward. I did not know in which direction I was going, but something made me feel I was close to finding it and I needed to be.
Moonlight filtered between the tree branches, casting patches on the forest floor that seemed to take fantastic shapes.
I stepped over a bent root, peering closely at every shadow. Half my mind was with Aurora; half of it was with Warrick.
Warrick. Oh, Warrick. Just the mention of him made me feel like vomiting. I couldn’t think about him now.
I took another careful step forward and felt the hair on my neck shoot to attention. I wasn’t alone.
Quickly I pulled the dagger out and held it defensively in front of me and I looked up to see Warrick, I staggered back a bit.
Chapter 183
“Warrick,” I breathed.
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He stood a few steps away, leaning easily against a tree, as though he’d been waiting for me. His tall body was in shadow, but the shine of his dark eyes was clear.
“Hello to you too, Piper,” he said smoothly, his voice annoyingly calm.
“What are you doing here?” I asked firmly, my grasp on the dagger tighter.
He smiled as he drew closer, his movements cautious but not threatening. “I think you want to find Aurora, just like I do.”
I squinted, keeping my blade raised. “Why would you want to find Aurora?”
“She’s the Luna of Broken Ridge, right?” he asked, cocking his head. “Her being found is important to all of us. Or did you forget that?
“I don’t believe you,” I snapped. “You only do things that benefit you. So what is your real reason?”
Warrick’s smile vanished, and for a moment, he looked “Believe what you want, Piper, but I have my reasons. And they
angry. are not for you to know.”
“You’re right,” I said, anger growing. “They aren’t. Because I don’t need your help.” I began to walk away, but his voice stopped me.
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“You’re walking right into trouble,” he said, sounding serious. “Do you really know what you’re up against?”
I turned back to look at him, feeling angry. “Don’t act like you care. You’re only here because you think you can benefit from
this.
He shrugged and crossed his arms. “Maybe I can. But that doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”
I thought for a moment. His words hit home, even though I knew better. Warrick was clever and selfish, but he wasn’t stupid. If he was warning me, it meant he knew something I didn’t.
“What do you know?” I asked carefully.
He moved closer, and I couldn’t understand what was going through his mind.
“The Nameless is not some random enemy, he thinks and then acts with a plan in his mind. If you go on your own, you’ve got no chance. Just like Aurora.”
Finally, the mention of Aurora had my heart aching. I could have argued that he was wrong, but somewhere deeper inside, I knew his words were right. “What am I supposed to do then?” I asked looking tired already.
“An alliance,” he said straightforwardly.
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I laughed rudely. “You think I will trust you?”
“No,” he said smiling, taking me by surprise. “But you have no choice. You’re in too deep, Piper. And like it or not, I can help you.”
I stared hard at him, trying to catch a glimpse of a lie. Warrick had always been able to take people in, but there was something about him that seemed a little off this time.
Perhaps a sign of truthfulness. Or maybe he was just in some kind of a spell.
“Okay,” I said with deliberation. “But let’s get one thing straight, I don’t trust you. You slip up once, I’ll kill you myself.”
His smile was back, but this time, it wasn’t humorous. “That’s fair.”
We continued walking in the forest together, but I kept my distance from him.
For someone who could be so annoying, Warrick was quiet; his footsteps were nearly silent against the earth,
“Why are you here, Warrick?” I asked after a while because I couldn’t stand the silence anymore.
He looked at me, and I had no idea what he was thinking. “I told you, I’m looking for Aurora.”
“For your gain,” I pressed.
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He didn’t deny it. “Maybe. But that doesn’t mean I want to see her dead. Or you, for that matter.”
I scoffed. “How noble of you.”
He suddenly stopped and raised a hand to quiet me. His eyes looked ahead to the darkness, his body tense.
“What?” I whispered, clenching my dagger tightly.
“Something’s watching us,” he whispered.
I tried to see what he did as my heart started beating fast.
The trees felt as though they moved around us, the darkness looking somewhat different from what they truly were.
“We need to go,” Warrick whispered, his tone low and urgent.
For once, I did not argue. We did walk a little faster while every single sound of leaves and breaking twigs seemed to fill me with more fear.
As I walked, I couldn’t help feeling that Warrick was keeping something from me. He kept scanning around and looked really
nervous.
“You know more than you’re telling,” I whispered.
He didn’t answer immediately, his gaze cast down the path
before him.
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Finally, he said, “I know enough to keep us safe. Isn’t that good enough for you?”
“No.” I said firmly. “If we are going to do this, I need to know the truth.”
Warrick was hesitating, his face turned to me with worry on his features.
“The truth, Piper, is you don’t know what you’re up against.
Not only does the Nameless pose a threat to Aurora, but he threatens us all.
He will destroy everything we love if we don’t put a stop to him.”
His words made me feel scared, but I wouldn’t let him see my fear. “Then why are you really here, Warrick? What do you get from this?”
He fell silent, his jaw getting tight.
“Redemption.”
