Taken

Chapter 28

We have to split up.

            According to Tigris (the woman with orange and black striped skin) that is the only way. The Sepi already saw me and the guys, so Tigris says that the best way would be for her to go with Leo and Vul as a decoy, wearing my cloak as a disguise. Then Rufus and I will leave thirty minutes later and head to the southeast entrance while Leo, Vul and Tigris all head west.

            "We should leave at dusk," Leo says as he pours himself another cup of tea.

            "But most of the Sepi are away from the Bratus while looking for her." Vul nods over to me. "With them gone, we should leave immediately."

            "She needs rest, especially for when we actually get there. Who knows what we'll be facing?"

            Tigris nods in agreement. "We could all use some rest." She stands and looks at me. "Come with me. You can stay in the spare room."

            I stand and follow the tall woman past the living room and down the hall to the last door on the left. Her long, rustic pony tail swings from side to side behind her, only a tad lighter than the orange in her skin. Her ears are black with white points and she holds herself with the gracefulness of a cat. Then again she is the Arco of a tiger so it makes sense.

            "Actually," I say as we pass a bathroom. "Can I shower? I feel like I haven't been clean in ages."

            Tigris turns and gives me an amused smile. "Of course," she chuckles and nods at the bathroom. "I'll grab you some clean clothes, there should be a few towels in there already."

            "Thanks," I say as she slips into the room across the hall and I shut the bathroom door behind me.

            The water is soft and warm and simply feels amazing as it washes away the dirt and grime that had settled itself on me over the past few days. I scrub at my hair and at my fingers, trying to get rid of the dirt hiding under my nails. After a few more minutes I turn off the water and step out, finding a neatly folded pile of clothes resting on the toilet. Lux is sitting on the sink's edge, swinging her little feet back and forth.

            "I don't like them," she says as I roll up the jeans Tigris gave me.

            I frown and grab the tank top. "Who?"

            "The tiger and the bobcat," she says as she looks up at me. "I've heard things since we've got here, things from the other pixies. Those two are not to be trusted."

            "But they're here to help us. They're gonna help me find Nina," I argue as I slip on the tank top and grab the camouflage jacket.

            Lux sighs as she stands and brushes herself off. "You don't have to abide by my words, Ari. It's just a warning."

            Before I can respond, I hear a loud pounding coming from the front of the house. I glance at Lux who also has a confused look on her face as I tug open the door and peek down the hall.

            "The human's here?" an unfamiliar voice shouts. "Are you crazy? Do you know what will happen to you if the Veti found out you were harboring a human, let alone the sister of our Hospes?"

            I freeze.

            A Hospes? What is that?

I hear the mumbled voices of Rufus and Tigris, most likely trying to calm the frazzled Arco down.