Unedited.
Chapter Eighteen
I don’t know what I was expecting but this definitely wasn’t it. Somehow, Janus had opened a portal in the middle of the woods using two trees and their branches as the “enclosure” needed.
“Huh.”
Andrzej wasn’t as fascinated by the location as I was. Instead, he was more focused ahead on where we’d be going. We were surrounded by thick forest, underbrush was in abundance along with pointy branches and pine needles. I was afraid to move even an inch because of the thorny vine I had only a breath away from my face.
“Please tell me you have a plan.”
My breath moved the vine and I felt the points scratch at my face as it swung back. Beside me, Andrzej was shuffling around in his pockets and the sound of leather sliding over skin was muffled. His hand slid between my face and the vine and his fingers, now clad in black leather gloves, yanked it down from the branch and discarded it at my feet.
“You’re not a woodsy girl, are you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve spent my fair share of time in the woods…”
“That have been cleared of all the normal things that clutter up a general forested area. You’ve been in sissy woods.”
He reached behind him and grabbed the handle of one of the things strapped to his back. I had a feeling it was something rather sharp and considering it was night, I didn’t have it confirmed until the sound of him hacking at things rang through the forest.
“Is this the Between?”
“This is a forest in Arcadia, Greece, I believe.”
“You believe?”
“Yeah. I can’t be right a hundred percent sure all the time, rakli. Now, stay behind me and try not to get lost.”
“And how exactly am I supposed to keep track of you? It’s pitch black.”
“Follow the sound of the hacking. I’d give you something sharp but I’m afraid you’ll stick me in the back by accident.”
“It wouldn’t be by accident.”
“I’m comfortable enough in our relationship to know you were joking.”
“I’m so glad. Should I even ask where we’re going?”
“Currently, this way.”
“Are you trying to be a smart ass or is it coming naturally?”
He hacked at a particularly stubborn patch of forest before answering, “Don’t you know that answer by now?”
“I was giving you a benefit of a doubt.”
“It comes naturally. I don’t mean it half the time. Mostly it just spews out on its own.”
“That isn’t hard to figure out. The first time we met, you said you thought blondes weren’t supposed to be smart.”
“In all fairness, most of the ones I’ve met haven’t been the brightest bulbs in the box.”
“Does that include members of your own gender?”
“Of course. I’m not sexist.”
“Is that why I’m following you instead of you following me?”
“Hey, if you want to lead, I’ll be happy to hand over the machete. Only problem with that though is you don’t know where we’re going.”
“I can always take a peek into the future.”
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Dead Lines
ParanormalIn Life Lines, she became Elite. In Love Lines, she became Assarion. In Dead Lines, she becomes...something quite different. Natalie Abernathy has been through a lot since the beginning of the school year. She never would've guessed dying and then b...
