»» BOOK #2 of the X-MARKS: Shadows Series «« Valen and her friends are on the run once again. After their camp is disassembled, they take shelter in a series of traveling homes and meet hosts that will shape their journey in unexpected ways.
When...
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"Are we okay?" I wanted to say to Evee.
But it wasn't the time. Not this early in the morning and not after being on our feet for this many hours. I didn't know what else to say. I needed to scream. I wanted to shake Evee by her shoulders and say -
"What's wrong?"
"Evee, what did I do?"
"Tell me already!"
But this - no this would open my all too honest mouth.
She couldn't know I kissed Mat. Besides, it was nothing. At least for me, it was nothing. I couldn't be so sure for Mat. He was irritable one moment, a heartsick slithering worm the next, and making us all uncomfortable. It was all an act I was sure. For whatever reason, I didn't know. I could see through Mat's games, but could Evee?
All I knew was she could have him.
It was a sticky afternoon on our way to the next home. The sun was clouded but made its presences know. The fragrant pine trees around us stood tall, but their sharp branches grew low to the ground making us hold them in place just to pass through.
With no straight or flat path in sight to follow we were forced to climb one steep hill after another. It felt like we were climbing a wall. At the top of the peek we stopped for a much-needed break overlooking the foggy forest below.
"At this pace, I don't think we'll have enough," Nate mumbled under his breath and sat on a tree stump.
"Enough of what?" Evee asked and sat on the stump beside him.
"Food," Nate said and grimace.
Mat held open his bag that was spilling with what was once hidden packs of granola. He flexed the strap of the bag around his muscular arm and fitted black t-shirt to show off his strength.
"I bet you're glad, I took extras now aren't you?" Mat said and smirked.
Nate held the postcard map closer to his face and counted under his breath.
"We're still twenty days away," Nate said.
Twenty days? He had to be joking.
We each crowded around Nate as his finger dragged across two points of the map.
"That's twice as long as our last walk," Ocean said with a finger on her chin.
Nate nodded as Evee whispered something into his ear. They looked at me for a quick moment. I stopped my breath to hear them, but their whispers broke before I could listen. Was she talking about me?
We walked down the peek of the hill and through a break in the forest that was littered with broken branches that scratched my bare ankles.
Mat walked close beside me and blocked my view of the others to lean into my ear.
"Twenty-days," Mat's deep voice whispered as he bit his lower lip, "With you, that won't be so bad."
