Broken (Disappeared #2)

Chapter Three

Theodosia whipped around, dropping her bag in the process. There was a faint rustling of leaves and then the snapping of twigs underfoot. She tensed, wondering if this was some trick of the half-beings. Trying to bait her and then finish her off, once and for all.

The wolves came running first. Grayer and leaner now, their eyes a lighter blue than before, they came crashing through the underbrush and skittered to a stop around her.

Theodosia looked at them with wide eyes. "What are you doing here?" she said.

Not that they had time to answer, if they could. Seconds later Ahuil came running out of the trees, his wavy hair matted and his clothes rumpled. He had a wild look in his eyes and a sheaf of arrows on his back.

He stopped right before her, breathing hard. His golden eyes scanned her face anxiously and then he doubled over for a moment as he tried to catch his breath. Theodosia stared at him and the wolves as if they had fallen out of the sky.

He propped himself up on his thighs and looked up at her. "So you decided to just run away?" he managed, still panting. "Into the woods? The dangerous woods? By yourself?"

Anger rose like bile up her throat and her cheeks heated. It took everything in her to avoid screaming at him like a banshee.

"That's all you have to say to me?" she said. "I never!" Picking up her carpetbag, she turned around and began walking as fast as she could through the darkening woods. The wolves immediately followed.

There was a moment's pause and then she heard Ahuil's footsteps behind her. He picked up his pace and then stepped in front of her. She tried to move around him but he blocked her way.

The two of them halted in a shadowy grove, staring each other down. Ahuil was too tall, broad, and quick on his feet to dance around easily. The wolves quietly circled them.

"Get out of my way!" She cast a fierce look at the wolves. "You too, you mangy mutts!"

"Listen, Theo..."

"'Listen'? Consider me without ears. Without eyes. Without anything that could acknowledge you."

She tried to dodge him but he blocked her again, his light eyes boring into her own. "You just answered me, which proves the opposite."

She avoided his intense gaze. It was too painful to look directly at him. She was afraid of what she might see there, perhaps the fact that he did not love her anymore.

"I am not in the mood to make sense. I shall hit you with my carpetbag if you don't move immediately."

"Your carpetbag filled with clothes? Now I'm really scared."

Theodosia felt herself going purple with rage and lifted the carpetbag anyway. Even if it didn't hurt him, hitting anything would make her feel better.

He held up his hands and relaxed his stance. "Theo, please, I'm so, so sorry..."

"How did you find me?" she cut in.

He lowered his hands slowly. "Tipelli told Xochitl you were leaving. She found me right away. Cut into me like you wouldn't believe."

"I believe it." She put down the carpetbag, aware that she probably looked ridiculous. "So why are you here? You're the one who told me to go, after all. Would you like to throw me out yourself just to prove your point?"

Ahuil sighed and ran a hand through his shoulder-length hair. Long shadows played over his tired face. "You see these wolves? I started after you and they just showed up. They weren't just protecting me from the mist and the half-beings, as they usually do. They actually led me here. I don't know why but that has to mean something."