The Rising
Page 19

“And sensing spells do what exactly?” I said, pretty sure I didn’t want to hear the answer.
“They . . . sense.” He waved his hand and made a face, like this was a stupid question. “Like radar or heat detectors. The St. Clouds are going to wait until the park is clear of mourners, then have her start casting. When she does, we’re toast. The Nasts are probably here, too, with their witch. A joint effort to get you guys off the street.”
“We need to get—”
I looked down. The second guy with the radio was heading our way. To our left a man and a woman pretending to be a couple strolled along, but I could see the radio stuffed in the guy’s pocket.
“Yeah,” Ash said. “Coming to your own memorial service? Really not a bright idea. We’re trapped in this tree, Maya. The guys can get away through those woods. Except they have no way to know what’s going on because we’re the ones who can see and we have no way of telling them.”
“We need to—”
“We’re trapped, don’t you get that? We can’t get down there without being spotted, and if we can’t get down, we’re going to get caught as soon as that witch casts her spell.”
“Are you supposed to be helping? Because I thought that’s why you came. To help.”
He answered with a scowl.
“I’ll take that as a yes, though it’s hard to interpret, because glowering seems to be your all-purpose response. Telling me what won’t work doesn’t help.” I looked up. “We can climb higher. What’s the range on her spell?”
“How the hell would I know?”
“Higher, then, if that’s the only option we have. But it doesn’t help the guys.”
“You can’t worry about the—”
“Yes, I can.”
I leaned out as far as I dared, with the patrolling employees getting ever closer. I waved. No response from the thicket. I pulled a penny from my pocket and turned to Ash.
“How’s your aim?”
“I’m the pitcher on my varsity baseball team and archery champ at my country club.”
I threw the penny. It didn’t come close.
Ash sighed and zinged one from behind me. It hit the right spot. So did a second. But the guys didn’t pop up.
“They’re gone,” Ash said. “Either that or they didn’t notice. Nothing else you can do.”
“I can—”
“Have you been holding their hands since the crash? Single-handedly fighting off the bears and wildcats and rattlesnakes?”
“We don’t have rattlesnakes.”
“They’re big boys, Maya. They can take care of themselves. And your benandanti boyfriend seems to know you can take care of yourself.”
“He’s my friend.”
“Why do you keep saying that? I don’t care if you’re going out with the guy, which you obviously are.”
“How is it obvious? Because we talk? Because we’re close?”
“Um, no. Because you’re always talking. Except when you’re whispering or giggling. And if by ‘close’ you mean ‘can’t keep your hands off each other’—”
“Excuse me?”
“Maybe you guys are trying to hide your relationship, but he can’t get near you without finding an excuse to touch your hand or your arm, and you’re just as bad.”
I glowered at him. “We’ve been through hell. It’s called compassion. Maybe you should try it.”
“Yeah, that’s not compassion, Maya.” He lifted a hand against my protest. “Fine. You’re just friends. Point is, Daniel will trust you’re okay and get Corey to safety.”
Ash surveyed the ground. The three people we’d spotted earlier were still close by. Over at the nearly dismantled stage, the witch looked as if she was getting last-minute instructions.
“Shit,” Ash muttered. “I’m going to need to save you.”
“Excuse me? No one needs—”
“I’m saving you, so shut up and be grateful.” He moved to a crouch. “I’ll get to the next tree and jump down. That’ll create a distraction. When they take the bait, you run.”
He crouched and reached for the limb above his head.
I pushed up. “I’m not letting you—”
He wheeled so fast I nearly lost my balance. “If I’m putting my ass on the line, you’d damned well better stay right there, Maya. You think I’m a jerk now? This is me being nice. You come after me? I won’t be nice. Now sit down and wait. They don’t know me. They won’t do more than chase me a bit and it’ll give you time to get away. I’ll find you later.”
He was right—they wouldn’t recognize him. If he could create a distraction, I should use it.
I watched him cross to the next tree. I tensed, ready to leap down and race into the woods. It was the safest place for me. I’d also run past where Daniel and Corey were hiding, so I could warn them if they were still there.
Ash didn’t jump down from that tree, though. Once he got to it, he must have realized it was closer to the next one than he thought, and I watched his dark figure make another leap. Then I heard something. A voice I recognized. I swiveled fast, following the sound, hoping I was wrong—
Antone and Moreno walked from an SUV over to where the St. Cloud witch and two men were heading out to begin scouting.
Ash was right. Both Cabals were here. They might be rivals, but it would be in everyone’s best interests to work together on some issues. Like rounding us up before we caused trouble.
But if Antone was here . . . I glanced up at the dark shape that was Ash, moving through the third tree.
I got to my feet, grabbed the next branch and went after him. Adrenaline slammed through my veins and I moved so fast that when I was leaping to the third tree, I never even paused to check the distance, noticing only after I jumped that the next branch was too far. A brief flash of terror as I realized my mistake too late. A grunt of surprise from Ash as he saw me jump.
Somehow I landed on the next branch easily, as if it’d been a mere step away. I looked back, wondering how I’d done that. Another power?
Ash let out a stream of hissed profanity as he made his way toward me. “I told you—told you—to stay there. Are you trying to get us both—?”