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It took Mr Crepsley a long ti fit When he’d wiped the tears away and was back to his nor was a cri lotion intoit harder to cut Without wasting anywas slow and painful No matter how careful I was, every few feet I’d step on a thorn or scratch myself I protected my face as best as I could, but by the time ere halfway into the valley, my cheeks were specked with shallow red rivulets

The Little People hadn’t taken off their blue robes, even though the cloth was being cut to ribbons After a while, Mr Crepsley told them to walk in front, so they endured the worst of the thorns while clearing a path for the rest of us I al pair

The wolves had the easiest time They were built for terrain like this, and swiftly slinked through the briars But they weren’t happy They’d been acting strangely all night, creeping along beside us, low in spirits, sniffing the air suspiciously We could sense their anxiety, but didn’t knoas causing it

I atchingthorns, when I ran into Mr Crepsley, who’d co over his shoulder

"Gavner!" he snapped, ignoringheavily (we teased hi a lot) I heard him utter a choked cry as he reached Mr Crepsley

"What is it?" I asked "Let me see" The vaed on a briar bush A few drops of dried blood had stained the tips of the thorns

"What’s the big deal?" I asked

The va around worriedly, much in the same way that the wolves were

"Can you smell it?" Gavner finally replied quietly

"What?"

"The blood"

I sniffed the air There was only the faintest of scents because the blood was dry "What about it?" I asked

"Think back six years," Mr Crepsley said He picked the cloth off the briar - the wolves were growling loudly now - and thrust it underany bells?"

It didn’t right away - my senses weren’t as sharp as a full vaht in Debbie Heh’s blood as he lay dying on the floor My face turned white as I realized - it was the blood of a vampaneze!