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Settling on a sturdy branch within sight of the path, I leaned back on the tree’s trunk, rested and ate o next After a while, the soothing noises fro?" A rabbed the branch to keep froht, I froze in shock

"No All clear," another h with annoyance

There had been no barking to alert me; it s that I had forgotten about the sht early

I waited for the below, I searched the forest but couldn’t locate them Maybe they hadn’t seen ed froreen and brown ca overalls and face paint were ether ense east She’s probably at the southern border by now," Rough Voice gruured, even though the hounds lost her scent," said the second ed to accooing east," Rough Voice said

The other ic The Captain ordered us east; we go east He seems to think she’ll head deeper into MD–5 Familiar territory for her"

"Well, what if she doesn’t coh Voice complained "She’s a criminal"

"That’s not our concern That’s Valek’s probleot away he would take care of her"

I wondered if Valek was listening We both kneouldn’t need to hunt me down; all he had to do ait the poison out I found the conversation helpful, especially the fact that it wasn’t coo We’re supposed to rendezvous with the Captain at the lake Oh, and try to keep the noise down You sound like a panicked h the woods," the smarter man chided

"Oh yeah Like you could hear me over your specially trained ‘woodland-ani to two deer huhed and in a wink disappeared into the underbrush, one on each side of the path I strained to hear theone I waited until I couldn’t bear the inactivity The men had decided h the trees, I headed south

As I workedburrowed its way into my mind Somehow I became convinced that thee tohand on the back ofer, I threw all precautions of keeping hidden and quiet aside I dropped to the ground and bolted

When I burst into a s feeling of panic had disappeared My sides stitched with pain Droppingfor breath I cursed myself for such panicky behavior

"Nice outfit," a fay to juht Yet I ripped open my backpack and pulled the knife My heart performed somersaults in my chest I turned in slow circles as I scanned the forest, searching for the voice of death

Chapter Fifteen

Laughter surrounded ood i could easily convince you that it was your heart you want to plunge that knife into instead of reen caht at the waist and identical colored pants, the southern ainst a tree with her ar the southern oons to attack me fro in circles

"Relax," thebut retained a firrip on my weapon "Why should I trust you? Last time we met, you ordered me killed Even supplied that handy little strap" The sudden realization that she hadn’t needed her thugs at all leaped into ician laughed like someone amused by a s worked at the festival was because Valek was there"

She stepped closer I waved the knife in a threatening gesture

"Yelena, relax I projected into your uide you here If I wanted you dead, I would have pushed you from the trees Accidents are less trouble than nored her jibe "Why didn’t I have an ‘accident’ at the festival? Or at another tiy to kill someone; I’d rather use mundane et close to you without Valek nearby, or so I thought" She shook her head in frustration

"Why didn’t you kill Valek with your ic at the festival?" I asked "Then I would have been easy prey"