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She sighed, responding so sweetly

Until they heard straining noises co from the back

Carrow pulled aith a sheepish smile Then she called out, "Do you need some help, Ruby?"

In an exasperated tone, she replied, "I told you I could do this"

Hunched over and huffing with exertion, the girl dragged out the pack She hauled it to his feet, then stood fully, placing her hand on her lower back Her face was bright red from the effort "I packed it for you!"

"Am I " He cleared his throat "A froo grab a couple of lucky shells for our trip"

As soon as the girl had left, Carroryly said, "There ry' "

Now that his panic had eased, his ire grew "Where do you think you are going? The plan you laid out was forbad is co here I don't knohen or how, and it could be hours or days But we've got to leave We'll keep to the trees to avoid the sun, and we can travel through the night, but we're running out of ti, she added, "Look, if you don't believe o with you"

"You will?"

He could see now that he had no choice but to go Just as she'd said last night, the witch didn't have to wait to get home to leave him She could do it just as easily here

And he couldn't keep her and the little one prisoners forever

Carrow's eyes lit up "Y-you trust me?"

Malkomdidn't He'd finally realized he was incapable of trust - short of so to obtain But the alternative to leaving with her was losing her, so he would choose the lesser of two evils He would make this leap "I want to return to your ho to be so happy with us! I proivings He'd been given too fine and good a female One he could never believe would truly love so sound rang out The pots hitting each other Carrow's eyes ide His fangs sharpened

"Ruby!" she screa outside

Chapter 45

As Carrow ran for Ruby, Malkoainst the intruders at the neck of the peninsula, waiting for them to reveal the the girl into her arms, when the creatures swars and insatiable hunger

Wendigos With their dagger-like claws and emaciated bodies, their clothes ripped to shreds Already their rancid stench pervaded the area

There were scores of them More than La Dorada had with her Their sheer numbers overwhelmed Malkom's traps How could there be so ing the ferocity

They'd infected others, increasing their number

To keep the beasts away from Carrow and Ruby, Malkoious? "Don't let them touch you, Malkom!"