Misplaced (118 page)

“Surely
you
noticed
the
thorough
examination
of
Bea’s
car.
I
t
seem
s
unwis
e
t
o
continu
e
usin
g
i
t
now
.
P
erhap
s
w
e
coul
d
manage
to
borrow
another
v
ehicle.
Are
you
willing
to
invol
v
e
an
y
one
else?”
Khara
w
a
t
ched
her
face
closel
y
.
“I
didn’t
t
hink
so.
There
is
also
the
risk
of
being
seen.
What
if
w
e
are
stopped?
Ha
v
e
yo
u
forgotte
n
tha
t
yo
u
w
er
e
name
d
a
s
a
perso
n
o
f
interest
i
n
a
n
artifact
s
smugglin
g
in
v
estigation
?
Ca
n
yo
u
no
t
se
e
that
this is the only
w
ay?”

V
ictoria
w
as silent.

“I
’
l
l
ge
t
th
e
horses,
”
Khar
a
said
,
an
d
mo
v
e
d
t
o
th
e
stalls.
Almos tossed his head, and she felt his happiness to see her.
V
ictoria’
s
frustratio
n
quickl
y
foun
d
anothe
r
target.
“Kingsford Charcoal, I almost stepped on you!”

Hi
s
ear
s
flattene
d
t
o
th
e
side
s
o
f
hi
s
hea
d
a
s
h
e
ra
n
t
o
Khara,
paws
sliding
on
dirt
and
loose
hay.
“Do
not
let
him
find
you!”
h
e
yo
w
led
.
Spin
y
hackle
s
o
f
fu
r
ros
e
alon
g
hi
s
bac
k
an
d
he
bare
d
hi
s
teeth
.
“I’
v
e
ne
v
e
r
see
n
hi
m
before
,
bu
t
h
e
thre
w
a
rock
at Emma,” he hissed.

Outside
,
gra
v
e
l
crunched
.
Slo
w
an
d
sporadi
c
step
s
alon
g
the
side of the barn suggested an effort
at concealment.

“I
’
l
l
d
o
wha
t
I
can,
”
Kingsfor
d
tol
d
her
,
an
d
the
n
turne
d
and
ran
from
the
barn.
T
he
s
teps
out
s
i
d
e
s
toppe
d
.
A
m
o
m
ent
later
a
ner
v
e-shattering
scream
pierced
the
night
and
a
scuffle
ensued.
Then it
w
as quiet again.

A
shar
p
bluis
h
ligh
t
sho
t
throug
h
th
e
window
.
Khara
w
atche
d
i
t
snak
e
to
w
ar
d
V
ictoria
,
onl
y
t
o
fin
d
a
flurr
y
of
powder
y
dus
t
risin
g
wher
e
he
r
frien
d
ha
d
stood
.
Khar
a
hid
ami
d
th
e
loosel
y
stacke
d
bale
s
o
f
hay
,
he
r
ear
s
strainin
g
in
th
e
silence
.
V
ictori
a
w
a
s
nowher
e
t
o
b
e
seen
.
I
t
w
a
s
the
n
tha
t
th
e
b
ar
n
door
s
fle
w
ope
n
an
d
a
wide
r
b
ea
m
o
f
ligh
t
entered,
follo
w
e
d
b
y
footsteps
.
Khara’
s
hear
t
pounded
;
sh
e
hel
d
her
breath
.
A
figur
e
o
f
a
man
,
cloake
d
i
n
shadows
,
approached,
a
sickenin
g
sens
e
o
f
failur
e
w
ashin
g
o
v
e
r
he
r
wit
h
eac
h
step.
She
would
ne
v
er
again
see
the
ochre
sands
of
Egypt.
Khara
felt
alon
g
th
e
w
al
l
fo
r
th
e
plac
e
wher
e
Oli
v
e
r
kep
t
hi
s
spur
s
and
took
one
in
her
hand,
exposing
the
ro
w
el.
Crude,
but
if
placed
against the skin of a throat, effecti
v
e.

Thunde
r
fille
d
th
e
barn
,
an
d
e
v
e
n
thoug
h
he
r
sense
s
told
he
r
i
t
w
a
s
onl
y
Almo
s
pushin
g
agains
t
hi
s
stall
,
sh
e
jumped
.
He
kicked
and
neighed,
inciting
Lucy
and
the
others,
transforming
the space into a maelstrom of hot breath and stomping hoo
v
es.

“Filth
y
beasts,
”
a
voic
e
spat
.
Afte
r
on
e
las
t
s
w
ee
p
o
f
the
barn, the light slo
w
ly withdrew.

It
took
all
her
strength
to
w
ait
in
that
dark
place.
The
part
of
he
r
tha
t
Nando
r
ha
d
forge
d
kne
w
th
e
darknes
s
w
a
s
he
r
ally
.
Do
not
be
impatient
,
she
told
herself
while
summoning
a
thousand
images of Oli
v
er.