Read Online Forest Whispers by Kaitlyn O'Connor - Free Book Online Page B

she
could’ve convinced herself it was her skill that had saved her, but
she knew better.
    She’d allowed herself to be distracted and
it had almost cost her her life.
    “ He will have left Ata Prime,” Corin
said after a moment, his voice sounding deep and husky.
    Lana shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. I imagine
he headed for his ship when he managed to elude us, but the first
thing I did when I arrived was find his ship and disable it. Unless
another ship has arrived since I did and he was able to either
stowaway or steal it, he’s still here. And, if he’s still here, I’m
thinking he’s tired of having me on his tail. He’s going to be
trying to figure out a way to set a trap to get me out of his way
permanently.”
    Corin was silent for so long that she
glanced at him questioningly. “The rangers would send another.”
    “ Yes, but by the time they did, his
trail would be cold. It could take a long time for another ranger
to present any sort of problem for him.”
    Corin moved to the end of her bed and began
discarding his armor. She watched him curiously for several moments
and finally dismissed it. He didn’t need it at the moment and she
doubted it was very comfortable.
    “ I’ve been giving this a lot of
thought. I feel that Sadin is still in the area, that he hasn’t
gone far. I’m as sure as I’ve ever been about anything that he only
went far enough to gain the time he needed to set a trap … which
means we can only spring his trap, not set one of our own
up.
    “ I think we’re going to have to split
up.”
    Corin turned to look at her in surprise.
After a moment, he dropped the last of his armor on the floor and
sprawled out on her bed on his side, propping his head in his hand.
“You said it would be safer if we stayed together.”
    “ Safer, yes, but we won’t get the
chance to spring his trap and come out of this alive if we do. It’s
me he wants. You’re not a ranger and he knows all he has to do is
leave Ata Prime and you won’t be a problem for him. With me, it’s
different.”
    “ Will he not be
suspicious?”
    “ Probably, but if we don’t give him a
choice I think he’ll go for it anyway. Not that I intend to really
split up. I only want to make it appear that we have. Your ability
to communicate with the forest could be helpful. Is it strong
enough that you could track me at a distance of say a quarter of a
mile?”
    Naturally enough, Corin wasn’t familiar with
the measurement. After a short discussion, they settled on a
distance they were both comfortable with. They worked out several
simple signals and counter signals that they could use to identify
themselves to one another, verbal and hand signals in case they
were unable to use one or the other for any reason. “It’s important
that we agree that we’ll use the signal and counter signal
immediately. That way, if Sadin tries to mimic either one of us, he
won’t be able to get close enough to attack before we realize it’s
him.
    “ I’ll take the trail and check each
cabin I come to. That way I’ll always be in plain sight. The only
thing that worries me is that he managed to morph and elude you
before in the forest.”
    “ It will not happen again.”
    “ We could be betting our lives on it,”
Lana cautioned him.
    Corin shook his head. “His scent does not
change, whatever form he takes. The forest knows him now as the
strange one.”
    She studied him a moment and finally nodded.
“Good then. We’re set. We’ll rendezvous at the nearest cabin at
dusk each evening if we’ve had no luck with Sadin. I don’t mind
camping on the ground if I have to, but I’d rather have shelter if
it’s available. Agreed?”
    “ Agreed.” He tugged on her arm until
she yielded and lay back against the bed, staring up at him. “And
when we have captured this killer, you will return to your own
people.”
    It wasn’t a question. She couldn’t tell how
he felt about it, however, whether he would be sorry to see her