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Authors: Jaleigh Johnson
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insisted.
“We’re not going anywhere,” Piper said firmly. “Look, I’ll talk to him, get him to go away until you’ve calmed down.”
She returned to the door, shooting a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure Anna wasn’t going to try to run off. That was all she needed, to end up chasing the girl all over the scrap town. Why was she so panicked? Piper had thought she’d be relieved to see the man, that maybe it would jog her memory seeing someone she knew. She’d never expected the raw fear that shone in Anna’s eyes.
Cautiously, Piper opened the door a few inches, wide enough to see the man fidgeting on the threshold. Whenhe saw her, his lips pursed anxiously. “May I see her now?”
“I think you’re going to have to come back later,” Piper said. “She says she doesn’t want to see you right now and—”
Her voice trailed off as an expression of shock spread across the man’s face. “She’s awake?” he cried. “You spoke to her?”
Before Piper could reply, the man was moving; he threw his hip against the door and shoved it open, pushing Piper off balance. Piper tried to push back, but he was bigger than she was, and he’d caught her by surprise. She didn’t even have time to go for her knife.
Once he was inside the door, the man’s gaze fell on Anna. His face went paler, if that was possible, and his shocked expression melted into wonderment. “Anna. My beautiful child, you’re alive. You’re
looking
at me! Those lovely eyes, they see me.”
Piper saw tears well up in his eyes. Was Anna his daughter? she wondered. They didn’t exactly look alike. The man’s transformation from shocked to affectionate was so sudden and complete, but the way he looked at Anna—the possessiveness in his expression—sent a chill up Piper’s back. He gazed at Anna rapturously, as if she were some sort of precious object. It felt wrong, very wrong.
Glassy-eyed, the man took a tentative step toward Anna. Anna reacted immediately, pressing herselfagainst the opposite wall. Her head whipped wildly from side to side, and her body tensed, prepared to flee.
“Don’t be afraid, my Anna,” the man said soothingly. “You’re safe. I’m here to take you home.”
At the mention of “home,” Anna began to tremble violently. She slid to the floor, locked her arms around her knees, and curled into a protective ball.
Piper couldn’t stand to see her so terrified. Even when her own father had yelled at her for doing something stupid—which was fairly often—she’d never been anywhere near as afraid of him as Anna was of this man. No way was he her father.
Before he could move any closer to Anna, Piper darted between the two of them. Being so close to the man reemphasized how much bigger than her he was.
Smart, Piper, really smart
, she told herself.
This is the kind of crazy you save for special occasions
.
“She doesn’t want to go with you,” Piper said, fighting to keep her voice steady. “I think you should leave. The Trade Consortium’s already going to be after you for dragging a caravan out to the fields during a meteor storm. When they find out you’ve broken into my house, it’ll just make things worse.”
“The Consortium?” the man said. “You think the Consortium will protect you?”
Piper thought her threat might make a dent, make him come to his senses, but instead, he smiled at her like a parent listening to a boastful child. That smile shookPiper more than seeing Anna’s terrified reaction to the man. The smile emphasized his eyes—and even through the tears, the depths of the man’s eyes were cold, just like a predator’s.
Anna was right. The wolf was in the house, and they were the prey.
Taking a deep breath, Piper stepped forward. It was a monumental effort to move
toward
the threat. Her feet felt weighted down, but she had to try to get back in control of the situation somehow. “This is my house,” she said. “I won’t let you barge in here and
“We’re not going anywhere,” Piper said firmly. “Look, I’ll talk to him, get him to go away until you’ve calmed down.”
She returned to the door, shooting a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure Anna wasn’t going to try to run off. That was all she needed, to end up chasing the girl all over the scrap town. Why was she so panicked? Piper had thought she’d be relieved to see the man, that maybe it would jog her memory seeing someone she knew. She’d never expected the raw fear that shone in Anna’s eyes.
Cautiously, Piper opened the door a few inches, wide enough to see the man fidgeting on the threshold. Whenhe saw her, his lips pursed anxiously. “May I see her now?”
“I think you’re going to have to come back later,” Piper said. “She says she doesn’t want to see you right now and—”
Her voice trailed off as an expression of shock spread across the man’s face. “She’s awake?” he cried. “You spoke to her?”
Before Piper could reply, the man was moving; he threw his hip against the door and shoved it open, pushing Piper off balance. Piper tried to push back, but he was bigger than she was, and he’d caught her by surprise. She didn’t even have time to go for her knife.
Once he was inside the door, the man’s gaze fell on Anna. His face went paler, if that was possible, and his shocked expression melted into wonderment. “Anna. My beautiful child, you’re alive. You’re
looking
at me! Those lovely eyes, they see me.”
Piper saw tears well up in his eyes. Was Anna his daughter? she wondered. They didn’t exactly look alike. The man’s transformation from shocked to affectionate was so sudden and complete, but the way he looked at Anna—the possessiveness in his expression—sent a chill up Piper’s back. He gazed at Anna rapturously, as if she were some sort of precious object. It felt wrong, very wrong.
Glassy-eyed, the man took a tentative step toward Anna. Anna reacted immediately, pressing herselfagainst the opposite wall. Her head whipped wildly from side to side, and her body tensed, prepared to flee.
“Don’t be afraid, my Anna,” the man said soothingly. “You’re safe. I’m here to take you home.”
At the mention of “home,” Anna began to tremble violently. She slid to the floor, locked her arms around her knees, and curled into a protective ball.
Piper couldn’t stand to see her so terrified. Even when her own father had yelled at her for doing something stupid—which was fairly often—she’d never been anywhere near as afraid of him as Anna was of this man. No way was he her father.
Before he could move any closer to Anna, Piper darted between the two of them. Being so close to the man reemphasized how much bigger than her he was.
Smart, Piper, really smart
, she told herself.
This is the kind of crazy you save for special occasions
.
“She doesn’t want to go with you,” Piper said, fighting to keep her voice steady. “I think you should leave. The Trade Consortium’s already going to be after you for dragging a caravan out to the fields during a meteor storm. When they find out you’ve broken into my house, it’ll just make things worse.”
“The Consortium?” the man said. “You think the Consortium will protect you?”
Piper thought her threat might make a dent, make him come to his senses, but instead, he smiled at her like a parent listening to a boastful child. That smile shookPiper more than seeing Anna’s terrified reaction to the man. The smile emphasized his eyes—and even through the tears, the depths of the man’s eyes were cold, just like a predator’s.
Anna was right. The wolf was in the house, and they were the prey.
Taking a deep breath, Piper stepped forward. It was a monumental effort to move
toward
the threat. Her feet felt weighted down, but she had to try to get back in control of the situation somehow. “This is my house,” she said. “I won’t let you barge in here and
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