Hunted (Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

on a message to her. You will be reunited. But if you act
foolishly, you’ll be killed, and you’ll never see her again. You have to trust
me.”
    “You’ve brought me this far,” Bastian said. “I will do as
you say.”
    Elinor gasped in relief. “Look ahead. Do you see that copse
of trees there? It’s guarding the entrance to the cave. We’ll be able to slip
in on the other side. Come on!” She grabbed his hand, propelling him forward.
    Together they ran to the cave, eager to sit down and rest.
Bastian hadn’t asked, but he hoped she’d thought to bring some food. Perhaps
there was some hiding in that cloak of hers.
    The dark mouth of the cave opened wide, just as she’d said,
on the other side of the trees. They stumbled inside, smiles on both of their
faces. Bastian rested his hand on a large rock near the mouth of the cave. He
sat down, his back against it.
    “What?” Elinor said, staring into the cave in horror.
“There is a family here.” She took a few steps back, her hand covering her
mouth. Her eyes were large, her face pale.
    Bastian’s stomach turned. What had she seen? Whatever it
was, it couldn’t be worse than the giant beasts he’d fought in the forest
outside of Hutton’s Bridge. “What do you see?” He squinted into the darkness,
not seeing anything of interest other than a bunch of boulders.
    “The cave.” Elinor pointed, her hand shaking. “It’s filled
with eggs.”

Chapter Seven
    Bastian dropped his fists and laughed. “You’re scared of a
bunch of eggs?” He sauntered back into the cave and sat down on one. Hard
ridges poked through his pants, but he gritted his teeth and pretended to be
comfortable. All day Elinor had told him what to do. He wanted to show her he
could make decisions too.
    “Bastian, don’t.” She took a step backward, then another.
    He rapped on one of the eggs. “See, it’s fine. Nothing to
be afraid of. We can sleep in here just like you suggested.”
    “It’s not the eggs I’m afraid of.” She retreated a bit
farther away from the mouth of the cave.
    “Elinor, my friends killed Stacia. She’s not coming here
for eggs. And they haven’t hatched. They’re harmless.” He took a glance around
the cave at the blue eggs. Though they were all of equal size, each of them was
a little different. Slight variations of blue, but each eggshell had unique
veined patterns.
    Elinor finally stood still. “No, someone will. Stacia
wouldn't have kept her eggs out in the forest. It’s too dangerous. Too easily
discovered.” She shook her head, her eyes wide. “Someone, or something, brought
them. We’re not safe here.”
    Bastian was about to respond with more reassurances, when a
scrabbling at the back of the cave gave him pause. Cautiously, he stood up and
turned around.
    “Hello?” he
called out.
    “Bastian,” Elinor hissed. “Get out of there now! The mother
will come back for these eggs! We don’t want to be here when that happens.”
    He ignored her pleas. He reached to his hip, but his sword
wasn’t there. He cursed in his head. He hadn’t even thought to ask Elinor about
his steel before they snuck out of the town. Now he stood defenseless against
whatever was in the back of the cave.
    Bastian walked backward, closing the distance between him
and Elinor while giving the mystery noise in front of him a wide berth. He
should have listened to her in the first place. His attitude would get him in
trouble again.
    Her fingers brushed his and Elinor yanked him back. She
peeked around his side and together they peered into the dank cave, stinking of
mold and stifling air.
    “It’s too late to run,” he told her. He refused to turn his
back on a potential enemy.
    She punched him. “I know that. If you would have listened
to me earlier we’d already be gone. If you are gravely injured, I can’t heal
you again. Not for another moon. I can bandage you and give you the proper
medicines and salves, but I cannot bring you back from the brink of