60

Sixty
The butterflies were stuck in the back of our minds, it was like they controlled our minds. I wanted to see more of them, to know where they were taking me.
Then something inside me rang with an urgency that wrenched me away from the influence of the magical creatures. With a supreme effort of will, I dragged my gaze away, shaking my head to clear the cobwebs. This was wrong. Butterflies didn’t glow. And there was something we needed to do, something important…
“Connor!” I called, my voice sounding muffled and far away. “Connor, snap out of it! It’s not real!”
But he was lost to me, stumbling deeper into the swarm with a hypnotized smile on his face. Panic rising in my throat, I lunged forward, grasping for any part of him I could reach. My fingers closed around his wrist and I yanked him back with all my strength.
“Connor! Snap out!” I yelled again, but he didn’t listen. He was still lost.
That was when I realized what I had to do. Connor was still dazed, stumbling along beside me like a sleepwalker. We couldn’t go on like this.
I skidded to a halt, spinning to face him. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “Please forgive me.”
Before he could react, I drew back my hand and punched him across the face, hard. His head snapped to the side, a bright red handprint blooming on his cheek.
“Ow!” he yelped, staggering back. “What the hell, Freya?”
I hit him again, hating myself even as I did it. “Wake up, Connor! This isn’t you!”
His eyes flickered, confusion warring with the magical thrall that gripped him. I raised my hand a third time – and hesitated. What if I was wrong? What if this only drove him further away?
But then his gaze cleared, the fog lifting as he blinked at me in surprise. “Freya?” he said hoarsely. “What… what’s going on?”
We tumbled to the ground in a rough heap, the butterflies scattering with an angry hum. Connor blinked up at me, his eyes glazed and confused.
“Freya…? Wha… what happened?” He asked again, the confusion on his face visible.
I hauled him upright, every nerve in my body jangling with adrenaline. “I don’t know, but we need to get out of here. Now. Before they come back.”
Hand in hand, we fled back the way we’d come, crashing heedlessly through the undergrowth. I didn’t dare look back to see if we were pursued. All I knew was that this forest was far more than it seemed – and if we didn’t find that rabbit soon, we might never find our way out again.
Relief crashed over me in a dizzying wave as we got to a safe distance from the butterflies. I flung my arms around him, hugging him tight. “Thank God,” I breathed. “I thought I’d lost you.”
He hugged me back, still clearly disoriented. “Lost me? But I was right here…”
“No, you weren’t.” I pulled away, meeting his eyes solemnly. “This forest, there’s something wrong with it. Those butterflies, they put some kind of spell on you. On both of us.”
Understanding dawned in his expression, followed by a flicker of fear. “The hunt,” he said urgently. “We have to find that rabbit before the others do.”
I nodded grimly. “And fast. Who knows what other tricks this place has up its sleeve?”
As if in answer, a distant howl echoed through the trees, raising the hairs on the back of my neck. We exchanged a loaded glance.
“Let’s go,” Connor said tersely.
Side by side, we plunged back into the shadows, senses straining for any sign of our elusive quarry. The game was still on – but now more than ever, I knew the stakes couldn’t be higher. Twigs snapped beneath our feet as we picked our way through the underbrush, scanning the forest floor for tracks, scat, any clue that might lead us to the golden rabbit. My heart pounded in my ears, and not just from the frantic pace we set. Somewhere out there, Rafe was hunting too, with Kelly at his side. The thought made my stomach twist with an ugly mix of jealousy and dread.
“Wait!” Connor’s hand shot out, catching my arm. “Do you hear that?”
I froze, holding my breath. At first, all I could hear was the rustle of leaves overhead, the mournful cry of a bird. But then, faintly, I caught it – a soft scuffling, like tiny paws scratching at the ground.
“The rabbit,” I breathed. “It’s close!”
We crept forward, hardly daring to breathe. There, half-hidden beneath a tumble of rocks, I spotted a flash of gold, a hint of twitching whiskers. Slowly, carefully, I reached down and brushed aside the leaves.
The golden rabbit stared back at me, its eyes glinting with uncanny intelligence. For a split second, I wondered if this too was just another of the forest’s illusions. But the solid weight of it in my hands as I scooped it up felt undeniably real.
“We did it,” Connor said, face breaking into a grin. “I can’t believe we actually did it!”
Laughing, I threw my free arm around his neck, hugging him with giddy relief. We spun in a circle, whooping with delight – until a pointed cough brought us up short.
My heart plummeted as I turned to see Rafe step out from behind a tree, Kelly smirking at his side. Rafe’s eyes zeroed in on the rabbit clutched to my chest.
“Well, well,” he drawled. “What have we here?”
I stood frozen, acutely aware of Rafe’s penetrating gaze. My triumph withered under the weight of his disapproval. Kelly, her lips twisted in a sneer, sauntered closer.
“Looks like someone got lucky,” she said, voice dripping with false sweetness. “Or maybe they cheated. Who knows what tricks a desperate girl might resort to?”
Anger flared through me, hot and bright. I opened my mouth to retort, but Connor beat me to it.
“Back off, Kelly,” he snapped. “We won this fair and square. Not that you’d know anything about playing fair. You are just riding on the opportunity of being paired with the Alpha”
Rafe’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Watch your tone, friend,” he growled. “Remember who you’re speaking to.”
The air crackled with tension, the four of us locked in a silent battle of wills. I clutched the rabbit tighter, half-afraid someone might try to snatch it away.
“Give it up, Freya,” Kelly cooed. “You’re out of your league. Why don’t you hand over that rabbit like a good girl?”
I bristled at her condescension. Squaring my shoulders, I met Rafe’s gaze head-on. “The rabbit is ours,” I said firmly. “We found it, we keep it. Those are the rules.”
For a long, charged moment, no one moved. Then, slowly, Rafe inclined his head. “So they are,” he acknowledged. “The hunt is over. You’ve won.”
“What? My king… we were here way before they got here? You told me not to pluck out the rabbit yet…”
“My word is final.” Rafe said in a hard tone that brooded no arguments.
I hardly dared breathe, half-disbelieving. Besides me, I felt Connor sag with relief. Kelly looked fit to spit nails, but she held her tongue.
“Let’s head back,” Rafe ordered abruptly. “The others will be waiting.”
Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode away, Kelly scurrying after him. Connor and I traded incredulous glances.
We’d done it. We’d faced down Rafe and Kelly and emerged victorious. But as we fell into step behind them, the rabbit a comforting weight in my arms, a sliver of unease crept through my satisfaction.
Rafe had looked at me as if he was upset with me. What had I done wrong? Why did it seem like he couldn’t wait to be out of my face fast enough? I needed to talk to him.
****