The Year of the Tiger (Book 3 of The Almair Series) (Completed)

Chapter 37

Brody met me at the door when I walked out. He looked worried, and I knew that it was because I had left without him. "What happened?" he asked, following me to the woods. "Why did you leave?"

"Bethany," I replied, making my way to the forest. "She has been kidnapped."

"Wait; what? How?" Brody asked. He looked shocked that Bethany was kidnapped because he knew that I had told Shardul to take them away from Marcus.

"Shardul didn't listen," I replied. I glanced around wondering if there were those "magical" Dark Forces nearby and if so, then I did not want them to listen in to what I was saying. "I will tell you later."

Brody huffed and nodded his head. He kept pace with me, making sure that he was by my side. "Where are we going?" he asked as I picked up my pace as soon as we had entered the woods.

"I want to go back to the spot where you had found me," I replied. "There is something that happened to me, and I want to know if it could help me."

"What are you trying to find?" he asked.

"Don't know," I replied. I paused and licked my lips, an image of the male putting his finger to his lips, flickering into my mind. "I have this... weird feeling that something might lead us to any answer if we go there."

"What if you are wrong?" Brody asked. "What if it is a trap?"

I shrugged. "Then I kick some Dark Forces butt and go home," I replied. "But, I really do think we might find something there."

Brody didn't look rather impressed when I said that. He looked rather doubtful, and I couldn't help but agree with him. If what I had seen hadn't happened, then I would be as doubtful as he was. "If you say so, but if there is nothing there, then I will be the first one to say 'I told you so.'"

***

I stood in the spot where Ryan had found me and looked this way and that. The wind blew my hair away from my face, caressing and cooling my sweaty skin as the hot summer sun bore down on it. My whole body was super aware of this charge in the air, and I had no idea how to describe it to my brother.

"Try again," Brody said, and I looked at him. He was sitting down with his ears twitching and his nose going as he tried to pick up any sounds or scents that indicated we were not alone. The wind blew through his fur, and it stood before it rested against his body again. "Describe what you are feeling."

I bit back an impatient sigh and rubbed the bridge of my nose, annoyed with him. "I can't," I said, letting the frustration fill my voice. "If I did, then I would not be just standing here." I looked this way and that before moving a hand through my hair and grimacing. I let out a frustrated groan, feeling exhausted.

"Please?" Brody asked, and I glared. He gave me a sheepish grin and wagged his tail. "Just try."

I huffed and closed my eyes, trying to describe this feeling that I had. "It's like... getting shocked," I said, opening my eyes. "There is this change in pressure that makes my body seem super aware of whatever is happening."

"Why can you feel it, and I can't?" Brody asked, and I shrugged.

"Don't know," I replied. "I guess it is because I am the superior twin." I flashed him a smirk, and he scowled.

"Not cool, Martha," he said. "I'm the one with more animal instincts than you are because I am literally an animal."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. I let out another frustrated sigh and moved a hand over my face. "This is hopeless," I said. "Can you not sense anyone here?"

"Nope," Brody asked. "Which is rather strange. There aren't even any animals near here."

I stopped rubbing my face and looked at him weirdly. "There isn't?" I asked, and he shook his head, no. "Like no bugs crawling in the dirt or birds chirping?"

"You're part animal, too," Brody said, giving me an annoyed look. "Close your eyes and feel for yourself. There is nothing out here except for us."

I scowled but nodded my head. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before letting it out and relaxing. My senses started to become more acute while I felt my body relaxing. My head was tilted to the side as I paid attention to my surroundings.

"Well?" Brody asked, and I shushed him. "Rude," he muttered but laid down.

My heartbeat slowed as I took steady breaths in and out. I ignored the sound of my brother's breathing and mine as well as the sound of our heartbeats to hear nothing else. There weren't any heartbeats or the sounds of something breathing that happened in the forest.

It was quiet, too quiet, and I didn't like it.

"Let's get out of here," I said, opening my eyes. "I don't like this one bit."

"Same."

And with that, we started to walk away from the area until I tripped over something and felt as if I was falling into something.

Not a sound escaped my lips as I fell, not knowing how to brace myself for whatever lay underneath me.

After a few minutes, I fell to the ground with a soft thud and blacked out as my head hit something hard.

And at that moment, there was nothing but silence and nothing but darkness.