Eventually, we entered a cave. Gratefully, I slid off of Amon’s back. My legs were wobbly and aching, and I fell down.
“There is a blanket and a place for you to sit in that corner,” he said, pointing.
I managed to pull myself off the floor and walk over to the blanket. It was pretty ratty looking, and I wasn’t sure that it would be much better than sitting on the cold, damp floor of the cave.
Frank, the bear shifter I had scalded, changed back into human form. Amon told him to stay away from me. I noted with satisfaction that he had blisters covering his face. I knew they were going to be extremely painful. I almost wanted to help him and thought there were likely some plants in the marsh that could be made into a poultice to help reduce infection and pain, but I figured that would only make him angrier. He was the dangerous one because he wasn’t thinking. He just wanted to hurt me.
Amon turned into human form. He brought me a bottle of water and some peanut butter crackers.
“Thank you,” I said.
I was pretty hungry, so I ate the crackers quickly. Amon was watching me carefully.
“What? You interrupted my dinner. I was hungry. Although this is not the spaghetti dinner I had a hankering for.”
Amon rolled his eyes. “You should be grateful that I gave you anything.”
“I should be grateful that you broke into my house, ruined my dinner and my evening, then kidnapped me? If I was going to be grateful for that, you should be providing me with a steak dinner, complete with a baked potato with chives and butter, homestyle green beans, and a roll with that yummy honey butter. A huge pitcher of sweet iced tea would be wonderful to go with it. Instead, I have crackers and water. I feel more like an inmate onOrange Is the New Black.”
“You have a smart mouth, you know that?”
“Thank you,” I spit.
He growled at me and walked toward the back of the cave.
I noticed that the bear who had whispered in my ear was slinking out the door. I hoped he was a good guy and was going for help.
No one seemed to notice that he was missing, and I sure wasn’t going to tell them. Instead, I put the hood up on my jacket, leaned my head against the cave wall, and closed my eyes. I really was exhausted and longed to go to sleep.
I called out for Gage. I said his name over and over again, picturing the cave, hoping he could see it through me and have an idea of where to find me. In my heart, I knew Gage would find me. I knew he could read my thoughts, and he would be led here.
I heard Amon’s footsteps as he approached me, but I kept my eyes closed, refusing to acknowledge his presence.
Suddenly, he grabbed my face, squeezing hard. I slapped his hand away. “Don’t touch me,” I said.
“Feisty, aren’t you? Good, you’re going to need it.”
I only looked at him. I had nothing to say.
“Don’t worry, sister. Gage will find us. You will lead him here. When he comes, I will destroy him. Then, I will take my place as the rightful leader of the clan.” He paused for a moment and looked at me searchingly. “How does it feel to be Gage’s weakness and the instrument of his downfall?”
I smiled as brightly as I possibly could. “I am his strength, just as he is my strength.”
Amon growled at me and walked away. I hoped that I sounded a lot more confident than I felt. I certainly didn’t want Amon to know how terrified I truly was.
I closed my eyes again and tried to relax. It would do me no good to be upset and emotional. I had to be rock steady if I was going to help Gage get us out of this little predicament. I comforted myself with the knowledge that at least it wasn’t Jason causing the problem this time, although Jason was a much easier problem to vanquish.
Although I tried to pretend I was oblivious, I could tell that Amon was tense and was getting impatient. He would sit down toward the back for a while, then get up and pace.
“You have to give him a little time,” I said. “He has to get home from his meeting and notice I’m gone. Then, he has to figure out where we are. It’s not like you left him a note.”
Amon roared with rage. He walked over to me and got right in my face. “I will destroy Gage. Then, I will use you until you are nothing more than a worn-out, broken doll. When I am done with you, I will throw you away with the rest of the garbage.”
I pretended to think about what he said. “Hm. It sounds like an interesting fantasy. It’s good to have dreams. You should hold onto yours because that’s all you will ever have. That’s really too bad. I sense that you could have had a bright future if you had only chosen another path.”
That must have sent Amon over the edge and flipped a switch inside him. Instantly, he transformed himself into a bear and charged at me. I tried hard not to flinch. I didn’t want to give him any satisfaction.
He licked the side of my face.