Sweet Peril (The Sweet Trilogy #2)(83)

Yes, I answered in sign. He is.

I tried not to grin as she turned back to watch them. So Kope had finally proven himself to her. Something I imagined no man had done before.

She shivered, but it seemed slight in comparison to the tremors she’d been having before. When she saw me looking at her, she said, “I cannot recall the last time I went so long without a drink.”

“How do you feel?” I asked.

“Strange, but better. I still crave, but for the first time I feel I might be able to stop. I wish to stop and never go back, but . . .”

“But it’s hard,” I whispered. She nodded and ran her fingers through her limp hair.

“I think I would like to bathe,” Zania said, further raising my hopes for her well-being.

She came out later looking revived with rosy cheeks and a glowing hue to her bronzed skin.

“You look good,” I told her. She smiled.

Together we climbed off the boat and walked along the dock, stopping halfway and lying on the wooden planks, soaking in the sun and breeze.

“I owe your beau an apology,” she said after some time.

“What?” I rolled to my side and rested my head in my palm. “My beau?”

“The son of Pharzuph,” she said. Her eyes were closed. “I knew he belonged to you when he showed me your picture on his telephone. He kept looking at it. And then I blackened his eye as we traveled through Damascus when he would not stop for alcohol.”

“You did?” A giggle came out.

She opened her eyes. “I must apologize.”

“Don’t worry, Z. He doesn’t hold it against you.”

“I like when you call me Z.”

“That’s how my mother and I always refer to you. I can’t wait for you to meet her someday.”

I smiled at her, but her own smile twitched and fell. Her eyes squinted, trained on the horizon. I shielded my eyes with a hand and looked out, too. A gray, hazy speck flapped its way toward us like an ugly bruise against the sky. We both gasped as the demon whisperer came into view.

No.

There was nowhere to hide. It would have seen us both by now. Zania began trembling next to me. My breathing went as shallow as hers.

“Guys,” I said, trying not to move my mouth as it came closer. “A spirit is here. A whisperer.”

The feel of the hilt nestled against my ankle gave me a bit of false confidence. Using Zania to shield me, I discreetly pulled the hilt out, tucking it in the back of my shorts where it wouldn’t be seen.

I stood with my back to the spirit and signed to Z, I will handle it, then turned and walked to the end of the dock by the boat, having no idea what I would say or do. As the whisperer flew closer the tension filtered from my body. I let out a huge sigh.

“It’s Azael.”

I only had a second to be relieved before I saw the ferocious look of Azael’s features and my fear revived. He flew at me so fast that I flinched when he halted an inch from my face, his whisper screaming in my mind.

“Hide yourselves! Now! They are twelve miles out and nearing quickly. By my estimate you have forty minutes. Go!” And with those words of warning ringing in my ears, he sped away.

My heart spluttered and for a horrid second I couldn’t make a sound. Then I sucked in a giant breath and shrieked.

“They’re coming to the island!”

Where would we go? Could we hide? By the time the boys made it back, it might be too dangerous to go out to sea. What if the Dukes heard our boat and decided to see who was so close to the island?

Zania’s footsteps shook the dock as she ran to my side. I could hear the fast splashing of paddles in the water. The kayaks were in sight now. I shot my hearing out to them, but they were silent aside from the smacking of water. Probably afraid to talk. I knew the Dukes weren’t close enough to hear us, but it was still terrifying to speak.

“They’re twelve miles out,” I said to the air. “We have forty minutes. Hurry!”

Zania grabbed my hand. All three guys were paddling at max speed, but it still felt slow. After what seemed like forever, they hit the shore and sprinted up the dock with the small kayaks under their arms, returning them. We all huddled together, using our hands to talk silently, fumbling through phrases and not able to pay attention to everyone’s signing at once. Blake waved a frantic hand to get our attention. His signing was painfully slow.

Not enough gas in boat to go out to sea and still get back. Don’t know which way to go because I don’t know which port they’re coming from.

Can we hide in the trees? Kopano asked. That was a good idea. There had to be miles of forest.

What about the . . . Zania shook out her hands, frustrated, and then spelled out, b-o-a-t?

We’ll hide it on the far side of the island, Blake signed. Hope they don’t go back there.

Can we stay on the boat? I asked.

Blake shook his head. Better to hide. In case they find it.

Kaidan stuck out his hand to be heard next. Won’t work. My father will smell Anna.

Everyone looked at me and I closed my eyes. The breeze was constant, and Pharzuph’s nose was far-reaching. If he got one whiff of my very distinct scent . . .

I opened my eyes and we all stared around at one another like animals caught in a trap. Then Blake’s eyes widened.

Water, he signed, then pointed to the ocean. If she’s in water, he can’t scent her.