Daria's POV

I crept back into the shadow, the moment Lucius turned, and my heart beat so fast that I could feel it aching in my ribs. I hissed a curse to myself. I had gone far, far too far, too fast, and my gut already began betraying me.

I got my back against the coarse bark and attempted to breathe deep enough not to sound as loud as to be noticed. Gradually. Quietly. Should he sniff me, should he quite glimpse me there would be no retraction.

Lucius stood there and jerked his shoulders, and looked about the forest.

I can hear somebody is here, he said, straining his...