Everwild (The Healer Series, #1) by Kayla Jo Page B

stopping his
tangent. Being labeled as food items was highly upsetting to her
and she looked around paranoid.
    “Word of warning, Healer,” Duffy said. “Be
careful. You’re like a natural attractant to everything, and
everything in the Everwild is not what you want to meet.”
    A shiver cascaded down Willow’s spine. She
shrunk back towards Declan, a strong, silent presence at her side.
She looked around at the shadowy trees. What if something was
watching her now? What if something was coming for her? Would they
kill her? “What do they want me for?” she choked out.
    “To heal them,” Duffy shrugged, “or for
some…a sweet snack,” he giggled and flew forward several feet,
muttering something about brainless witches and warlocks.
    “Declan,” Willow shivered again and closed
her eyes briefly. Her voice came out shaky and insecure. “I’m
scared.”
    Declan adjusted the backpack and nonchalantly
stepped closer to her. “I know,” he said. A soft hand came and
closed around hers and squeezed. His hand was warm and smooth and
held hers with an unfamiliar, but soothing comfort. Willow didn’t
pull away or scold him this time. She needed reassurance, even if
it was from Declan. They were in this together. He seemed to know
this when he looked down at her. “I’ll do everything I can to keep
you safe,” he said softly. Gazing into his dreamy hazel eyes, in
the quiet of the woods, with the promise of danger close, and
following a creature that could possibly lead them astray, Willow
believed him.

Chapter 6
School for Ghouls

    It was evening in the Everwild. The black
turned even blacker as the night droned on. The Everwild never
stayed lighted for long. Duffy was barely visible in front of
Willow, and she was beginning to think he was wearing them out on
purpose. It had been over a day since she had any sleep, and her
eyelids burned with exhaustion. She was incoherent from lack of
sleep and walked like a zombie. Her feet were so tender that
everything she stepped on felt like jagged knives cutting deep into
her skin.
    “We have to stop,” Willow said finally. “I
can barely move.”
    “Well that’s not good,” Duffy said parting
the small hedge in front of him. They came to an area so thick with
leaves and bushes that it was impossible to see past it. The tall
hedge stretched for miles in front of them.
    “No, it’s not good at all. My feet hurt so
bad they may fall off! Is it possible to die of exhaustion?” Willow
complained.
    “It’s possible,” Declan said gruffly beside
her. He was probably doing worse than she was, although he’d never
admit it. She kept checking on him from time to time and noticed
there was a large blood stain on his shirt. It was the same side he
was gripping earlier. The blood looked fresh, and Willow was
itching to heal him. He wouldn’t let her though. Stupid, stubborn
warlock.
    “Not that I don’t care about your bodily
functions,” Duffy said looking back at them, “but I would think
you’d be more concerned about the group of ghouls down by the
riverbank than your current ailments.”
    “What?” Willow hissed stepping closer to
Duffy. Declan stepped closer to her and gripped the hilt of his
sword. She parted the foliage in front of her and her eyes
instantly fixated on a small bonfire dancing in the darkness
several yards away. At least twenty ghouls were milling about the
fire swaying idly back and forth. Willow could only stare
dumbfounded at the monsters before her. They were all creepy gray
skinned, were varying heights, but they all had the same features.
Barely there strands of black hair sat atop their balding
corpse-like heads. Their skin was wrinkled and they wore loin
cloths around their bottom half. The rest of their bodies were
naked, having defined muscles with protruding blue veins.
    The ghouls’ heads were much larger than any
human, and their all black eyes were sunk in the back of their
head, making their cheekbones stick out profoundly.