Book Seven: Chapter 69

“Why, are you some kind of bad luck charm?” Mike asked. He stopped moving when he felt Ingrid tense up in his arms. “Did I hurt your ankle again?”

“No. I just...drop it.”

He shrugged. “Yeah, no problem.”

They continued onward in silence for nearly thirty minutes when Ratu stopped and tilted her head down the direction they had just come. “Does anybody else hear that?”

“Hear what?” Quetzalli, who had wandered ahead, turned around. The other members of the Order stopped as well.

“I don’t hear anything,” said Francois. “It is likely just your--”

“Shut the fuck up or I’ll set you on fire.” Ratu dropped the bag and raised her hand to summon a ball of flames.

“This is outrageous.” Francois reached for his sword, but Leilani grabbed his arm.

“Listen!” Her eyes were wide as she looked down the trail in the same direction Ratu was. Mike didn’t hear anything other than the breeze for several seconds before it finally reached him. It was the stea