The Fallen Star (Fallen Star Series, Book 1)

I made it a little ways into the forest before the entire severity of my situation hit me. I was running through the forest, being chased by Death Walkers and Stephan. Great thinking, Gemma. Way to set yourself up for a cold death. Didn’t your dreams teach you anything?

  Yep, I was a real genius.

  Debating whether to head back and get the heck out of the trees, I slowed to a jog. What were my options here? I mean, I could either head back to the cabin and face whatever was waiting for me there, or I could keep going farther into the trees, probably end up lost, and eventually get captured if this played out anything like my nightmares, which I was beginning to think might be a big possibility.

  In the midst of my indecisiveness, I heard a twig snap from behind me. I reeled around and did a quick skim of my surroundings. I could barely see a thing. The only light I had to go by was the faint light trickling down from the moon.

  My heart hammered in my chest as I slid the knife out of my back pocket and held it out in front of me like I was some kind of Sword Fighting Master or something, which, of course, I so wasn’t. Another snapping twig, and then I saw it—my imminent doom. My grip tightened on the handle of the knife, my life flashing before my eyes as Stephan and a handful of Death Walkers ascended from the trees. Ice crackled over the snow, moving straight for my feet. The temperature descended. My body glazed cold, and I was hit with a spine chilling sense of déjà vu.

  My breathing was heavy. My hand trembled. And, I swear, everything moved in slow motion as Stephan trampled up to me, and I swung the blade at him. He flicked it out of my hands effortlessly, and it fell to the icy ground with a clank. Then he bent down, scooped it up, and tucked it into the pocket of his jacket.

  “Hello, Gemma.” He grinned a spine chilling grin. “Going somewhere?”

  Chapter 36