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Artie's magic stung like a thousand wasps on my skin. I acknowledged it and pushed through it.
Eli had explained to me that I had to do this. I had to take Artie away, no matter what the cost to any of us.
There was also something else.
Artie was probably my only link to find Lou, and he was the last of my family. Everything that I had left was wrapped up in one angry sixteen-year-old that was throwing every bit of magic at me that he had, but I did not slow down.
I had no idea where I was going, or if I was even going in the right direction. The forest confused me and I had no doubt that Artie had a hand in that. Eventually, I came to a stop. It was beyond hearing the gunshots, even for me. When I did, Artie squirmed out of my arms and fell to the ground. He could run, but he knew I was faster.
From his spot on the ground, he glared up at me. "I hate you."
I nodded. If he thought that would hurt my feelings, he didn't know what it was like growing up with Marcus.
"We can go back there. Me and you. We can take all of those guards out, kill Bianca, and bring everyone home. Why can't we just do that?" Artie said.
"Eli told you. If you're killed, it's all over. As much as I love my family and my town, I'm not sure I could have that on my conscience," I said quietly. I turned around, but could not get my bearings. It felt like the earth was tilting on unfamiliar ground and I got a nauseating feeling that reminded me of the night I was bitten.
"That's because you've never had a real family. And any family you have had, you left. Where is Lou, Dante?" Artie demanded.
I shook my head. I didn't know where Lou was any more than anyone else. I swallowed hard. It seemed like the forest was spinning around me.
"That's right. He left you. He has all this magic bottled up inside of him, he could take all of them out, and not even break a sweat. And he left us."
I didn't want to let that seed of doubt into my head. I shook my head. "He was scared. He doesn't have control."
"He had enough control to kill one guard and not injure anyone else. What does that say about him? It says he's a coward. And you," Artie said. He stood up but I ignored him, trying to figure out which way was north. "You left your own brother. Your own blood. He's human, no magic at all, and you left him there with just his gun to defend himself and never looked back. No wonder you're okay leaving everyone else there. You're nothing but a selfish coward."
I turned around, trying to ignore what he was accusing me of, but my hands shook. When Artie told me what his magic felt like, I could feel a mirror of it in my own strength now. It was like something dark welling up deep inside me, threatening to take over. I could feel it in every part of my body and although Celia had told me that I need to keep a leash on it, at least until my first shift, I wasn't sure if I could now.
I turned around once more and Artie was gone.
His pack, my pack, it was all gone.
And I was alone, in the forest, with no way out.