Redemption (Night Marchers #2) Written by: Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels Read Free Page A

find
him that is. Kai has told us that he was a mighty warrior as a
human, but now, as a Night Marcher, he will be even more powerful.
We need a plan of attack. We would be of no help to Adam if we
ended up like Paul or worse yet, dead."
    I don't correct him and tell him that Kao is
not a Night Marcher anymore. Or that Kai switched places with him,
becoming a Night Marcher himself. Instead I nod, understanding that
what the Menehune says is wise and makes sense. Even though I don't
totally agree, I think time is of the essence and we must go after
Adam now, wherever he might be. After all we don't even know if it
is Kao that we are dealing with. Paul might mean that the person
who has Adam is a human like Kai, as opposed to a Menehune. Who
knows, with how distraught Paul seems. I hear him moan loudly and
instead of arguing with the Menehunes I allow them to carry their
injured friend home while I remain helplessly and silently
behind.
    I watch them hobble across the beach and into
the forest. It only takes me a few minutes to make my decision. If
they can't go after him now, then why can’t I? I know it's
reckless, but I don't care. I need to do something!
    It doesn’t take long for me to pack a small
backpack with basic essentials: a flashlight, a bottle of water, a
few snacks, and a pocketknife. I quietly move through my room
changing out of my pajamas and into jeans and a t-shirt. I press my
ear to the door to verify that my dad isn't awake to hear my exit.
Putting my backpack over my shoulder I take a deep breath and step
over the threshold of my patio door into the pitch-black night.
    Following the footpath down the short trail
to the beach I stop just short of the sand. What am I doing? I
don’t even have the slightest clue where Adam is, but I have an
idea of where to look, Kai’s tree house. Adam helped him build it
and maybe if he got away from his captor somehow, he might be
hiding out there. I might, or might not be right but I can’t simply
sit here and watch on the sidelines. If the least I can do for Kai
is help his best friend Adam, then I have to try. The tree house is
where Kai took me on that fateful night when I first looked into
the eyes of the Night Marcher. I'm not certain as to where the tree
house is located though. The only recollection that I remember is
the dense forest and how close it is to the beach. I also remember
Kai pointing to the woods beyond this beach when he told me he
lived nearby the first time we met. I take a deep breath of salty
ocean air and steady myself to do the impossible.
    Looking ahead at the murky tree line, I pull
the straps of my backpack up and set off down the long stretch of
beach. It's eerily quiet tonight and I try to keep myself from
getting freaked out as I near the tree line. I don’t get too far
when all of a sudden two hands wrap securely around my mouth! I let
out a muzzled scream while my heart starts racing painfully in my
chest. As I ready myself to fight back I hear a familiar voice
whisper in my ear. “Shh, Emma, it’s just me. Calm down. It’s me,
Tristan.” He slowly releases his hands from my mouth and I turn to
stare at him wide-eyed. Reaching my hands up I touch his face. It
is very dark out here and for my sake I need to make sure it really
is Tristan. I’ve made that mistake before and I don’t plan on
making it again, especially under these circumstances.
    Tristan brings his hand up to his face and
places it over mine. “Emma, what are you doing out here?” He
whispers furiously to me.
    I quickly withdraw my hand and gawk at him. I
know he can’t see me very well in the dark, but a look of utter
shock splays across my face. “What am I doing out here? I think the
question is what are you doing out here?” I place my hands
firmly on my hips. I don’t know why I am reacting this way to his
presence, but to me it feels like he’s been spying on me, and that is an invasion of my privacy. Ever since I got back
after those three days