Sylvie’s forehead creased with deep lines You ruined a perfectly good trap and possibly my last chance to help Crag Haven She glanced behind her and let out an exasperated groan And now my horse has wandered off She resheathed her knife and narrowed her eyes at them Trust me if I had caught a unicorn I wouldn’t turn him over to you She looked them up and down You’re nothing but a couple of foolish children She turned to walk away Say something Tuck whispered to Sam Sam opened her mouth to speak but only managed a frog like croak She cleared her throat and tried again Wait she said her voice barely above a whisper Sylvie kept walking so Sam tried again louder I know who you are Sylvie paused 2
You’re Sylvie Mardock Sylvie turned around eyes blazing Yes Everyone here knows that Sam had imagined this meeting so many times but she’d never pictured it happening like this she and Sylvie meeting as enemies in a strange world A world where Sylvie was a unicorn hunter of all things who had stolen Barloc and planned to rob him of his horn and his immortality Sam pressed her toes deep into her shoes But I know because I heard it from my father Mitch Mardock Sylvie’s face contorted in a mixture of anger and grief Who told you to say that she demanded her voice cracking Who sent you No one sent me Sam said I’m Samantha Sea Wells No Sylvie whispered No That’s not 3
possible She shook her head as her eyes searched Sam’s face That f licker of recognition Sam had looked for earlier quickly erupted in a blaze of awed disbelief Yes it is It’s me Sam said And Barloc is also from Unicorn Island He’s our friend and I won’t let you hurt him I haven’t hurt him Sylvie said distractedly still looking at Sam Then tell us where you took him Tuck said Sylvie started at the sound of his voice like she’d forgotten he was there She looked at him And who are you I’m Tucker Thompson Sylvie squinted Thompson she repeated Another flicker of recognition The veterinarian’s son From Foggy Harbor Sylvie’s eyes found Sam again a wrinkle settling between her eyebrows 4
How did you get here No one has come through the portal since I did It’s been closed for ten years We found a way to open it Tuck boasted In the unicorn protector handbook Sam added And where did you find that book Sylvie asked her face tightening
