Ashling was quiet a long time. I finally opened one eye and peeked at her. Face tight with worry, she was chewing on her bottom lip. Not a good sign.

“Ash?”

She shrugged and switched lanes without signalling. I cringed and closed my eyes again. I didn’t want to start a fight and she was right, I shouldn’t be driving.

“I don’t know, I thought I heard something inside my head, while he was strangling you.”

My eyes popped open, and I sat up. “Pull over.”

She didn’t argue, just pulled to the side of the road. We were near Goldstream, the trees towering over the pathways that wound along the river. The water ran parallel to the highway, though the sound was overpowered by the cars that zipped by us, shaking the Explorer.

“You heard something too?” I asked, my hand going to my throat. She turned to me, eyes wide.

“It sounded like Grandpa . . .”

“ . . .Only younger,” I finished for her. She nodded and I tried to swallow, wincing at the pain.

Ashling spun in her seat, the straps of her bright red bikini showing underneath her tank top. “He said that we needed each other. That no matter what I was to stick close to you. Not to let anyone between us.”

Chills swept through me and I found myself worrying at my bottom lip too. I forced myself to stop. Rubbing my hands on my bare thighs, the jean shorts and t-shirt I was wearing suddenly seemed like not enough clothes.

“What did he say to you?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Again I swallowed and wanted to curse at myself for doing it. “He said that I was to look after you now that he was gone. And something about Quickening my blood.” I waved my hand in the air. “It didn’t really make sense, other than to look after you. But why would that change now? We’ve always looked out for each other.”

Ashling stared out at the forest and the people walking under the tall trees, pointing out sights in the park. “I don’t know, but it feels like something is coming, you know? Like there’s a storm on the horizon and the pressure is pushing down on us.” Her eyes stared off into the distance and I wondered what she was seeing.

I reached over, and put a hand on her arm, my fingertips brushing against the gooseflesh that had risen all over her skin. I knew exactly how she was feeling—totally and completely creeped out.

“Maybe we shouldn’t go to Tofino,” I said.