From the shadows, her sister emerged. She’d lost so much weight. Her hair, once the exact glossy honey brown as Maren’s, was dirty and matted to her head. Her clothes, the army green jacket and black pants, were the same as what she’d worn the last time Maren had seen her in front of the Barren Valley Clinic. They hung on her slim frame and slightly rounded belly.
Every cell in Maren’s body rebelled at the sight of her twin in such a state. And worry chomped through her over the pregnancy given all that Opal had been through while in hiding. Was the baby okay?
Her instinct was to rush to her sister, but caution had her moving slowly in case she startled Opal into running. Opal’s gaze went to Haven, and she backed up a step, fear pinching her face. Halting to reel Haven to her side, she put the dog in a down position and dropped the lead. “Stay.”
Confident Haven would obey, Maren proceeded forward until she was standing right in front of her sister.
“You came,” Opal said, her voice barely audible.
“Of course, I came. I will always come for you,” Maren said, emphasizing her words. “All you ever have to do, Opal, is call me.”
Big tears welled in Opal’s eyes. “I wasn’t sure. I mean, I’m such a disappointment.”
Groaning as her heart folded in on itself, Maren gathered her sister into her arms. “You are not a disappointment. I am so sorry I wasn’t a better sister. I was too caught up in my own grief and anger to notice how you were spiraling. By the time I had the wherewithal to pay attention—you were gone.”
Opal’s arms came around Maren, squeezing tight. “You’re here now.”
Feeling the baby bump, Maren pulled back. “Are you and the baby well?”
Opal put a hand on her tummy. “I think so. I ran out of my vitamins, though.”
“We’ll get you more and seen by a reputable doctor,” Maren assured her. From now on, Maren would protect both Opal and the baby.
A deep growl came from Haven.
Maren twisted to look behind her. The dog was still in the down position, but her ears were pricked upward, and her teeth were bared in a snarl. But the dog wasn’t looking at Maren and Opal. She was focused away from them, toward the trees.
She was alerting to danger.
Heart jackknifing in her chest, Maren said, “Come.” Haven jumped up and ran to her side. To Opal she said, “We have to get to safety.”
They’d taken three steps toward the concealment of the forest when gunfire rang out. Bullets whizzed through the air, slamming into the trees. Maren grabbed Opal and pulled her to the ground, covering her body with hers. Haven barked, furiously. “Down.”
Haven dropped to her belly beside Maren’s prone body.
In her ear, she heard Colt saying, “Maren, what’s happening?”
“Taking gunfire,” she said. To Opal, she said, “We have to make a break for it. We’re sitting ducks out here.”
Crouched, they ran for the safety of the trees as bullets peppered the ground around them, whizzing past their heads. Maren took them in a zigzag line. Why were they missing? Were the shooters trying to push them farther into the forest? Maren and Opal scrambled behind the trunk of a thick tree.
Opal’s face twisted with horror. “Are you working with Shadow?”
Aghast that her sister would even contemplate such a horrible thing, Maren could only stare. “Opal, why would you think that?!”
“Then who are you talking to?”
“My partner,” she told her sister.
In her ear, Colt said, “We’re coming.”
Then Emmett’s voice also sounded in her ear. “On our way.”
“Hurry.” Maren withdrew her weapon and shot toward the trees where the shooter seemed to be located.
Haven gave another loud, warning bark.
Maren turned in time to see Opal running away and disappearing into the thick forest.
