Page 24 of Freed

That’s right, they killed me. I glance up and down the now-empty hallway, wondering how long I’ve been out. Quickly pulling off my shirt, I use it to wipe up the back of my head and shoulders so I don’t leave a trail of blood behind me as I quietly jog toward the lab.

I find it empty, except for one important thing. Three’s beautiful red coat. She must have forgotten it in here. I grab it before hustling back toward the stairs. There’s only one other thing I need from here before I leave.

As I approach the door on my left, right before the stairs, I find it unlocked and curse, kicking it open as I storm inside. The hidden door in the corner is wide open. I look inside the hidden room, but it’s empty. He’s gone.

“Fuck!”

I follow his scent out of the room and up the stairs, pleased there’s no one here, but pissed that I can tell my prisoner fled the facility. I slam the outside door open, charging out as I follow his scent through a rip in the fence and into the trees. The scent grows stronger, and I know I’m gaining on him.

How fast can he run in magical cuffs? Especially since I always leave him half-starved and weak.

I glimpse his brown hair up ahead and put on a burst of speed. I close the distance, tackling him to the ground when I get close enough.

I roll off him, smiling as I grab the front of his shirt and pull him to his feet. “Just where do you think you’re going, mage?”

“Let me go!” he yells as he tries to pull away.

“Oh no, I’m not done with you yet,” I tell him as I drag him back toward the facility.

“What more could you possibly need me for?”

I don’t answer because I’m not sure what my plan is yet.

Did Three’s bond with one of them let them track her here? Luckily, the invisibility spell on my car kept those wolves from tracking her while she was in it. But that must have stopped working when we exited.

To get her back, I might need a spell like he gave me to control those rogues in Westgrove. I’ll definitely need more potion to block my scent if I want any chance of getting close to her.

“I need more of that scent blocker,” I tell the mage as I approach where my invisible car is hidden.

“I told you, I’m too weak. I can’t cast any more spells or make any more potions for you until my magic replenishes.”

I lay my hand on the trunk of the car, moving it until I find the handle and pulling it open, revealing the empty trunk. I gesture inside as I tell him, “Well, you better figure out a way to do it. Cause if I find you’re no longer useful, I’ll just kill you.”

“What’s your plan here?” he asks in annoyance as he climbs into the trunk, clearly knowing with those magical cuffs binding his magic, that he won’t be able to escape me right now.

“If I wanted your opinion, mage, I would have asked for it,” I tell him as I shove him inside.

Just as I’m about to close the trunk, he turns his angry eyes on me as he snarls, “I’ve told you a hundred times, my name isn’t mage. It’s Edwin.”

Chapter 10

Hunter

Ihold Cherry close, her head pressed to my chest, right under my chin, as we stare into the forest. Alaric closed the door, giving us a little privacy, but as promised, the four of them stand guard around our vehicle.

We’ll have to figure out a way to properly thank them for their help. They really made taking down this place so much easier. It could have gone really badly.

It did go badly. For a minute there, I was sure we’d lost Gage. No matter how much I tried to stop the bleeding, nothing I did helped. I was positive I was watching my brother die.

And then a miracle happened.

My little miracle.

I kiss the top of her head, holding her tighter, realizing what she did today. If she hadn’t cried over his body, he would likely be dead, and we’d probably never have figured out that she’s a phoenix shifter. The gene was obviously latent in her mother and grandmother. But since they had such a secretive life, I have to think they knew the truth. They could have saved Cherry so much trouble if they had told her.

Of course, she was only fourteen when they died. Maybe they planned to tell her when they thought she was old enough to understand.

“Hunter?”