Page 35 of A Shadow of Betrayal

“Of freaking course,” I grumble, turning and grabbing the soaking wet shoe, glaring at it and wondering if it's worth putting back on. It's not like it's doing much to protect my foot, but I really don't want to walk the rest of the way through this snow barefoot.

I look back up and feel my mouth drop open in shock when the tree in front of me is now completely gone. “No,” I whisper, spinning in circles, squinting through the blizzard as I search for the tree.

How did I get turned around so fast? It was just in front of me.

“Fuck!” I shout at the snow, tossing the tiny shoe as hard as I can as my fear slowly melts back into anger. I growl under my breath, my heart racing as I look down and spot the boulder that I had stepped around about ten minutes ago. I frown and then look at the ground, finding that my small trail of footprints left in the snow goes in a perfect circle

“I've been walking in circles?” I mutter, feeling more confused than ever.

No. I know I haven't been. There is no way. I glare at the rock again and then back in front of me where the tree should be, but isn't.

Someone is messing with me. Somehow… some way, there is another person here. They talked to me the first time I was here, and I can feel them watching me now. So I guess it's time to see if they want to come out and explain why they want me to be lost in a damn blizzard.

“I know you're there!” I shout into the wind, my blonde hair whipping around my face as I look for any signs of life. “Either come out here and talk to me or put the damn tree back!” I pause and wait for an answer, spinning on the heel of my foot, looking all around for someone approaching.

“Come on, this isn't funny!” I shout, and after a tense moment, a soft chuckle drifts over the wind. “I freaking knew it! Why are you doing this? Why am I here?” Something moves directly behind me, making me gasp and spin, but I only find more snow. I curse while throwing my hands in the air. My feet and hands are now so numb that they feel warm, and I think my eyelashes are starting to freeze together.

“Fine, you jackass. I’ll just—” I cut my speech off when I twist to my left, and the tree I had been looking for sits directly in front of me, only about ten feet away. “Jesus Christ!” I shout, startling back and falling on my ass in the deep snow. My eyes widen as I watch the snow under the tree slowly melt away in front of my eyes, and I'm not sure if I want to cry tears of joy or fear.

“Oooookay. Uh, magic trees are now something I can add to my list,” I whisper out loud, looking like a bug stuck on its back, and I manage to start crawling back to my feet. Another deep chuckle echoes through the storm, and I roll my eyes, no longer having the energy to figure out where it's coming from.

I eye the tree skeptically, and if I wasn't so damn cold, I probably wouldn’t have thought twice about running toward a haunted tree, but I’m starting to worry about frostbite, so I practically throw myself under its branches and shiver at the obvious temperature difference. It's not exactly warm under the protective branches of the pine tree, but it's no longer the blistering cold it was.

I curl up against the tree's large trunk, wrapping my arms around my knees, while I yank off the other wet slipper and wrap my bright red feet in the wet cloth of my dress in a desperate attempt to try to keep myself warm.

“Umm, thank you,” I whisper to the tree and immediately feel like a fool.

Am I really talking to a tree? Have I truly become that crazy to think that a tree will respond? Sighing, I let my eyes fall shut and work on my breathing, knowing I need to calm down and relax if I want to escape this dream. Something warm trails down my arm, and my lids feel heavy. A familiar scent of winter air and citrus fills my senses, and the whispered words “You're welcome, Mi Sol,” echo in my mind. Then nothing.

EIGHTEEN

Meyer

“Absolutely not,” Theo says, shaking his head as he lifts the large black saddle over his head and gently places it on the weird blanket he put on the black horse first.

Snow is falling from the cloud-covered sky in fat, lazy flakes, landing on Theo and me as we wait for Jordan to grab their horses from the large bank barn next to us. Theo had thought it best to bring me out here after our morning workout and teach me how to mount a horse, something I’m not looking forward to. But when I voiced my opinions on the matter, Jordan shut me down, saying it is his job to get me Hunter ready, and this is one of the most basic things all Hunters learn before they turn five years old. Meaning I’m severely behind.

The moment I woke up, Jordan had been there, throwing my workout gear in my face as Billy hollered at us to hurry up so we weren’t late. The Drako’s line managed to get three more points than us on the scoreboard yesterday, and everyone in the room has been freaking out about it.

Billy wanted to impress Lennox, who hadn't even been in the training room this morning, but Creed had. I had tried to talk to him and had walked over to him twice, but each time he had seen me coming, he turned in the opposite direction, and Monroe cut me off, asking what I needed.

Eventually, my excitement about seeing him again turned into frustration, then hurt, before I settled on anger. I had risked my life to save Creed's infuriating ass, dammit! And he can’t bother to talk to me for even a moment!? Sighing, I bite the inside of my cheek as I shove the hurt and anger I now feel toward the man down. I should have known this would have been his reaction to seeing me again; he is Lennox’s brother, after all.

It seems like being a massive asshole runs in the family.

“But…” I start to say, but close my mouth when Theo turns his angry brown eyes on me.

“No, Meyer. I won't help you leave. You're asking me to play a hand in your death. Lennox may be an ass sometimes, but he was not exaggerating that part. If you leave, they will hunt you down. I won't let that happen,” he hisses between clenched teeth, looking around the large courtyard to ensure our privacy.

There is no need to be worried, though. All the Rangers are inside, all nice and warm, enjoying some of our limited free time while we are out here freezing our asses off. I move my eyes over the courtyard and up to the tall walls that surround the Castle. They are made of the same gray stone the Castle was built from and have to be at least thirty or more feet high.

When I first saw them, I was impressed, but then I remembered what those soulless-eyed Demons could do, and I asked Theo if we were safe here. He had only scoffed and looked at me like I was joking before telling me that Hunters were safe nowhere. Demons found us, were drawn to us, and nothing could keep them out. Needless to say, it didn't help me feel any safer here than I felt in Idaho.

“I need to get back to Milo! He’s going to die without me there,” I add in a desperate attempt to gain some sympathy. I had told him and Jordan about Milo last night and that I was worried. It was all part of my plan to gain some help in getting off of this god-forsaken mountain. What I didn’t tell them is that I’m pretty sure Dan had already gone over to the house, found me gone, and probably took Milo with him. Yes, I’m beyond worried about my cat, but I don't actually think his life is in danger.

Theo sighs, his angry features softening a little as he reaches down to feel around for the cinch under the horse, who snorts at him and paws at the ground. I eye the horse for a moment, still not liking the idea of having to ride it, and I think it can tell. It keeps side-eyeing me and snorting when I get too close.

“And I’m sorry about that Angry Girl,” he whispers, saying my nickname instead of my real one and giving me a burst of hope. “But…” he continues, and all that hope dies when he looks at me. “I’m not willing to risk your life for Milo’s. It’s not happening, and if you keep asking, I will make sure Jordan sleeps with one eye open.”

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