Page 29 of Love Me Dangerous

The wire is old and stiff with rust and likely to spring at us if we’re not careful. “Take out the lower one first.”

“I know.” She lines up her cutters near the metal post behind us.

Twang. The lower wire releases, slapping my shins. Frightened, the owl tries to pump her wings but I keep her steady and locked in place so the barb doesn’t dig any deeper. Even if we get her free of the wire, this much stress isn’t good for her and can even hinder her chances of survival.

Sofie steps behind me, her focus on lining up her next cut, but the feel of her so near, her panting breaths in synch with my racing pulse, makes this already risky endeavor feel supercharged. Heat prickles down my spine and pools low in my core.

“Right there,” I say to Sofie, nodding at a space between two barbs where her cutters will be more effective. “As soon as you cut through, I need you on the other side of her.”

Sofiegives a whimper, but I don’t think she’s aware of it.

“It’s okay,” I say to encourage her. “We got this.”

“Right.” She squeezes the cutters, her face scrunching into a grimace.

Twang.

The owl, sensing the change in the tension she’s desperate to escape, tries to flap her giant wings, but she’s not free yet.

“Quick!” I bark. She’s impossibly light in my hands yet incredibly strong. Her talons curl into my gloves like razors.

Sofie jumps to the other side of me. With one hand to steady the wire, she lines up her cutters on the other side of the wing.

Twang.

Now the bird is free of the fencing, but there’s a section of loose wire attached and flapping around in her struggle to be rid of me.

I kneel and use my thigh to help gather her talons in my right hand so I can secure her wings against her body by tucking them at my left side. She screeches and tries to yank her feet from my grip, but once I have her bundled, she quiets.

Sofie kneels in front of me, her face tense.

“Can you see where it’s hung up?” I ask, trying to be gentle with my hold yet firm so the owl feels safe enough. “It’s okay to touch her.”

Sofie’s worried gaze flicks to meet mine. “You sure? I don’t want to make it worse.”

“Run your fingertips along her wing edge.”

Sofie rips off one of her gloves and refocuses on the task. “Here!” In one motion, the wire comes loose and falls into the grass.

“Is she cut? Is it deep?” I ask.

“How would I know?” Sofie parts several layers of feathers, her mouth scrunched in concentration. “I don’t see anything.”

“Stand back.” I rise and release my hold on the owl’s wings. Immediately, she spreads them, revealing her snowy white plumage edged with soft brown. I would admire it if I wasn’t so worried about death by wing flap.

“What do we do?” Sofie asks.

“Take off her hood.” I watch the owl carefully. Her wings look balanced. No obvious weakness. No blood. Nothing misshapen the waya fracture would present. And she’s tugging against my hands with impressive force.

“Let’s get in the open,” I add, carefully stepping over the cut fence and walking further so that when we release the owl, she’ll fly in the opposite direction.

Extending my arms to keep her beak from my face, I nod at Sofie, who reaches from behind the owl, her face pinched with worry.

Slowly, Sofie pulls up the makeshift hood. The moment the owl is uncovered, I loosen my grip on her feet.

She lifts off in a blur of beating wings, her plumage a perfect match with the dry hillsides. My heart thuds hard against my ribs as I watch the owl melt into the landscape.

“Think she’s going to be okay?”

---