Page 5 of Shadow's End

“ThatI do find comforting.” He picked up his chocolate and took a sip. “So, describe this clearing. Maybe I know it.”

I did so, and he wrinkled his nose. “It sounds like a pretty generic forest clearing of which we have hundreds, and that isn’t going to make finding him any easier.”

“I know.” I finished my piece of toast and then took a drink. “And Maelle is of the opinion my psychometry will never find him because he will read too much like her.”

“Which may not matter if she’s beside you and you’re able to feel a secondary if fainter pulse.”

“True, but—” I stopped as my phone rang, then put down my cup and ran for the bedroom. The screen said it was Maelle, so I hit the answer button. “Maelle, thank you?—”

“I haven’t the time to linger on the phone,” she cut in, her normally melodious tone brusque. “Be at my nightclub in half an hour if you wish to speak.”

And with that, she hung up. I blinked and stared at the phone’s screen for a second. Maelle was very many things but rarely brusque to the point of rudeness. Something must have happened. Somethingotherthan Roger.

I swore, threw the phone down onto the bed, and started pulling on clothes. The night remained hot, so I dressed in little more than shorts and a tank top, but I did add socks and thick boots, just to prepare for any snakes that might be slithering about.

Aiden came in and quickly pulled on jeans and boots, but didn’t bother with a shirt. He grabbed my backpack—which was filled with all sorts of witch paraphernalia, including my silverblade—from the doorless walk-in wardrobe and slung it over his shoulder.

“I poured your hot chocolate into a travel mug so you can take it with you.”

“You’re a good man, Aiden O’Connor.”

He smiled. “I’ve heard horror stories of husbands not catering to their pregnant partner’s cravings, so I’m getting ahead of the curve.”

I laughed, pulled him close, and kissed him. “As long as you keep a steady cache of chocolate on hand, I think you’ll be fine.”

“I will remind you of this statement when you’re craving pickles at three in the morning.”

I snorted but didn’t deny the possibility. While I hated pickles, he didn’t, so maybe our daughter would follow in his footsteps and start demanding the horrid things even before she popped into the world.

I headed out of the bedroom, detouring to grab the travel mug and my remaining bit of toast, then followed him out into the night. The stars were bright in the sky thanks to the moon being little more than a sliver, the air rich with the scent of eucalyptus. The latter was a bit of a worry—while we were very early into summer and the hottest months remained ahead of us, the bush was already starting to dry off, and both the trees and their oils were highly flammable.

It wouldn’t take much to cause a disaster.

And yet, disaster is coming …I frowned at the insight, but as per usual with these things, nothing in the way of explanatory information followed it.

I walked through the pretty garden and its white picket fence—something Aiden had built because I once said I’d wanted the whole white picket fence and family ideal—and followed him into the silent heart of the reservation. It was here—in the remains of an old volcanic crater—where you could find all themain residences of the various family alphas within the pack. The grand hall, which was where the pack met, debated, and made decisions over all things affecting their compound, was also here. It was lovely old building that was, in a complete juxtaposition with the longhouses surrounding it, circular in design with an angular earthen roof that pitched up to the stone chimney dominating the center of the structure.

A flicker of movement through the trees had my heart leaping, but it was only one of the wolf guards Aiden had placed around this central area slipping through the trees to check on us.

Aiden gave him a nod, then caught my hand and led me quickly into the canyon. While it narrowed the farther down the mountain you moved, this initial section was filled with more, albeit smaller, longhouses that even on an almost moonless night glimmered like jewels thanks to the quartz stone used in their construction. Few lights were on in any of the places either here or farther down, though I had no doubt many were aware of our passing. Wolves tended to sleep lightly.

Once we were out of the canyon, we followed the winding track through to the lower forest area. Another guard stepped out from one of the well-hidden tree platforms, gave Aiden a nod, and then moved back into the thick greenery.

I clicked open my SUV—which still bore a multitude of bullet holes thanks to the fact we simply hadn’t had the time to get it repaired after the granny killer had shot the hell out of it and tried to do the same to us. Aiden opened the door, threw my pack onto the passenger side of the car, then helped me climb in.

“Ring me once you’ve finished with Maelle. Don’t go chasing after Roger without any of us there.”

“Stupid, I am not.”

Careless of your own safety, you can be, came Belle’s sleepy comment, her words almost perfectly echoing Aiden’s.

What the fuck are you doing awake at this hour of the morning?I asked, then said aloud, “I promise I’ll not go anywhere from Maelle’s without calling in the troops—which, my dear ranger, might not include you.”

“As long as it at least includes Monty and Belle, I’m satisfied.”

“She’s already online bitching about me waking her so early.”

I did not bitch. She paused.Well, not yet anyway.

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