Page 90 of A Rebel's Shot

Toad listed off some directions that involved a creek, an old dredge, and some peak Merritt didn’t know. Tiikâan nodded like it made perfect sense.

“Okay. Magnus and Bjørn are close. Mom’s radioing them right now.”

“Magnus? Why isn’t he on a fire?” Tiikâan rubbed his head in confusion.

“Dude, you’re the second sibling to go missing this summer. It’s all hands on deck.” Astryde sounded exasperated and ready to whack her brother upside the head.

Merritt liked Astryde already.

“Astryde, listen.” Tiikâan grabbed Merritt’s hand. “Merritt’s uncle Nolan killed her dad.”

“He did what?” Astryde’s voice turned laser focused.

“And he tried to kill us, too.”

As Tiikâan told Astryde about what happened, Merritt’s heart ached at her uncle’s betrayal all over again. How could her own flesh and blood do something so heinous?

“I knew something was off with him,” Astryde said after Tiikâan went quiet.

“Downright dirty, if you ask me.” Toad scoffed and shook his head from his recliner.

“He’s having a press release in Barrow in a few hours.” The menace in Astryde’s voice sent a shiver down Merritt’s back.

“Think Bjørn could pick us up and get us there in time?” Tiikâan lifted a questioning eyebrow at Merritt, even though the question was for Astryde.

A heady flush of warmth rushed through Merritt at the thought of confronting Nolan. The smile that she flashed at Tiikâan probably looked on the edge of wild.

The laughter that barked out of her definitely was. “I always loved a good family reunion.”

THIRTY-THREE

Wind whipped against Tiikâan’s face as Bjørn’s helicopter landed. Magnus leaned out the open door, pumping his fist in the air as a huge grin spread across his face.

“That’s your brother?” Merritt’s wide eyes and open mouth put a scowl on Tiikâan’s face.

He rolled his eyes at Magnus. “Brothers, actually. Why?”

“Are all your family that… exuberant?” She swallowed, and he wondered why she was nervous.

“Only when one of us almost dies.” He shrugged and smiled. “Since that’s like every other week… yeah.”

“Oh, dear.” She stepped into him and threaded her fingers through his. “This will take getting used to.”

He laughed, bringing their joined hands up and kissing the back of her fingers. “Don’t worry. I’ll guide you through it.”

Magnus jumped from the helicopter when it was agood eight feet off the ground and landed, running to them.

Merritt flinched and gasped. “Wow.”

“Show-off,” Tiikâan muttered.

Didn’t matter.

The relief that his family was here and Merritt was safe overrode his brother’s showboating.

He dashed to meet Magnus halfway. Stumbling backward as they collided in a bear hug, Tiikâan banded his arms around Magnus’ back and ignored the way his ribs burned.

“Don’t you ever do that again, man.” Magnus’ gruff voice and trembling arms blurred Tiikâan’s vision.

---