Page 19 of The Healer and the Wolf: Part Two

I sighed. That had been part of the compromise. Leo was so against putting me in any danger that the only way he, and Ricky, would agree to the plan was if I promised to leave before the fighting started. Part of me had wanted to argue, but another part knew I would be useless and only get in the way. One of the brothers might find me and use me against Leo. It was an unnecessary risk, albeit one my heart and pride most certainly wanted me to take. After all, I’d been the linchpin when we’d dealt with Chadwicke. Ricky wouldn’t have been rescued, and Leo wouldn’t have won his fight if I hadn’t run the asshole over. Granted, that situation was a lot different than this one. The people at that party hadn’t been there to buy magical folks. Those in attendance had also been mostly human. This, though? These were magical beings taking advantage of their own kind. Sure, there were humans in attendance, but it didn’t sound like they were going to be majority.

Chris caught up with me, and we followed the path I’d memorized to the weeping willow. The night was so dark I could barely make out a thing, especially after being inside under the bright lights all day, so I was super grateful for my companion’s slightly better night vision.

But as we crept to safety, a deep, sinking feeling formed in my chest, constricting my lungs. A nagging voice at the back of my head insisted I was doing the wrong thing. I told myself it was only my ego, that it would be best for everyone if I was far away from the danger, but that feeling in my chest, in my gut, wouldn’t dissipate. Something in me knew there were people who needed protection, and it was hell-bent on making sure they remained unhurt.

I ignored it until we reached the tree, and the eagle shifter who had crashed in my yard stepped out from beneath it. Evenwith my limited vision in the dark, I could see she wasn’t a happy camper.

“There you are! I can’t believe they’re exiling us from all of this. We could be useful. I’m the only eagle shifter on our team. Surely that’s gotta count for something.”

I felt for the young woman, I really did. Esperanza was incredibly brave and determined. She’d infiltrated this estate completely on her own without getting caught. The unfortunate run-in she’d had with the enthralled wolf walking the perimeter was what had gotten her in trouble and injured. Thankfully, most of the bespelled shifters weren’t great at communication. They followed orders well, but they didn’t have the wherewithal to inform their masters of an intruder.

“You’re still a kid.” I had to be responsible even though I really, really didn’t want to be. I wasn’t exactly a fan of battle, nor was I really that good of a fighter, yet the call to return to the manor was as irresistible and persistent as a siren song.

Maybe it was because I’d lost Leo not so long ago and was terrified of that happening again. That made sense. Yet no matter how much I tried to dismiss it, it stayed right there, beating alongside my own heartbeat.

“Yeah, I’m young, but I’m not an idiot. I wouldn’t get directly involved, but there’s no reason I couldn’t provide some auxiliary support. After all, some of the shifters they’re selling are probably younger than me.”

Ugh, what an awful but very true point.

“It’s too bad we don’t have any smoke bombs,” Chris said. Our attack team had a whole bunch of the handy gadgets Jason, with his somewhat arsonist tendencies, had made out of household items. I’d added a few herbs to them that would hopefully sedate any non-shifter who breathed in a steady dose of it. The few in our crew who weren’t shifter had gas masks to keep them safe.

Esperanza’s eyes glinted mischievously. “Speak for yourself.”

She grabbed a bag from one of the branches and unzipped it, proudly showing us about two dozen smoke bombs, along with a bunch of bang snaps.

“Where did you get all that?” Since I had helped make them, I knew they had all been carefully stored and accounted for.

Esperanza’s grin turned surprisingly wolfish for an eagle shifter. She’d definitely fit in with the rest of the pack, that was for sure. “I made them. Jason said he didn’t care what I did with the extra supplies. He also said there was no way he could use them all before he ran out of time. As for the bang snaps, well, it’s amazing what you can find on the internet.”

Her drive and ambition impressed me. I didn’t know if I would have been so resourceful if I was her age and in such a position. Hell, I didn’t even know if I was that resourceful now.

“You’re too young to be going into battle,” Chris said with about as much conviction as I had, which was not exactly a lot.

“I won’t beinthe battle; I’ll fly over it. I’ll drop some of these, then get out. Maybe also let a few loose around the exits so our people will have some cover when they get out. You two would be the only ones actually going inside. That is”—I didn’t think it was possible, but her grin grew even toothier—“if you guys are up for it.”

Chris and I exchanged glances. We knew what was, technically, the right thing to do. What we’d promised to do. But it was so, so difficult to ignore the temptation of going to help our friends. Jeez, were we really being swayed by someone who had graduated two weeks earlier?

It seemed so, because when Chris and I looked back at Esperanza, I spoke first.

“You have to swear you will only stay above the battle and won’t touch the ground at all, and that you’ll get away at the first sign of danger pointed toward you.”

“I swear,” she said. “Scout’s honor.”

I tried not to think of how recently the girl would’ve been in the scouts as I grabbed a few smoke bombs from the bag. Leo would be so pissed at me, but it would be worth it if I could ensure we would have a future where hecouldbe unhappy with me. We had an impressive number considering all the allies we’d called—about thirty of us in total—but I didn’t see how three auxiliary helpers would hurt anything. In fact, I was hoping we would be a pretty big boon.

“All right, then,” I said. “Let’s do this.”

6

VANESSA

The sound of glass shattering reverberated through the night mere seconds before chaos broke out. Chris and I sprinted toward the manor while Esperanza shrieked in the air above us. It was a primordial battle cry I wasn’t even sure she knew she was making.

Chris and I burst through the door, and all my worries that someone had heard Esperanza’s cries vanished. The catering team and some of the staff members barreled past us, looking for a place to hide or a way out. Good. That was fine with me. It meant fewer people would get hurt.

Esperanza dived overhead, a smoke bomb in each of her claws, and we raced after her.

“I can’t go into the main area,” I said, gasping for breath. “I don’t have a gas mask.”

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