Page 39 of Stubborn as a Shadow

“It’s risky,” Gage said. Of course it was risky. Risky shit was what our team did. “If something goes wrong…”

He kept talking, outlining all the potential problems I’d already considered, as I peered through a narrow gap in the curtains to the parking lot. I wasn’t looking for anything specific, but keeping an eye on my surroundings made me feel better, like I was doingsomething. I didn’t see anyone lurking in the shadows—and as a shadow jumper, I knew all about shadows—but I did see snow. A lot of it.

“Shit,” I muttered.

“Talk to me.”

“It’s snowed a lot since I arrived. We need to get out of here before it gets worse.”

Gage mumbled something to someone on his end. I waited. A moment later, he said, “There’s talk about road closures. You might make it before they put up the blockades if you leave now, but you might not.”

“Shit.” I rubbed my head. This situation was getting more complicated by the minute. A spike of fear stabbed through my chest. I needed to get Morgan out of here. There wasn’t another option.

“Follow the plan,” Gage said.

“Yes. The plan,” I agreed.

Gage’s reminder about my plan had me letting out a slow breath. I had a plan. Ialwayshad a plan. I didn’t know why I was so jittery this weekend. It wasn’t like me. At all.

I didn’t like this feeling.

So, I went over the plan again in my head. Gage and I had gone over everything a dozen times, just like when he was my team lead. He knew about my backup plan… and the backup to my backup plan… and the extra backup plan too. He knew where I’d go to shelter if I couldn’t stay on the road, which was good. That meant we didn’t have to talk about any of that over the line. I thought the magical protection on my phone would hold up to any attempt to hack it, but you could never be completely sure.

“We talked about all of this. Just follow your plan,” he said again. He wasn’t usually so gentle with us, but it was like he knew how dark my thoughts were getting.

But his words worked to settle my unease, because Ididhave this covered. The first plan was simple. We’d hit the road. If the road was closed, we’d shelter at one of the three places I’d already chosen. From there, we’d wait for the roads to open. Then we’d leave for Willow Lake at four in the morning the next day.

Easy.

I really hoped the easy plan worked.

And if anything went wrong, Gage and my team had my back.

“Right,” I agreed as I scanned the shadows outside again. “Just like we talked about.”

“Have you let Carter know about the change in plans?”

“Not yet. I wanted to run everything by you first.”

“I’ll call him. He’ll be waiting for you outside the hotel in twenty or less. Finish as quickly as you can and get out of there. We can double back for your bike in a couple of days. If you can’t get the tracker on the hunters within that time, don’t worry about it. Morgan’s safety is more important.”

I didn’t like leaving my bike here, but Gage’s plan made sense. “Will do.”

“And be careful.”

Yeah. I didn’t need that reminder. The image of the oracle’s painting was seared into my brain. I knew what was at stake. Getting Morgan in the limo so there were two of us to protect him would go a long way to settling my nerves. Getting him to Willow Lake would be even better.

Morgan’s call ended about the same time mine did. He didn’t appear happy.

“What’s wrong?”

“Violet hadn’t noticed I was late to check in.” He frowned. “Gary was distracting her.”

I trusted Morgan’s instincts about Gary. I should have asked Gage to look into him. The timing of his visit to Violet was suspicious. But right now, everything seemed suspicious.

“What did you tell her?”

“Just that I had a lead on the crystal and was leaving to follow up on it.”