But I couldn’t, because at that very moment an eerie howl broke through the night, sending chills down my spine as it snapped me to attention.
I sat up and scanned our surroundings. Even though we’d gotten away, we weren’t safe yet. I hadn’t landed us precisely where I wanted. We were still about a half a block from the car.
“Help me up,” I said. “We have to get to the car.”
Phoebe hauled me to my feet and slithered a shoulder under mine. We’d made it almost halfway when the howls grew louder.
I twisted to look behind us, and all the breath flew from my lungs. At least a dozen wolves were sprinting straight for us.
“Faster!” I screamed.
Despite my foot throbbing each time it contacted cement, we picked up the pace and actually reached the car, where I saw something that made my stomach drop to my knees. Someone had put a goddamned boot on it.
“Make another warphole!” Phoebe urged.
I closed my eyes, but the terrifying howls made it difficult to focus, and when I tried to create a portal, my magic didn’t respond.
“Hurry!” Phoebe urged.
“I—I can’t! Let’s use the pin—argh!”
Someone grabbed my arm roughly and pulled.
“Come with me!” Leslie screamed, and using strength that she certainly didn’t look like she possessed, she took half my weight and yanked me to a Jeep in front of our rental. “Get in!”
We did as she said, and Leslie hurled herself into the driver’s seat and started the engine. Then she stepped on the gas, and we hauled ass to the main drag and then out of town, leaving a pack of wolves howling and snarling in our wake.
Chapter Eighteen
“Holy crap, you had one crazy mission!” Eva squealed so loudly that an elderly patron of Potions and Pastries Café shot her a disapproving look. She lowered her voice. “I feel so bad for that girl—Leslie?”
I nodded. “I know, right? How much would it suck for members of your own pack to be siphoning off your magic all your life?” I shook my head, unable to believe what the girl had told Phoebe and me as we booked it out of Crescent Springs and back to Denver.
“But it worked out. Phoebe and I got the demon stone, which I guess gave the pack leaders immense power that no one was brave enough to challenge. Leslie escaped that hell hole and gets to start her life over. And the government apprehended Rita and the other pack leaders.”
Eva grinned at me. “Damn, girl. You guys did good!”
I couldn’t help but smile back. “We did, didn’t we? And I have to admit, it felt amazing to do something on our own.”
Eva sighed. “I can’t wait for my mission.”
“I candefinitelywait for the next one.” I gestured down at my wrapped foot.
After Phoebe, Leslie, and I arrived back at Spellcasters, I’d stayed under quarantine in the infirmary for two nights. The head healer had released me only a couple hours before. After I was free, I’d met up with Alex for a few minutes before his tutoring session. Once he was gone Eva insisted that we venture to Wandstown for some girl time.
“I bet. What kind of special potion did they give you to heal?”
I huffed out a breath. “They didn’t. After they were assured that I wasn’t infected with a shifter disease, the healers decided that the wound should close naturally. They said it would be best for my body to do the work so my immune system will be in top form for the Spy Games.”
“Oh my God, girl, you are on the move! I can’t believe that’s in a week!” Eva took a sip of her Earl Grey tea.
“You and me both.” A wave of exhaustion rolled over me, and I changed the subject. “Anything happen while I was away? Alex said it was business as usual—lots of classes and physical conditioning—but you know how he is.”
Eva shrugged. “Not much. No quizzes or tests. The classes were hell, but that’s par for the course. I had a rune-reading session with Professor Adyto, which was interesting . . .” Eva trailed off for a moment before her eyes lit up. “Oh! Diana and Andre are a legit item now. I saw them kissing in the halls.”
“About time.”
“Yeah, they wereallover each other.”
