When she tugged on his hand again, Julian followed without resisting.
See?he told his dragon.She’s fine.
No. She’s hurt,his dragon insisted.Still hurting.
The sound of traffic grew louder as Francine led him through the trees.
“Is anyone following us?” Francine asked as car headlights started to filter through the branches.
Julian concentrated. “I can’t sense anyone behind us.”
“If any of them survived that blast,” Francine muttered. “Hell. I knew someone was sabotaging Lance’s work, but…”
“The guards are safe. The four of them at the house, at least.” Julian reached out psychically to check, brushing just close enough to the other shifters’ psychic signatures that they might not notice his presence. “They’ve reconvened in front of the house.”
“They’re alive?”
Julian winced as some of what the guards were feeling filtered through to him. “And not in a very pleasant mood.”
“They shouldn’t have blown up the house, then.”
“You think it was one of them?” Julian couldn’t believe it.
And, of course, I have a spotless history of trusting the right people, he thought bitterly.
“I think it’s suspicious they survived, yes.” Francine’s tone was clipped. “But…” Her footsteps faltered. “I’m glad they did.”
She straightened her shoulders, and Julian got the impression she might have been about to say more, when the forest floor gave way to a dirt road. The main highway was visible through the trees, car headlights whipping past as their engines roared. A dark-colored car was tucked under the branches at the side of the road.
Francine let out a short breath. “Here’s the car.” She marched towards it. “If no one’s following us yet, then this is our best chance to get lost in traffic.”
The distantthwop-thwopof a helicopter was barely audible over the sound of traffic, but it put Julian’s senses on edge. Francine, digging into her pockets, didn’t seem to notice anything.
“There’s a helicopter,” he said.
“Shit.” Francine pulled a set of keys out of her pocket. “Close?”
“No…” Julian frowned. “The guards felt like they were waiting for someone.”
“Reinforcements, then. Perfect timing for us to leave.”
“They’re still quite distant.” Julian shivered as he reached out again to get a closer psychic look at the helicopter. “And definitely shifters, but…”
—!!!—
His knees crunched against a fallen branch. Shadows whirled around him.
“Rouse?”
He must have let go of Francine’s hand when he—fell? When did he fall? Julian climbed to his feet, brushing pine needles off his pants.
“Rouse…” Francine was looking straight at him, her eyes narrowed. Then her gaze flickered side to side. She wasn’t looking at him—she was lookingthroughhim.
The shadows around him weren’t just the darkness of the forest at night. He’d shielded himself without realizing it, falling into the shallower shadows.
Francine swore and scrambled for something in her pockets. Quickly, Julian unshielded.
Francine jumped backwards as he appeared, and he reached out to steady her.
