Her brows furrow, but she flips on her signal and waits for a clearing to steer the truck into the alley.
“Stop here and wait three minutes before you drive to the distribution center,” I command. “You don’t know what happened to me.”
She nods slowly, hands on the steering wheel.
I’m shaking and sweaty from the use of so much magic as I jump out and run to the back. Light invades the shadows as I fling the door up, and I slide the lid off the crate.
“Hurry!” I yank Gideon to stand and help him climb out of the cramped box. “Your brother is waiting down the right side alley and through the blue door. Go!”
He doesn’t need to be told twice and jumps from the truck before bolting out of sight. I follow behind him, stopping to close the roll-up door when the crunch of gravel makes me turn.
Fuck.
A military vehicle parks only feet away.
“Stop right there!” a soldier orders as the doors fly open.
I sprint in the opposite direction as Gideon, refusing to lead them to the others.
To Bash.
Adrenaline replaces my sapped strength as I force myself to speed up. I shove through the rear entrance of a restaurant and into a busy kitchen. Surprised shouts call out as I push brooms and boxes in front of the door, and I charge through the lobby and into the bright sun of the main street.
It isn’t as crowded as I’d like, making it impossible for me to get lost among the people. My feet thunder against the pavement as I charge toward the alley across the way and duck into the shadows as more shouts follow.
Lightning bolts of pain shoot through my legs as I pour all my energy into running. We mapped this area, and I try to picture the diagram that showed the closest escape. There should be a sewer entrance a few blocks away.
I fly around the building and collide with a soldier who snags my arm.
“Let me go,” I command, and his grip on my biceps slacks. Nausea twists my stomach from expelling too much power, and I stumble as I start running again.
I round a corner, and two more soldiers block my way.
“Fuck,” I wheeze. “Why are there so many of you?”
My hands and arms tremble as I dig for the remnants of magical reserves swirling in my gut.
The bigger guard charges first, andI focus all my intention onto him.
“Stop… your partner,”I rasp.
The smaller soldier yelps as she’s shoved against the brick wall.
My vision sways as a hot drop of blood trickles down my lip, but I keep running. I burst out onto the crowded main road,crashing into a few people who shout in alarm as I attempt to catch my footing.
A sudden weight hits me from behind. The air is pushed out of my lungs as I hit the ground with a body on top of me.
“Let me… let me go,” I try to order, but the world tilts, and there’s nothing left.
He chuckles in my ear as my wrists are zip-tied. Rough hands yank me to my feet, and I’m nearly feral, baring my teeth and slinging curses.
There are too many of them, though, and I’m surrounded.
The big fucker behind me—a Bhotan, of fucking course—yanks on my elbow so hard my shoulders twist, and I call out as he drags me along. Spectators stop and stare, and as we approach the same alleyway this all started in, the string around my middle cinches.
My gaze swings desperately into the crowd, searching for him in the chaos. It lands on Cato and Jayce, both wearing somber stares as they restrain Bash between them.
He fights them with everything he has, thrashing and straining to break free.
