Rogue pointed him toward a tree. “Climb it or maybe chop it down.”
“No axe,” Mac said.
Rogue shrugged. “Better climb it then.”
Mac pulled his gun out of his holster.
“No Mac,” Crew and Dahlia shouted together.
“Kidding… maybe,” Mac said, reholstering it.
Mac stepped beneath the tree. The lowest branch was a foot above his head. He grabbed on and levered himself up, then climbed up three more branches, yelling down, “Hell yeah, this is awesome!”
Rogue hooked a thumb up at him. “That’ll keep him busy for a few minutes at least.”
Reed came running over and grabbed Sage, pulling her to the end of the line of trucks. Canyon came with, padding silently.
“You have to meet Leilani,” she said, pointing her out.
Leilani came over, smiling sweetly, dressed in leggings and an oversized sweatshirt. She hugged Sage. “I’ve heard so much about you,” she said, then stepped aside. “This is Jaggar, my mate. He’s a wolf.”
“Have you heard?” Reed asked. “Your grandma was captured.”
Sage turned a stunned gaze on her. “Abigail White?”
“Yeah. Me and Cerise got her,” Rogue said.
“She escaped, though,” Reed said.
“She what?” Mac yelled from the tree. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“It just happened,” Jaggar yelled back. “That’s why we took so long to get up here.”
Sage backed away from the group, her thoughts in turmoil. Abigail captured, then escaped. If anything would destroy this burgeoning unification, it would beAbigail White. Sage checked the vehicles, scenting each for Abigail, making sure she hadn’t caught a ride with anyone. The vehicles all scented clean.
Canyon padded over to her. She knelt and looked him in the face, running her fingers through his fur, speaking inruhi.
Would you be willing to let a foxen touch you—even smell you?
He shrugged, eerily human-like.Sure.
Sage stood.Thank you.
They walked toward the forest on the other side, Sage scanning for foxes. She guided them close to a large group of them but stopped Canyon twenty feet away from the trees.
I want them to show their faces and come outof the forest, she said.And I have to tell them Abigail’s been captured and escaped. They need to know.
He nodded.I’ll back you up.
She smiled.I know it.
“Come out,” Sage called to the foxes in the trees. “Come out and meet my mate.”
No one came. Foxes chittered and laughed and jumped over one another, but no one broke the tree line.
“Abigail has been captured,” Sage called. “But she’s also escaped. She’s been up to secretive things and thevodwant to talk to her, but that doesn’t have to involve anyone else. Thevodare not here for you.” Sage looked around. Across the glade, only Timber and Wulf were paying them any attention. The others were talking amongst themselves. “The bluff is covered with magical protections,” she said. She could feel them, Abigail’s magical spells laid every which way, withvvystready to act under the right circumstances. “Stay up the bluff. Thevodunderstand now—you are only hiding from Khain. If he comes, go in the hole.”
Foxes chittered softly to each other, then a fox left the trees and approached her.
