“To the Inn everyone,” Abigail said. “To Tod’s Table, even you Van Crimsons. This ordeal is not over.”
As soon as Paisley was safely out of the hospital, Abigail and Number Twelve would get Frannie out, and then they would close ranks up at the top of Morning Bluff.
Because who knew what Sage was going to do when she heard Khain had taken her daughter, and who knew what thevodwould do when they figured out they’d been tricked.
It was a new era, starting today, and Abigail was not ready.
20—Canyon
Canyon woke up slowly from an intricate dream. He'd been on a mission to guard a princess inside a deep forest, and he’d completed his mission with honors… and maybe even a medal?Cool.He stretched.Why were his ribs sore? And why were his boots on?
He sat up, realizing he was on the hard floor in the dark, in the alcove at the back of the bunker and Timber was snoring next to him in a chair. Canyon got up from the floor, wondering what the hell had even happened. He didn’t remember needing a nap. Last thing he remembered was finishing Predator, helping Timber escape Mac and then… and then? He plodded to the bathroom, thinking it had been one hell of a good nap, even if he was a little fuzzy about how it got started. He cleaned up and went back to the bunker, nap forgotten, food on his mind.
When he pushed through the door, Timber was on his feet, rushing around the room. He stopped short when he saw Canyon, a strange look on his face.
“You’re awake!” Timber said.
Canyon looked at him like he was acting strangely, which hewas.Yeah,he said inruhi,which he preferred.
“What in the hell happened?” Timber said out loud at the same time that Canyon said inruhi,I’m hungry.
“I bet you are,” Timber said, going to his desk and nodding at Canyon like something was up.
Wanna go to Taco Place?
“It's breakfast time,” Timber told him. “We'll go to Pancake Place.”
It's not breakfast time.
“It is. You slept for 24 hours.”
Canyon scoffed.I didn't.
“You missed all sorts of shit.”
Like what?
“Like a One True Matemurder.”
Nuh uh.
“No fucking lie, bro. Dahlia Woodridge was her name. Listen… first, Khain came and kidnapped a four-year-old human girl.”
Canyon waved a hand in disbelief, then flipped Timber off.Now I know you’re fucking with me. Khain?
“I’msonot fucking with you. Khain came to the Ula, took a little girl, killed a One True Mate, and you missed it!”
Canyon rubbed the back of his neck, then checked the time on Timber’s computer. He pointed at the date, shocked into speaking out loud. “It’s tomorrow!”
Timber rolled his eyes. “Pretty sure I’ve already said that.”
Canyon ran his hand over his face and felt a day’s worth of stubble.
Timber kept talking, pacing around the room. “Khain took the little girl, but we didn’t know it was him at first, and then me and Jaggar were assigned to find Dahlia Paige, but we couldn’t find her, because she’d changed her name.” He pointed at Canyon. “You found her late last night.”
Canyon pointed at himself.Me?
“You. You found her late last night, but Khain made it so she would die no matter what.”
