Total pages in book: 194
Estimated words: 187754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 939(@200wpm)___ 751(@250wpm)___ 626(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 187754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 939(@200wpm)___ 751(@250wpm)___ 626(@300wpm)
Khalil and I make eye contact, though we’re careful to keep it brief. “About what?”
Sheriff Kelly’s expression is stricken as he glances past us toward the imposing snow-capped peak that rises above the one we’re standing on. “If the stories we’ve all heard about these wilds are true.” When his kind but somber gaze returns to us, he says, “By the way, I know you said it’s unlikely Aurelia made it that far, but the Westbrook kid finally woke up two days ago, and he’s claiming she was with him when the avalanche hit.” Fuck, fuck, fuck. “I wanted to give you a heads up. We’ll be focusing our search primarily on your mountain. Because it’s a high-profile case, and we don’t need those overbearing Americans pointing the finger at us—no offense—the CAF can’t risk leaving any stone unturned.” When Khalil frowns and parts his lips to argue, Kelly holds up a hand. “It’s over my head, Poverly. I’m sorry. This isn’t my call.”
Khalil and I hold our breath as the sheriff walks away, and the moment he’s out of earshot, we exhale harshly.
“So that’s bad,” I deadpan.
Swearing viciously, Khalil snatches our personal two-way from its clip and starts trying like hell to reach Thorin.
THORIN
“Good luck,” Khalil says from the other end of the channel.
The irony isn’t lost on me that my brothers will be roughing it and spinning lies for the next couple of days, but I’m the one in need of prayer.
“Yeah, you too.”
Tossing aside the two-way radio, I pick up the axe and resume chopping wood outside the shed. It’s unnecessary since we’ve got plenty, but I needed out of that cabin.
So much for fresh air.
Seth and Khalil had just given me the heads up to stay inside and out of sight while the search team combed our mountain. We should have seen it coming, but we get tunnel vision when it comes to Aurelia.
It might even be a necessary thwart to our plans.
Aurelia is the only one still missing, and Big Bear is the only place the team hasn’t searched because of us. The military can’t stare down the eyes of the world empty-handed and claim they gave it all they got, knowing more than a third of the Cold Peaks hadn’t been combed. It would leave too much room for speculation and questions of competency. It could even bring the entire search team itself into focus.
Making it all the easier for Isaac to find us.
Swearing, I leave the axe buried in the tree stump and rip off my gloves before grabbing the radio and heading inside.
I see Aurelia the moment I step through the front door.
She’s standing in front of the panoramic window below the loft, staring out at the two smaller peaks and the valley between, but her eyes aren’t on the miles and miles of brutal wilderness below our cliff.
They’re cast to the sky like she’s waiting on something.
Letting the front door slam behind me, I wait for her to act caught, but true to form, she doesn’t give a damn that I know what she’s up to. Her head just keeps swiveling back and forth. “Get away from the window.”
“Why?”
Of course, she doesn’t move and continues to stare out of the glass.
Aurelia’s been doing that lately. At first, I thought it was because she enjoyed the view. It is pretty epic. But our devious captive doesn’t strike me as someone who appreciates nature.
No, it’s much more likely that she’s plotting another escape.
After our fight this morning, we’d pretty much stayed out of each other’s way, but it didn’t last. I hadn’t made it an hour without eyes on her before I tracked her down and found her up in the small loft singing.
Her powerful voice had held me arrested long enough for her to realize she had an audience, and then—as if it had never happened—she stopped. Hoping she’d sing for me again, I offered to carry down the heavy boxes we’d stored up there and forgotten about. I’d even dragged up Khalil’s thick bedroll and extra pillow from the basement for her to sleep on, but all I’d gotten for my trouble was a cutting side-eye and her telling me to go away while she finished dusting out the loft. I’d sat on the couch watching her for a while before accepting that she wouldn’t sing again while I was around, so I’d left to chop wood.
Instead of explaining that I don’t want to risk her being spotted by a passing helicopter, I walk over to join her at the window. I wrap my arm around her waist, and she doesn’t fight me, even when I lean down to mark up her neck with my stubble. “Because I said so, wolf. Let’s go take a shower.”
We’re still pressed together when she lets me ease her away from the window.