Way of the Shadows (Shadow Agents 8)

Her attention jerked back toward Thomas. He’d just rushed into a thick copse of trees. She hurried after him.

And tripped, slamming right into the ground.

Swearing, she fought to rise again, but her fingers caught the—the rope that had been hidden near her feet. Rope that had been used to trip her.

A trap. For prey.

For them.

“Thomas!” Noelle screamed. “Stop! It’s a setup!” The window, the shots... They were designed to lure them out into this wilderness.

She pushed onto her knees, then staggered after Thomas. He hadn’t heard her cry. He hadn’t stopped. She had to get to him.

Noelle shoved through the line of trees, and a hand grabbed her arm. She saw the thick outline of a man before her, a man covered in winter clothing, but—

Not Thomas.

She fired her weapon. The bullet hit him, she knew it did. This close, there was no way she could miss, but he didn’t let her go. He tightened his hold on her and yanked her forward.

And he—he threw her.

Noelle screamed once more, but the wind was wailing around her. She expected to hit the snow when she fell, but she hit something hard instead.

Ice.

And she felt that ice begin to splinter beneath her hand.

The sound of laughter seemed to float on the wind once more.

“Noelle!”

Thomas. That wasn?

??t laughter; that was his frantic voice.

She looked up. He was fighting to get close to her. “Don’t!” She tried to yell as loudly as she could. She raised her arm toward him.

And felt more of the ice crack beneath her.

“Stay back!” Could he hear her? “It’s giving way! We’ll both—”

The ice broke, and Noelle fell into the frigid water. It was so cold it stole her breath. Her feet and legs seemed to go numb right away. She couldn’t move them, couldn’t kick. Her arms had flown out in front of her when the ice broke, and they were still above the surface. She slapped them down on the frozen plane, hoping to find a way to secure herself because she was going down. Her heart was racing. The water was freezing her.

“I’ve got you!” Fingers wrapped around hers.

Her gaze flew up. She could barely make out Thomas’s form. He was lying on the ice, his body spread out. His fingers were around hers, but she couldn’t feel his touch.

She couldn’t feel anything but that Arctic water, and it was pulling her down.

“I’m getting you out!” He was yelling, but his words sounded like a whisper. “We have to keep our weight distributed. Don’t stand up when you’re clear....”

He was pulling her up. Inch by slow, desperate inch.

He thought she was planning to stand? Her legs weren’t working, her teeth were chattering, and she was afraid she’d pass out at any moment.

But he kept pulling her. Slowly. Carefully. Her hips hit something solid. She could feel new splinters in that surface beneath her. “H-hurry...” Noelle managed to rasp because she was terrified more of the ice was about to give way. If she and Thomas both went in, they wouldn’t come out.

He didn’t hurry. He kept up that inching pace. Her whole body shuddered with cold. Her hands were numb in his grasp. Her face was against the ice. The cracks scratched her skin.