Adan and
Gage exchanged a look.
“Someone’s been here,” said Adan. “One of ours.”
Embry felt her heart kick in alarm. She fought to keep her voice level. “Can you read the trace to tell who?” When they traveled by shadow, Shadow Walkers always left a trace of themselves, akin to a fingerprint or signature.
Her father phased out but came back a moment later. “I don’t know him.”
“Then as of this moment, we consider him an enemy,” said Embry.
“Em, any Walker is bound to be on our side,” he said.
“The Council forbade me from coming after you. If they sent a Walker it’s to clean up my mess. That means me.” And Gage. She didn’t say it. Didn’t have to. She could tell by the look on Adan’s face that he understood.
“Let’s get back to the others,” he said.
Focused on stealth, they made their way back to the gap in the fence. Orrin’s group had a good twenty minute lead on them, but they struck out in a general westerly direction. Embry’s anxiety grew with each passing minute as she watched and waited for an attack. Not safe. Not safe. The words repeated in her head like a mantra. She had to figure out how to get Gage away before whoever the Council had sent could track them.
They crested a rise, but the others were nowhere in sight. Her father pulled ahead, scouting.
Gage took her hand, squeezed it. “It’ll be okay.”
She looked at him, her eyes blurring with tears. Oh no it won’t. It won’t, and it’s all my fault. Again. One tear fell, rolling hot and fast down her cheek. Three more followed, and Embry sucked in a breath. Christ, get a grip. Your blubbering isn’t going to fix this. She stopped moving, pulling him to her in a fierce embrace that made her shoulder scream.
“You have to go,” she whispered.
“We all want out of here, but you know we need to see these people to safety—”
“Not them. You. You have to Walk. Get the hell out of here.” Urgency made her voice low and harsh.
Gage frowned. “What the hell are you talking about, Embry?”
“Whoever the Council sent is out here somewhere. They don’t know your signature well enough to trace you. If you go now, they can’t catch you. Go.”
In silence, he studied her face before speaking. “Not without you. I’m not about to leave you behind to take the fall for this. Come with me.”
“I can’t. They’ll find me. My magic makes me easy to trace. I won’t lead them to you. I won’t let them take you again.” She stepped back, forced herself to release him. “You have to go, Gage. Without me. I always knew you’d have to go without me.”
Temper kindled in his eyes as he took a step toward her. “Ember—”
“We’ll just make this easy on you and take you both. Then you don’t have to be apart when you face the Council,” said a voice from the dark.
Embry whirled, trying to send out flares, but nothing happened. Frantic, she tried again.
“Oh I think you’ll find your powers useless just now.” Someone moved to the right, stepping out of shadow and into moonlight. He shook the object in his hand. “They’re quite neutralized. A suppression talisman. Handy things, these. You see we learned from our mistake ten years ago.”
“Lucius,” she growled.
The wraith took a small bow.
Gage shifted to place his body between them.
“How noble. Still defending your little paramour.”
“Can it, Lucius. The assignment is to bring them in, not taunt them to death.” Matthias stepped from another shadow, pushing Adan before him, hands bound.
No, no this wasn’t happening. Embry turned on him. “You son of a bitch! How dare you after everything—”