Winter Fire (The Witchling #3)(73)

“No technology on our rite, except the phone, apparently.”

“So you can’t start them. I’m not on a damn coming-of-age journey,” Connor said, frustrated. “I’ll start them.”

Beck glanced at Decker, whose features showed the same reluctant hope he felt. What happened if they tried it and it didn’t work? They’d lose valuable time to find the girls. If it worked, they’d save hours walking.

“You’re call,” Decker said.

“I’m glad you’re here, Connor,” Beck said. “We’ll try it your way.”

Connor rolled his eyes and turned, all but running back toward the cabin. The twins followed, and Beck prayed the snowmobiles wouldn’t shut down like the elemental magick did. He didn’t know how powerful the rite was before setting out this night. If the vehicles didn’t start, they’d lose precious time retracing their steps.

They reached the garage, breathless. Beck typed in the code to open the garage door. Decker waited for it to lift far enough for him to duck under. He stood with the keys in hand by the time the door was fully raised.

Decker tried first. The machines didn’t start.

Connor snatched the keys from him. Beck saw him hesitate.

“On the right. Mine is the blue one. Decker’s is red.”

“Mine’s the one with the full tank,” Decker said. “I’m usually the responsible one.”

“Whatever, Decker,” Beck grumbled. “Mine’s full.”

“Knock it off,” Connor said. He fumbled with the keys and sat on one of the snowmobiles.

Beck held his breath and heard Decker do the same. A long moment passed. The snowmobile roared to life.

“Thank god,” Beck said and released his breath.

Connor leapt off and started the second one. Beck slid onto the cold seat of his vehicle and backed it carefully out of the garage. Connor started Decker’s and stood. Beck motioned him over, suspecting Decker didn’t want someone else riding with him.

Retrieving goggles from the wall, Decker tossed them all a pair.

“First resort?” he shouted above the roaring motors.

“Yeah!” Beck replied. “You lead!”

Decker nodded.

With the snowmobiles, they stood a chance of reaching the first resort in fifteen minutes. Decker shot forward. Beck gunned the engine, following.





Chapter Nineteen


Biji almost flung her phone. The signal hadn’t just died this time; her whole phone did. She wiped away tears. Her hands shook from exertion and cold. Neither she nor Summer had grabbed a coat when they left the schoolhouse. Morgan’s flames had faded, and Biji was cold. Alone. Lost.

Climb a tree and find the lake. She swallowed hard. Decker was right; she needed to figure out where she was first. There were three abandoned resorts around the lake. Unfortunately, at night, the forests around them were identical, and she hadn’t looked back to see which resort it was.

She ran, because she thought Summer was still behind her. The footsteps she heard weren’t her friend’s, she discovered, but those of one of the Dark boys.

The Dark teen had given up on her. She was small and nimble from running track every year. Though this was the offseason, her talent of running with the wind held true, aiding her to escape. Focused only on getting away, she wasn’t even sure which way she’d come from.

Her air magick was chilling her from the inside. She suppressed it. She rose from her hiding spot at the heart of a tree. She didn’t have gloves, and her hands hurt. She shivered almost too hard to reach the lowest branch of the nearest tree.

With effort, she hauled herself up and began climbing. The movement warmed her body, though her hands grew numb quickly from the direct contact with the snow and ice. The night sky was growing cloudy in the west, a sign there was a storm coming.

She climbed until she could see the lake. It wasn’t far, maybe a quarter of a mile. The dark surface of the massive natural body of water glistened with starlight. Biji twisted to see behind her.

She didn’t see the resort anywhere. Just trees. Angry with herself for not paying more attention to where she went, she summoned her air magick. It wasn’t just cold; it was freezing! It spun and eddied within her chest, but using it was the quickest way down. She launched away from the tree and wove a spell for the air to catch her.

It obeyed and lowered her to the ground. She landed softly and sank into the snow. It was way above her tennis shoes; her calves and feet would be wet before long.

Decker said they had issues but were heading towards the first of the resorts around the lake. If she couldn’t find her way back to the other girls, she could find her way to him and Beck. She just had to reach the lake.

Assuming I don’t freeze to death first! She sighed and started out as fast as she could go, given the snow and cold. It was the longest quarter mile she ever went, but she finally reached the lake. It appeared to be frozen around the edges. She took a few minutes to orient herself.

She was at the resort farthest from the school. Of course. The main road leading to the lake was cleared from the southern approach but not all the way around. The three abandoned resorts were located on the north side, with the one she hoped she was at on the opposite side of where she stood.

If Beck and Decker were coming from their cabin, they, too, were on the far side. There was no way to get help, if her phone didn’t work.