Leap of the Lion (The Wild Hunt Legacy #4)(103)

“The Hunter guide your paws,” came from Alec.

She trawsfurred…and hesitated. What if she missed the top? Overshot and fell to the ground?

Then her memory gave her Gawain’s calm voice. “Sink into the wild, catling. Let go.” Just pick a target, and let her animal get her there. I can do this.

With the bag of clothes in her mouth, she sprang into a full-out run. At top speed, she leaped to the top of the wall and into the walnut.

A second later, Ryder landed on an adjacent branch. His jaws were clamped around a cotton bag.

As she shifted to human, Alec came over the wall and settled onto another branch.

Instead of birds, the walnut was overflowing with cougars. She suppressed her laughter—because it would turn to hysterics—and looked around.

The interior compound hadn’t changed at all, had it? The front lawn was flooded with light as were the sidewalks in back. The wide tangle of blackberries around the inner perimeter lay in darkness…because no one could walk through the head-high thorny mass.

Touching Alec’s furry neck, she motioned toward the grounds and the closest three-story manor house. “That one has the human hostages.” The lighted windows of the second manor house—Zoo Hall—seemed a long way away. She pointed to it. “I forgot to tell you, the stairwell on the far end probably has less traffic. The west side stairs are what the staff uses.”

Alec nodded. He already knew which hall was which, since they’d planned everything with Wells on the drive to Seattle. After she’d drawn maps of the grounds, Ryder had used his phone to snap pictures and send copies to the others, including Tynan. Everyone had memorized the plan.

So why was she still sitting here, clinging to a branch, like…like a cub too terrified to move?

Alec rubbed his muzzle against her and purred. Comfortingly. She knew he was half-crazy with worry for Vicki—but he’d still spotted Darcy’s fears and tried to help.

His courage bolstered hers. “Thanks,” she whispered and shifted to cat.

Here goes. Carefully, she leaped to the next branch, taking the same path she’d used for her escape. Her claws closed on the bark, and the tree shook. She froze. No. Stop thinking and worrying. Stay in the wild. She whipped her tail back and forth, rode the slight sway of the branch, and leaped again.

Over the sea of blackberries, she jumped from tree to tree. Followed by the males, she worked her way around the corner and beside the back wall. There—that was the tree that had grown up near the inside edge of the brambles, almost reaching the lawn. She jumped to it and sprang off the branch, over the thorn tangle, and landed on the grass.

One soft thump sounded. Another. The two cougars were beside her.

Alec butted his furry head against her shoulder as if in thanks, then loped beside the thicket toward the far end of the property.

Ryder nodded his head at her and trotted toward the three underground machine gun nests in the front lawn. Wells had given him grenades to toss into each gun barrel slit, because there was no other access to a concrete box. When entering, each set of two guards would deadbolt the rear door behind themselves.

Her chest squeezed with fear for the brave shifter…because it was a horrible plan. After the first explosion, the rest of the guards would know what had happened. They’d know his targets and would shoot him before he could sabotage the next pillbox.

But she couldn’t help. She had her own task.

She trotted toward the east, moving silently in the lush grass. Halfway down the back wall, she reached the toolshed—and the industrial generator on a concrete pad next to it. When the power went out, the generator would kick on and restore power—as well as the floodlights.

After shifting to human, she dressed, then slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out Gawain’s gift—the multi-tool. It sat in her palm, familiar and heart-warming, and she used it to jimmy open the generator’s circuit box.

Like that fancy spy, James Bond, in one of Gawain’s movie choices, she had a special device from Wells. Smiling evilly, she set the spymaster’s box inside.

And pressed the button.

*

The magic gifted by the Mother tingled in Gawain’s veins—and not in a pleasant way. Rubbing his arms, he walked beside Owen outside the Scythe’s stone wall. Every few feet, he bent and sniffed. The scent from panther paws—Darcy, Alec, and Ryder—was very fresh. They couldn’t be more than a few minutes ahead.

Darcy had volunteered to return to the prison that terrified her…no, Shay said she’d insisted. “By the God and Goddess, she’s got courage,” Gawain whispered.

“Aye,” Owen muttered.

Damn the evil humans that had started this. His anger was a low roar, hotter than the flames in his forge. They’d get her out—get them all out.

Darcy’s scent trail ended.

“Here.” He looked up. On the other side of the wall, a tree rose high into the night sky. “That has to be the walnut tree.”

After leaving their clothing in the black garbage bag with Alec and Ryder’s, they jumped the wall and landed in the walnut.

Pleased the fruit trees grew close together, Gawain checked the scents. The three cougars’ trail through the long orchard was clear. With Owen following, he leaped to the next tree. And the next. Around the corner. Along the back.

Midway, he stopped, confused for a second at the abrupt change in direction. Ah, a tree had been planted close to the lawn—and was obviously the exit to the bramble patch. He jumped to it and down onto the grass.