Leap of the Lion (The Wild Hunt Legacy #4)(81)

How had he known her deepest fear? How had he known? She pulled in a shuddering breath. In so many of her nightmares, she was back there. Helpless. Her voice came out a whisper. “Thank you.” Owen stroked her shoulders, and she could sense his courage pouring into her. “It’s all felt so…hopeless, sometimes.”

“Not hopeless.” Vicki shook her head. “Wells stuck a tracker on the Scythe van that came to Cold Creek. Their operatives killed the device within a day, but it gave Wells a start. He’s been working his way up the ladder, uncovering people, funding, and locations. There’s no one better at digging out information.”

“Mmmhmm. I’m sure he’s looking hard for traitors to the United States.” Maybe not so much for the kidnappers of the Daonain. Darcy couldn’t keep the flatness from her tone. The spymaster had his priorities—and they wouldn’t include Daonain hostages and soldiers.

“Well, fuck, you’re almost as cynical as I am.” Vicki grinned. “Wells knows the dangers of having the Daonain exposed to humans—if nothing else, it’d be really difficult to be a godfather to a baby in a science lab, right?” She patted her stomach. “He’s in Seattle right now, concentrating on locating your villagers.”

“Really?” Darcy swallowed. “Th-thank you. I’ve been so frustrated with not being able to help.”

Owen and Gawain exchanged glances.

“With your permission, Cosantir,” Owen said. “Gawain and I will take Darcy with us when we go scouting tomorrow. And we’ll stay out there until we locate that damn camp.”

The Cosantir steepled his fingers, considered, and nodded. “Aye, cahir. Go find the camp.”





Chapter Twenty





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The mid-November afternoon was cool, but dry…just the way Owen enjoyed. He swiveled his ears toward Gawain and Darcy who trotted behind him. When traveling a distance in a group, panthers tended to space themselves a good distance apart, unlike idiot wolves who would run nose to tail. He couldn’t see the other two, but he kept track of their quiet sounds of passage.

They’d had a late start yesterday, because a male had shown up looking for the blademage. He’d traveled from the other side of the territory, and they delayed so Gawain could make him lifemating bracelets.

Since Darcy didn’t yet have perfect control, they’d driven partway to the Twin Sister range and parked Gawain’s car on a deserted logging road rather than a human parking lot. They’d spent the rest of the day as cougars, traveling fast. Last night, Darcy’d been so exhausted, she’d fallen asleep halfway through eating the rabbit Gawain had caught.

Owen lifted his muzzle to sniff the air. He wanted to find the well-hidden mountain meadow that Tynan and Donal had used as a base when they’d scouted the southeast quadrant.

Catching an acrid urine stench, Owen veered toward it. In wolf fashion, Tynan had marked the tree next to where an almost invisible deer trail began. Without slowing, Owen continued down the trail.

As dusk approached, the air was cooling, and they should get set up. They’d been animal long enough—and he missed talking with the other two.

Stepping out into a grassy meadow, he shifted.

Darcy padded up behind him.

Gawain followed and trawsfurred to human. “Nice place to camp.”

“Can you catch Tynan’s scent?” Owen asked. His brother’s sense of smell was more akin to a big-nosed bear than a cougar, which Owen had made sure to tease him about when they were cubs.

“Let’s see.” Gawain walked around, casting for the scent. He stopped at a tree at the south end and pointed up. “There, brawd.”

Owen climbed the tree, found a dark green, waterproof bag, and lowered it to Gawain.

“How did you know that was there?” Darcy asked.

“Owen called Tynan after Breanne’s dinner party, and the cop suggested we use this spot as a base,” Gawain said. “Tynan already had a cache here, but since yesterday was his day off, he dropped off extra camping gear and clothing so we won’t freeze if we’re in human form. In the evenings, it’s nice to be able to talk, but this high up, we’d freeze without clothes.”

“Oh. Awesome.” Her smile could entice the sun to shine on a rainy day. “I missed chatting with you two last night.”

Owen snorted. “Little cat, you fell asleep last night in mid-bite.”

She laughed, not insulted in the least.

Yeah, he’d grown fond of talking to her, too. “Tonight, we’ll discuss what you want to practice while we search for the shifter-soldiers.” Owen glanced at Gawain. They’d already come up with a few ideas, in fact.

“Okay.” She knelt and started pulling things out of the duffel bag. Sleeping bags—the kind that zipped together into one bed. Clothes for them all.

Gawain divided them into the proper sizes. The longer jeans for Owen. Over-sized shirts and jacket for the blacksmith. Smaller everything for Darcy.

“No boots?” Darcy held up the moccasins and thick socks.

“We’ll search in animal form. Clothes are only for our comfort at night.”

She eyed the heavy duffel. “It was nice of Tynan to haul it up here.”

“Aye, although some of it was already here.” Owen pulled on jeans, thermal shirt, flannel shirt, and a down vest. “He keeps some caches in the forests around Seattle for when Donal can join him.”