“We can take my truck.” Jamie ran into the house and returned with keys to his grandfather’s faded green Chevy. Faelan shoved Cody in the middle and climbed in beside him. The old engine thundered and grumbled. Jamie threw it in drive and pulled onto the road. The men bounced along, jammed shoulder to shoulder, as the truck whined and climbed the winding mountain road.
“If you two weren’t fighting, they wouldn’t have run off,” Faelan said.
Cody didn’t know Jamie as well as his brothers did, but he always considered him a friend. A few weeks ago, Marcas told Cody they’d had Jamie keeping an eye on Shay for the past several months, since he lived in Scotland, not far from Shay. They hadn’t bothered to tell him Jamie was her bloody boyfriend. Cody had gone to Scotland to find her as soon as his duty was over. He’d felt as nervous and excited as a teenager… until he saw the ring on her hand.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were engaged to her when I saw you in Scotland?” Cody asked Jamie. He’d sat next to Jamie at the castle, never dreaming it was his ring Cody had seen on Shay’s finger.
“Marcas told me to keep my mouth shut. And Shay and I weren’t together then anyway,” Jamie said, his voice tight.
They reached the top of the mountain, nearing the entrance to Skyline Drive. “Any idea which road they took?” Faelan asked.
“Call them,” Jamie said.
Cody and Faelan looked at each other. “My phone’s in the truck,” Cody said.
“Mine too. Use yours,” Faelan said to Jamie.
Jamie grimaced. “It’s in the house.”
“Shay’ll take Skyline Drive,” Cody said. “She likes the scenery.”
“I know that,” Jamie said.
“I see them. Won’t this thing go faster?” Faelan grumbled as they turned onto the scenic mountaintop road. He shifted, knocking Cody in the ribs, and peered out the window. “Nandor was quicker than this.”
“This truck’s probably just as old,” Cody muttered.
***
“I should have connected the dots,” Shay said as the truck moved along the scenic drive. “Those blasted necklaces—talismans. But I grew up around men who wore necklaces… wait, are the tattoos part of all this?”
“Yes. All warriors have them.”
Shay thumped her palm on the steering wheel. “Is there anyone who hasn’t lied to me?”
“I don’t blame you for being angry, but keep in mind that warriors are sworn to secrecy,” Bree said. “They can’t reveal clan secrets without permission from the Council.”
“But the man asked me to marry him and never bothered to mention he was a warrior sent to baby-sit me!”
“Men can be jackasses sometimes, but don’t forget how much they’ve all sacrificed to protect you. Especially Cody.”
There was something in Bree’s voice that made Shay look at her. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. Just this feeling. There’s something about this whole thing. I don’t think it’s just about you. I think Cody is involved too.”
“You think the stalker is after Cody?” Shay glanced in the rearview mirror, frowning, and the truck swerved toward the low wall that lined the road.
“It’s somehow connected to both of you. Do you want me to drive?” Bree asked.
Shay frowned. “No. Sorry, I thought I recognized the car behind us.”
“They’ll be following us, no doubt about that.”
“Not the men. It looks like Renee’s car.” The truck veered again, moving close to the wall that blocked the drop to the valley far below. Shay tapped the brakes, but the truck picked up speed.
“Could we slow down a tad? My stomach’s feeling queasy.” The tires squealed as Shay rounded the curve. The truck scraped the wall, throwing Bree into the door.
Shay gripped the steering wheel and pumped the brakes. “The brakes aren’t working!” She pulled the truck back onto the road, and it continued picking up speed. She tried to calm her panic and listen for Cody’s voice.
“Hurry!” Bree’s panicked voice sounded far away. The engine whined as Shay lowered it to third, then second gear. The truck slowed, but they were still approaching the next curve too fast. She dropped it to first, and the truck jerked.
“Hold on,” Shay yelled.
“Oh my God! We’re going over!” Bree covered her stomach with both hands as they hurtled toward the edge of the mountain.
***
“I see something red,” Faelan said, craning his neck. “No, that’s a car. It’s the same color as Cody’s truck.”
