“None.” Mackenna took the hand and gave it a brief but friendly squeeze. “I’d do the same for you.”
“Good to know.”
“You’re both insane.” Huffing out a breath that billowed like smoke from his lips, Cade shook off Luca’s hold and came toward her. “Damn, you’re a mess.” He tucked two fingers under Mackenna’s chin and gently stroked the flesh just below her busted lip. “You should know that if anything happens to you, I will burn that entire city to the ground.”
“Nothing is going to happen to me,” she promised. “If it looks like things are going sideways, or like they don’t believe me, I’ll get out of there.” She leaned forward for a kiss but stopped when her lip throbbed, reminding her why that would be a bad idea.
Realizing what she intended, Cade sank his fingers into the hair at her nape and pulled her close to kiss the mostly uninjured side of her face. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. Everything is going to be okay.” Maybe if she said it enough times, she’d start to believe it herself. “I better go.”
Reluctantly, he released her and took a step back. “One hour. If you’re not at the camp in one hour, I will come find you, and I don’t care who I have to go through to do it.”
She’d do the same for him, and honestly, she expected nothing less. “One hour.”
“If anything happens, anything at all, get the hell out of there, even if you have to shift to do it.”
Mackenna shook her head. “I’m sure it won’t come to that.”
“Just promise,” Cade demanded. “I know what’s at stake, but we can deal with the fallout later. Whatever you have to do, you do it. Promise me.”
Only as a last resort would she risk shifting in front of anyone outside of their trusted circle. It didn’t need to be said, because they both knew it. So, she bit back her arguments and gave him the reassurance he needed.
“I promise.”
He’d take her place if he could. If it wouldn’t arouse suspicion and jeopardize everything, he’d walked right into that town with her. This was something she had to do alone, though. Not because she had something to prove to herself or anyone else, but because there was no other way.
She would be a fool not to be frightened, but she’d known the risks when she had volunteered for the job.
No radios or wires. No one to storm the castle gates if everything fell apart. They couldn’t even stay there at the edge of the highway and wait for her because Coalition patrols would be sweeping the area in approximately seven minutes.
She was completely on her own.
“Go.” She backed away, deeper into the forest. “I’ll see you soon.”
Cade nodded but said nothing as he turned and walked to the SUV.
“Good luck.” Roux gave her a quick smile, then followed after him.
From the open driver’s door, Luca called, “We’re counting on you. Try not to get yourself killed.”
“Good pep talk,” Roux muttered as she climbed into the backseat. “Super inspiring.”
Mackenna smiled as she took off at a jog through the trees. She liked Roux, and despite being a little rough around the edges, she actually liked Luca as well. Maybe he didn’t play nice with everyone and sugarcoat unpleasant truths, but he did treat them fairly. They might never be friends, but she always knew exactly where she stood with him, and that was good enough for her.
As the sound of the SUV engine faded into the background, she pushed aside all other thoughts and picked up her pace. Their goodbyes had taken too long. Her face still throbbed like the ten shades of hell, but the gash on her side had already begun to heal. Hopefully, the incredible amount of blood staining her T-shirt would be enough to sell the injury.
The cold bit at her exposed skin, making her nose run and her fingers sting. Her bare feet protested every hurried step, burning with the pain of a thousand tiny pinpricks. It felt as if she had been running forever, and with each passing minute, her urgency intensified, pushing her on even when she felt like she couldn’t take another step.
Cresting the next hill, she nearly choked with relief when lights from the town finally came into view. Technically, it had been a ski resort before the Purge, but with restaurants, lodging, retail outlets, and even a medical center, it reminded her of nothing more than a quaint little village.
She stumbled out of the forest and onto the paved road that led to the entrance of the resort. It was exactly where she wanted to be, but without the cover of the trees, she felt exposed, vulnerable, and twice, she looked over her shoulder as she ran. It wasn’t an act, but to anyone watching, it would look exactly as if someone was chasing her.
No gate greeted her. No guards. Nothing to stop her from running straight into the village. Colorful neon gleamed from storefronts, and fairy lights had been strung between the lamp posts that lined the streets. Upbeat music played from hidden speakers, and the aroma of rich, warm chocolate filled the night.
A group of people gathered on the patio of a restaurant, laughing as they huddled together around a firepit. It was like something out of a magazine. Cute. Peaceful. Unlike anything Mackenna had ever seen before. She felt kind of bad about what she had to do, but not enough to stop her from doing it.
Slowing to a walk, she staggered toward the patio. “Help,” she called, her voice tight and croaky from the cold and exertion. “Please! Help me!”
Everyone in the group jerked around to stare at her, but their shock lasted only a heartbeat.
