Chapter 73

 

“THERE.”

The pulse of love, of hope hit me like a flare. Stosur nodded and swung the car off the main highway onto the dirt road.

“Boathouse,” I murmured to Renee as the sweat dribbled down my forehead. “I told her to get to the boathouse.”

Stosur screeched the car to a halt and exchanged a look with Huber.

“What?” Renee asked. “What is it?”

“That’s Jäger’s car.” Huber’s voice sounded more cutting than I’d ever heard it. “He’ll have some of Sven’s men with him.”

He looked at Stosur who nodded. “I’ll stay out of sight.” She smiled at him, got out, and sprinted into the field. I could see where Frei got her stealth from.

“You think it’s a good idea he knows you’re here?” I asked. I didn’t know how much Jäger knew, not really. It didn’t seem clever to cause him to go looking.

“Ursula is my locksmith and my mistress as far as he’s concerned. It would be bad taste if I didn’t protect my property.” He turned and met our eyes. “If I so happen to remove parts of his anatomy in the process, it’s all in good sport, yes?”

Renee met his eyes. “Not if I catch him first.”

I looked from one to the other and raised my eyebrows. “Can we focus on Frei?” I asked as Renee helped me out of the car.

I shut my eyes, hoping I could feel something but my legs buckled.

“Aeron, what can you see?” Renee knelt beside me. Her brow furrowed in concern.

“I can’t. I’m too tired.”

Bam.

A gunshot ripped through the silence. I met her eyes. “Go. I’m fine. Go.”

Huber was off and sprinting toward the noise. Renee took off after him. I sucked in my breaths, my energy waning. I crawled over to Jäger’s car, touched it.

 

“If it is Locks, sell her for a reasonable price this time.” I couldn’t make out who was speaking only blurred voices and images.

“I’ve got more than that on my mind.” That voice was Jäger’s. I could feel his energy, his infatuation. “She’ll do as I want her to this time.”

“You think she’ll buckle? You’re more of a fool than I thought.” The voice was too faint, too distorted.

 

I slumped onto the ground but a ripple of a breeze touched my cheek. “Shorty, Icy kinda needs you to stop laying ’round.”

A freezing blast of wind ran right up my spine.

I hurtled to my feet like it had shot me with adrenaline. “Thanks, Nan.”

The field swayed in front of me, zooming in and out of view. Nausea curled through my gut.

“Follow that heart of yours.” Nan’s comfort, her energy, her love poured through me and I nodded.

Follow my heart.

I focused on every hug, every moment of joy, every ounce of love I had for Frei and fixed on the boathouse. I hurled myself forward, staggering more than jogging. I stumbled through the field, the effort of getting to the ramshackle place was more than I had but somehow I kept moving.

“I’m comin’, Frei,” I whispered. “Just hold on.”