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nRIKA

nThey'd run without speaking for an hour when they paused for another rest. She could feel the tension in Gar's arm—she was still getting past some of her own tension. But her head was clearer now. And that crackling in her veins had passed. The run had done her good.

nShe didn't even flinch when Gar raised a hand and slowed his steps.

nSlowed them more, she corrected herself. She knew that, despite his size, he could run so much faster than she could. And that was in his human form. In his lion she couldn't pace him for ten feet, she was certain.

nShe wasn't sure stopping was a good idea, though. The adrenalin she'd been running on since they left her camp was wearing off. She was fit now, and strong. But she didn't run as often as she used to. And not for lengthy periods like this.

nHer breath rasped in and out of her throat, though Gar was barely breathing heavily. It was embarrassing.

nShe stumbled to a halt in the shade of one of the massive trees Gar called a Great Tree. She was aware the Anima sometimes made dens within these huge mammoths of the forest. But she hadn't been able to get close enough to the village to see one.

nOh wow. Was he taking her to the village? Was this actually happening?

n

"We have to go slower now, take more care. I'm certain Tarkyn will have his guards out by now, and they'll be on the trail. We need to meet them coming so we can point them to the others.

"

n

"Wait, you're going to send them to get the others?

"

n

"I have to, Rika,

" he said reluctantly.

"There is an invasion coming. And you and your team are a part of it. We cannot let them return to your world and—

"

n

"But you said you were just getting me away!

"

n

"I was. I did. But we can't risk the others getting back and informing the others, bringing more of them through—how did they all get through the portal without being scented in the Tree City, anyway? That's been baffling me—

"

n

"The portal is nowhere near the vill—the Tree City,

" she said, pointing in the opposite direction.

"We have to cross the sands and get into the midnight cliffs.

"

nGar's head jerked back and his mouth dropped open.

"There's another portal out there?

"

nShe nodded.

"I thought you knew that? I told you we discovered Anima by accident, coming through there.

"

n

"I thought you came through where we have always crossed,

" he said, gaping.

"That is… that is… very bad news.

"

n

"Why?

"

nGar blinked.

"Because your people are coming for us, aren't they? Isn't that what's happening? You said they were going to wait until you reported, but those others arrived. So they're already coming now, right?

"

n

"I don't know,

" she said honestly.

"I mean, eventually, yes. Definitely. I told you that. But them arriving so soon, before I'd reported back… that wasn't part of the plan. I thought they must have figured out I wasn't reporting as much information or something… they just showed up. I had to play along.

"

nGar nodded, but turned to look over his shoulder, towards his village. When he turned back to her, his face was grim.

"So, we need to talk about how we're going to bring you in and what we're going to say. I'll tell them you're my mate, but they might not believe me.

"

n

"Why not?

"

n

"Because you haven't accepted the bond. It doesn't scent on you yet. And my sister—the Queen—she might think I'm just trying to make trouble.

nRika raised an eyebrow and stifled a smile.

"I wonder why she would think that?

"

nGar gave her a flat look.

"I'm now the Alpha of the disformed tribe—well, it will be a tribe in a couple days. There's a lot going on, Rika. We're going to have to navigate this. You'll need to be very open with my sister. She isn't going to trust you right away.

"

nRika folded her arms.

"Well, I'm not going to trust her either! You said you needed to bring me here, Gar! Why are we doing this if they won't accept me? I could have stayed behind and gathered more—

"

n

"They'll accept you with time, Rika, don't worry. My mother's human. Trust me, this isn't going to be a stretch for my family. But my sister's under a lot of pressure and she's not going to want to freak anyone out. We've all been talking about you and your team… they're **ting themselves right now. You can do some to help with that, but we also need Tarkyn and the others to take the rest of the team so they don't get back and inform on us.

"

nRika sighed.

"Look, I hear you about buying time… but this is inevitable, Gar. I don't know what they have in place to run checks, but somehow they knew I was up to something, even though I'm here alone. That means they might already know something's gone wrong. I don't know what systems John put in place or… I'm just saying, we need to act like they're coming right away. Because they might be. I hope they aren't, but they might be.

"

nGar raked a hand through his hair and for a second she was distracted by the sight of his bold, handsome face marred by a fierce frown. Her stomach fizzed, and for once she couldn't tell the difference between fear and nervous anticipation.

nShe was really doing this, she realized. It had been a hope bubbling in the back of her mind ever since she came to this beautiful place. That somehow she'd be able to stay. That she wouldn't have to go back to the land of fluorescent lighting and traffic. But she'd never actually thought…

nThen she wondered, could she do it?

nImages of Gar, his face twisted in a snarl, his hands and feet moving faster than her eyes could see, flashed in her head, and the bone-chilling fear returned.

nWas she just giving up one kind of monster for another?

nOr was this the answer she'd prayed for since she was a little girl?

nShe didn't know yet, and it made her heart slam in her chest.

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