Phelan looked around at the Warriors—Fallon and Lucan MacLeod, Hayden, Ian, Ramsey, Logan, and the only female Warrior, Larena, who was also Fallon’s wife.
Next Phelan took note of the Druids who had also come—Gwynn and Isla, Logan and Hayden’s wives respectively.
Phelan barely glanced at Isla. He hadn’t forgiven her yet for following Deirdre’s orders and tricking him when he was just a small lad to go with her. He’d been locked in Deirdre’s mountain until he reached manhood, and then she unbound his god.
“We doona have much time,” Phelan said.
Ian glanced around. “Where in the woods is Charon?”
“There’s a cabin he uses. It’s deep in the forest, and verra difficult to find.”
“Have you been there?” Ramsey asked.
Phelan gritted his teeth. “Nay. That was the one place Charon wanted absolute privacy. I never tried to find it.”
“Holy hell,” Quinn said.
Isla let out a deep breath. “We can’t sit around. We need to get in the woods and find the cottage.”
“What we need is Broc,” Fallon said before he disappeared.
Phelan was thankful for Fallon’s teleportation abilities. Broc—who was able to find anyone, anywhere—would help make up lost time in discovering where the cabin was.
In a matter of seconds, Fallon returned with Broc.
Phelan glanced down the alley to the street. “I’ll make sure no one sees you.”
They lined up behind him as Phelan pointed to the pub. “The quickest way into the forest is behind the pub.”
“I’ve found him,” Broc whispered as he stood with his eyes closed. “Charon is alone.”
Hayden frowned and turned his gaze to Phelan. “I thought you said there was a woman with him.”
Phelan stopped himself from rolling his eyes. “Charon probably sent her to the cabin while he led Jason in the opposite direction.”
“Aye,” Broc said. “Jason and six droughs are in the woods. But…”
“But what?” Phelan ground out when Broc’s voice faded away.
Broc’s black eyes opened to stare at him. “Wallace isna heading toward Charon. He’s following another trail.”
“Laura,” Phelan whispered.
Ian clasped Phelan’s shoulder. “Get us in the woods.”
Phelan was all too happy to use the power of his god. It was a trick that had come in handy more times than he cared to admit.
The ability to alter someone’s perception of reality was easy enough to do, especially when all he had to do was hide the fact that he and the others were crossing the street.
He gave a nod to let everyone know it was time to get moving. They all crossed without any mishap, Phelan walking right behind a drough in the process.
Just when he was about to take the drough out, Ramsey caught his eye before Phelan could kill the Druid. Phelan knew they couldn’t risk being discovered, but if one less drough was out in the world, the better.
Once they were all safely in the woods, Phelan released his power. Now it was time to find Charon and Laura. And hopefully end Jason Wallace.
Charon knew the instant Jason decided to track Laura instead of him. Fear snaked down Charon’s spine as he used his unnatural speed to race through the forest toward Laura.
His legs pumped faster than ever before, while the question of why Wallace wanted Laura so desperately rolled through his mind.
Charon jumped down a cliff, landing on bent legs, before he leaped over a wide stream. He was close to the cabin, and the feel of drough magic was so thick, he was gaging with it.
When the cabin came into view, he almost sighed with relief since Jason wasn’t there. Yet.
Charon busted through the door of the cabin in time to see Laura whirl around. She flew into his arms, and he held her tightly, squeezing his eyes closed at the feel of her.
“I didn’t think you’d get here,” she said as she pulled away.
Charon pulled out of her arms to shut and bar the door even though he knew it wouldn’t keep Jason out. Then he slowly turned to face Laura. “It didna work. My plan. Jason followed you, no’ me.”
“Me?” she asked, confusion marring her face. “Why?”
“I suspect he wants to make me suffer. What better way than to do it to someone I care about.”
She leaned against a wall, dazed with the knowledge he shared. “What do we do?”
“We wait and hope Phelan has gotten ahold of the MacLeods.”
“And if he hasn’t?”
“Phelan willna let us down.”
She sighed loudly. “How long do you think it’ll take?”
Charon opened his mouth to answer when he felt the drough magic closing in. They were out of time.