“What will Adne do once you’re inside?” Shay asked. “Are you leaving her at the portal alone?”

Monroe nodded.

“What if she’s attacked?” Shay frowned. “Let me go with her. I’ll stay at the portal, just in case.”

“Not an option. Under no circumstances are you to join this fight, Shay.” Monroe’s jaw tightened, but he smiled grimly at his daughter. “And if the portal is hit, she can defend herself.”

Adne started, eyes widening. “Thank you.”

“I think I’m gonna cry,” Connor said, burying his face in Ethan’s shoulder.

“Oh, shove off,” Ethan growled, and readjusted the crossbow slung across his body. “We’re all probably going to die in an hour. Maybe less.”

“All the more reason to treasure every moment.” Connor pretended to wipe tears from his face.

“Adne, could I speak to you alone for a moment?” Monroe asked.

“No, no way.” She shook her head. “I’m not going to let you give me some sappy father-daughter speech because we might die. Just let me do my job.”

“That’s not—” Monroe began, but Adne turned her back on him.

“Connor.” Monroe watched Adne draw the skeans from her belt. He jerked his head away from our small group. “There’s something we need to discuss.”

Connor frowned but followed Monroe to a darkened corner in the space.

“Ah, yes.” Ethan grinned. “To the woodshed with you.”

Adne glanced over her shoulder at Shay. “You’re not going to try to jump through this door after I open it, are you? I’m wondering if I should make you take an oath.”

“You’d better not,” Ethan said. “We’ve been over this. I’m not risking my neck unless I know you’re safe here. In fact, why don’t you just go to bed?”

“I’ll go upstairs to watch Ansel after you leave,” Shay said, but I heard the faint rumble of a growl behind his words. “I’m not going to pretend that this isn’t happening.”

“Suit yourself.” Ethan shrugged. “If I were you, I’d sleep in.”

“He’s just the gentleman you’re not,” Adne said, throwing her arms around Shay and brushing her lips over his cheek. “Thank you for caring, Shay. We’ll be fine.”

Suddenly I was the one who wanted to growl.

“You’re damn right I’m no gentleman,” Ethan said. “If you grabbed me like that, I wouldn’t let you get away with just a kiss on the cheek.”

Shay scowled, rubbing his neck as a rosy blush washed over his skin while Adne giggled over his reaction.

My eyes settled on Connor and Monroe and stayedthere. I couldn’t make sense of what was happening, but both men were agitated. Monroe’s lips moved rapidly, and he had something in his hands. What were those? Envelopes? Connor paced back and forth beside Monroe, raking his hands through his hair and shaking his head. I peered at them, wondering what had transpired.

Finally, Monroe grabbed Connor’s shoulders, pressing the papers against the younger man’s chest. I saw Connor slump, as if he’d given a long sigh, defeated. He took the envelopes from Monroe’s hands and slipped them into his jacket pocket. Monroe squeezed Connor’s shoulder once before coming back toward us. I averted my gaze, still puzzled by what I’d just witnessed.

“She’s nearly there,” Ethan said as Monroe approached. I turned back to Adne, who leapt and spun in the ecstasy of weaving. Though I’d seen her open doors before, I was still astonished at the blazing patterns of light that swirled before her.

I started at a sudden presence beside me. Connor stood nearby, silently watching Adne weave. All traces of his mirth had vanished; his face was now pale, drawn with strain. I glanced at Monroe, again wondering what had taken place between the two men.

Blood roared in my ears as the other side of the shimmering portal came into focus. A dark alley edged by snowdrifts. In the distance I could just make out a streetlight casting a dull gleam on the shuttered businesses of downtown Vail.

Home.

NINETEEN

IT WAS COLD ON THE other side of the portal. Fresh winter air nipped at my skin. I took a deep breath, letting the icy wind pour down my throat. The resulting visceral shudder reached into my very bones, making me feel alive. I ached to run, to howl, to hunt. I watched my breath curl like smoke in front of my eyes.

I glanced behind me and saw Shay’s hazy image pacing before the open doorway. I wished I could reach out and reassure him in some way. When Monroe had given the order, I’d leapt through the portal without a backward glance, not wanting to show any doubts about our mission. Now I regretted not giving him something: a smile at least, or another kiss. I only felt worse when I realized Adne had been the last person to kiss him. She stood beside the portal, swords drawn and face serene as Connor and Ethan scouted the alley.

“Aren’t you worried someone will see the light?” I asked, gesturing to the shimmering portal.

“There aren’t any windows in this part of the alley,” Adne replied. “That’s why we chose it.”

Her words left me only a bit reassured. At least the door wasn’t as bright as it was during the weaving, but it was still noticeable, like the twinkling of Christmas lights. It was close enough to the holiday that I hoped we’d be lucky and anyone who saw it would assume that’s what it was.