We would take turns in Slipjoint Forest with Sasha while we each did our parts. This was what terrified me the most. Not the fire that Archer and Grady would start, not entering the brothel by myself to search for Jade and Lee, not even Ronin's rescue. Just Sasha all alone with me. If something happened to her...I would never forgive myself. Not after everything she and her guardians had been through. Just the idea made me feel sick and shaky.
While Archer and Grady prepared to leave the next morning, I could barely lace up my boots. We couldn't fail tonight. There was too much at risk. My fingers trembled as I tried to tie my scarf around my eyes, and I had trouble bending them since they were already numb with cold. Grady had long since put our fire out.
When I'd protested, he'd said, "You're going to be cold all day anyway. What's a little longer? Besides, it'll put hair on your chest."
I hadn't thought that was amusing, especially coming from a wolf shifter.