Page 65 of Shadow

“No,” I said, the frustration heavy, almost a growl in that one word.

She nodded; her expression resigned. “I didn’t think so,” she admitted, then offered a faint smile. “But thank you for this.” Her gaze dropped briefly to the blanket and the bag that once held our lunch before meeting mine again.

“We need to leave,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended.The wrong time, the right place. Maybe someday.But even I knew better than to plan for a future that might never come.

We gathered our things quickly, the silence between us heavy with unspoken thoughts.

The hike back up was steep, and the effort forced us both into our own heads.

When the incline grew sharpest, I guided Marinah to hold onto my belt. Her breathing was heavy by the time we reachedthe top, but she didn’t complain. Her training had clearly paid off.

I scanned the area instinctively, a strange feeling twisting in my gut. The bike hadn’t moved, yet something about the space felt wrong. Disturbed somehow.

Beast rumbled insistently, a warning vibrating through my body. My eyes swept the area again, sharper this time, and when Marinah started to speak, I held up a hand to silence her.

“We need to get out of here,” I said urgently.

Whatever was coming, it was close.

“Okay,” she replied uneasily as she followed me to the bike. I quickly stowed the bag and blanket, swinging my leg over the seat. Marinah climbed on swiftly, her hands gripping my waist as I started the engine.

The sharp crack of gunfire shattered the moment.

Pain exploded low in my shoulder, radiating through my chest like I’d been struck with a sledgehammer. The bullet might have caught my lung, but there was no time to assess.

“Are you hit?” I demanded.

“No,” she said loudly to be heard over the sound of the engine.

“Hold on!” I barked, revving the engine and turning us away from the direction of the shot. Another pop rang out, this one mercifully missing.

The road ahead was a death trap. I couldn’t risk it. Instead, I veered toward the cliffs, guiding the bike downhill at a reckless pace.

“You’re hit! There’s blood on the back of your shirt!” Marinah’s panicked cry cut through the roar of the engine as the bike jostled violently over rocks.

“I’m getting us out of here. Don’t let go!” I shouted back, the urgency in my voice leaving no room for argument. My shoulder throbbed, but I shoved the pain aside.

Beast absorbed most of it, his instincts surging as he attempted to pump K-5 into my system to force a shift.

Not now,I growled internally, fighting him off. I needed a clear head, not raw power, and though he grumbled, Beast relented.

The bike bucked as we hit a larger rock, and I forced it steady, my legs kicking off the terrain to guide the tires. The path was treacherous, but it was better than being a sitting target.

We launched over the last boulder and landed on sand, the tires skidding and slowing.

I steered closer to the cliffs, where the loose, dry sand provided cover. It was harder to maneuver, but it kept us hidden from whoever was above.

“Keep your feet up!” I warned, wrestling the bike as it lost traction. My arms burned, my grip relentless as I fought to keep us upright and pick up speed again.

Marinah’s worried voice sounded close to my ear. “We need to use the scarf to slow the bleeding.”

She was right. It was still wrapped around her hair. She had tied it securely before we started the climb. I gritted my teeth against the growing pain.

“No time,” I managed, focusing on the path ahead. Every second counted, and I needed to keep us moving if we were going to survive. “We’ll have more than one bullet hole if I don’t get us out of here,” I grit out, keeping my focus on the uneven terrain ahead.

Marinah didn’t respond, her silence tense as we put distance between us and whoever had fired the shot. I kept the bike hugging the cliffs for thirty minutes, the shelter of rocks our best defense. When I finally veered toward wetter sand, the tires gripped better, and we gained much-needed speed.

But the dizziness was creeping in, a growing pressure behind my eyes. The whooshing sound in my ears grew louder,a warning I couldn’t ignore. I needed to shift. My body was demanding it, but shifting now would put Marinah in even greater danger.

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