Shadowstone Academy, Book 3: Sacred Stone Squad: A Young Adult Urban Fantasy Academy Novel by Barbara Hartzler

Author:Barbara Hartzler [Hartzler, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Barbara Hartzler
Published: 2022-07-19T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

PAIGE

I RACED down the street, backpack clanging against my shoulders. Tony and Laura were also running on the opposite side of the street.

Two of the bodyguards split off and started chasing my friends. Relief zinged through my chest.

Part of me warmed at my friends’ attempt to distract Maxwell’s minions. But they’d hear about this breach of protocol later.

That left one of Maxwell’s bodyguards chasing each of us. At least we had a level playing field.

Panic sizzled through my veins, and my lungs seized up.

“Breathe, just breathe,” I puffed to myself, legs churning as I dodged passersby. “Remember the plan.”

The pressure in my chest eased up with every yard I gained on the slow, muscle-bound goons.

I glanced at my watch. I had a destination, and I needed to get there in the next two minutes if we had any shot of losing these guys. So I kicked it into high gear, my legs finding a new speed.

Wind whipped at my face as I glanced back just in time to catch a glimpse of a figure with a build that resembled Eric’s racing out of the coffee shop. But I didn’t have time to keep looking back.

So I whispered a silent prayer. “Angel, get him safely to the rendezvous point. Please.”

A warm breeze blasted me in the face. I had my not-so-subtle answer and an extra dose of reassurance that filled me with a new burst of energy.

I pumped my legs faster, dancing around more pedestrians, and zipped through the intersection right as the walk sign blinked off.

Laura and Tony raced up to me, panting as heavily as I was. All three of the goons were across the street, glowering at us, their faces glistening in sweat—looking about as spent as I felt.

But we didn’t have time to stand there and gloat. We raced another block or two to an even busier downtown section, full of parents with kids who had just gotten out of school. We wove our way through the families and around the unpredictable toddlers, hopping on the light rail just as the goons finally came into view again.

Laura and I grabbed seats nearest to the exit while Tony stood and gripped the handrail overhead.

“We aren’t safe yet.” Tony’s eyes were glued to the window, his fedora long gone by now. The light rail car rumbled down the street and turned a corner. “They got on the next tram.”

Laura reached out and patted his free hand. “Don’t worry. We’ll be safe soon. Rest up while you can.”

Glancing up at him, she inhaled a deep breath and exhaled slowly. His dark eyes met her piercing green orbs, and his lungs rose and fell, matching her breathing.

“Thanks, I needed that,” he whispered, squeezing her hand.

Laura leaned close to my ear, her voice low. “Boys. They worry so much about keeping us safe. But when you’ve lost someone close to you, like we both have, the fear becomes even more real.”

I reached out and squeezed her hand. “I’m glad you guys have each other.

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