Makaela and the others found solace inside the brightly lit food mart. A long line had formed at the register, making the already small space even more cramped. She was grateful for the abundance of bodies around her, though. If the Redfangs did make an appearance, they would've had a difficult time finding them.

They needed to get back on that bus.

But if the snow didn't let up soon, they would be sitting ducks inside.

"Maybe those were just regular wolf howls," Imogen said.

Remy shook his head. "No, those were definitely Redfangs. You can tell by the howl. It was the same ones we heard the day my mother-" His grip on the bag of chips in his hands tightened. They popped and all the chips fell to the ground. From the register, a man yelled at them.

"Sorry," Remy muttered.

"You're paying for those!"

"Yeah, yeah." Imogen waved them off. She grabbed another bag of barbecue-flavored chips off a shelf and tossed them to Remy. He gave her a speculative glance. "These are better anyways. No one likes sour cream and onion."

He glanced down at the bag, examining the colorful writing on the bag.

Makaela wasn't well-versed in the typical ordinaire cuisine. Xander had done most of the cooking in their household, occasionally helped by Remy. The two of them often prepared meals using recipes from their expansive library.

Her face fell.

She never thought she'd miss being cooped up inside the mansion. Now she wished she never left.

"I knew we should've stayed on the bus," Sebastian said as he folded his arms. His eyes were glued to the window, watching the snowy landscape outside. There wasn't any sign of the werewolves. Not yet. They wouldn't reveal themselves until they say a clear opening. The Redfangs might've been savages, but they were coordinated attackers as well. Makaela witnessed that firsthand.

"What do we do?" she asked.

"What can we do?" Sebastian huffed in exasperation. "We wait for the snow to stop so we can get back on the bus."

"But what if it doesn't stop? What if we're stuck here?"

"Then we're screwed."

Sebastian stomped off toward the drink aisle. Remy followed behind him like a lost puppy.

As his words echoed around inside her head, it felt like the fingers of death itself had wrapped around her. After all, it was only a matter of time. She absentmindedly rubbed the faint bruises on her throat. The last day and a half hadn't been kind to her. Yuri had almost killed her twice now-first in the forest when her spell tore through her arm and then on the train.

Had it not been for Imogen, she would've died.

She glanced at the girl.

Surprisingly, she had taken everything relatively well. As well as she could've expected, anyway. As she studied the ordinaire, Makaela couldn't help but wonder why she was so eager to join them on their journey.

So, she decided to pose the girl a question.

"Won't your family be looking for you?" she asked. "I mean, it's going to take us a few days to get to Las Vegas. And how're you going to get back? Bringing you along might've been a mistake-"

"You don't have to worry about that," Imogen interrupted. She pursed her lips. "My family won't miss me. My dad didn't even know I was in town to visit him."

"You don't live with him?"

She shook her head. "I'm from Toronto. It's where my mother lived before she died."

Makaela cursed herself internally. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"How could you?" Imogen shrugged. "It was a while ago."

An awkward silence passed between the two girls. Against her better judgment, Makaela decided to ask the ordinaire another question.

"How did she die?"

Imogen tensed. "I'd..." She cleared her throat before half-turning away. "I'd rather not."

Makaela quickly apologized. If Imogen didn't live with her father and her mother was dead, who was taking care of her? The girl couldn't have been more than eighteen. Maybe nineteen? There was no way to tell without asking, but she had a feeling Imogen wasn't in the mood to answer anything else. Makaela spun a coil of her hair around her finger as she tried to think of a way to ease the tension. Parents were a touchy subject for her as well.

"My mother is dead too," she blurted out.

"Oh," is all that Imogen said.

Makaela shuffled her feet, her hands delving into her pockets. Her dark cheeks flushed, but she continued anyway. "She was murdered. My father, too. The people who are chasing us killed them years ago."

Imogen nodded. She actually looked like she understood. "I didn't think we'd have so much in common."

"Me neither."

The two of them shared a smile before Sebastian and Remy returned.

"Look at this cool drink," Remy announced, shoving an aluminum can into Makaela's face. An acrid smell rose from the open can. A bright green liquid sloshed around inside.

"What in Lumi's name is that?"

"I told him not to open it," Sebastian said with a shrug. "We didn't even pay for it yet."

Remy took another sip. "It tastes kinda weird, but I feel amazing." He flexed his non-existent muscles. Then he frowned. "My head kinda feels funny, though."

Makaela looked to Imogen for an explanation. The girl was too busy stifling her laughs.

"It's an energy drink," she eventually said between giggles. "I've downed a couple of those before. He'll be hyper for a while."

Great. A hyper Remy was a sight no one should've had to witness.

The group camped out inside the convenience store for another half hour. Outside, the snow was just starting to let up. They would be able to get back on the bus soon. Makaela's taut muscles, riddled with tension and worry, finally relaxed a bit. A few moments later, the snow-covered bus driver entered the shop. Their nose and ears were red from the cold.

Panting, they got everyone's attention.

"Good news, everyone," they began. "We should be able to hit the road again soon. Sorry again for the inconvenience. We should arrive at Chicago Union Station in another four hours."

Makaela groaned. They had already spent a large chunk of the day driving. She wasn't looking forward to another four hours. Sighing, she stood up and joined the others at the door. As the crowd moved towards the bus, she spotted something out the corner of her eye.

A chill ran down her rigid spine.

Multiple sets of red eyes shone through the snowy haze across the street from the gas station. People stopped and stared, pulling out their phones to take pictures of the phenomenon. The bus driver urged people to get onto the bus.

"They won't hurt us," the driver promised the passengers. "Wolves are more afraid of us than we are of them."

Normal wolves were. But not these.

Redfangs weren't afraid of anything.

"Let's go," Sebastian said through gritted teeth.

His feet dragged through the thick snow covering the ground. Makaela could barely get her feet up as well. Every step sapped a large amount of her already low energy. Even Imogen and Remy were struggling to navigate through the snow.

All of the ordinaires had made it back onto the bus now. The bus driver stood on the other side of the vehicle with a phone pressed to their ear. Through the windows, Makaela could see no one was looking their way.

The red eyes grew closer. Soon, she could make out the silhouettes of the wolves encroaching.

Her footsteps faltered.

"Why'd you stop?" Sebastian said as he pushed past her. "We need to go."

She pointed a trembling finger up ahead. One of the wolves was stalking toward the bus. Their attention wasn't on her or any of her companions. No, they were headed straight for the bus driver. Her face paled. The hairs on her neck rose as the wolf let out a low growl.

It was in full view now. Snow was matted to its pitch-black fur. A red mark-almost resembling a fang-marked the space between their eyes. Its teeth were bared as it approached the bus driver.

The driver was too engrossed in his phone call to notice, his back turned to the creature behind them.

Makaela grabbed onto Sebastian's arm, her eyes wide. "We have to do something."

He clenched his jaw before cursing loudly over the wind whipping around them. While the blizzard had stopped, rapid gales had begun to pick up the snow, swirling it around into thick clouds. The wolves used the clouds for cover as they got closer. With the one preparing to pounce on the bus driver, another three crossed the street and set their crimson gazes on Makaela and her companions.

She gulped.

"I'll help the driver," Sebastian told her. "You need to get on that bus."

"What about you?" She shook her head before he could even reply. "No, I'm not leaving you out here."

"What do we do then?"

She glanced at Remy. Then at Imogen. Her brain stitched an idea together.

"I'm about to ask you two to do something incredibly dangerous."

They shared a look of apprehension.

"What do you need me to do?" Imogen stepped forward, her features tight with determination. Her courage was a pleasant surprise. So far, she was proving herself to be a useful addition to their makeshift team.

Makaela quickly explained the plan to them. It was a long shot, but they didn't have any time to waste. Not only did they need to make it back onto that bus, but they needed to save the driver before they got mauled to death.

Sebastian's face was full of doubt. "I hope this works."

"It will." She exhaled. "Let's go."

Remy and Imogen sprung into action first. They both ran away from the bus, drawing a few of the wolves with them. As they ran through the snow, Remy threw bolts of light at the creatures snapping at their heels. It was enough to keep them at bay for the time being.

There was one Redfang left-the one on the driver. Sebastian sprinted toward it, his vayrir raised as he prepared to throw it. Before the wolf could pounce, the boy's blade pierced its ribcage. Whimpering like a hit dog, it fell on its side. Bright red blood stained the white snow.

The driver spun around. Their hand trembled so hard that they dropped their phone.

"What the-"

Sebastian brought a finger to his lips. "Get back on the bus. Now."

Nodding, the driver picked up their phone and scrambled back onto the vehicle. Seconds later, the engine rumbled to life.

Makaela searched for Imogen and Remy. They had been pushed back toward the convenience store. The latter continued to throw attacks at the wolves, but they were nothing more than annoying distractions. Imogen kicked out, her boot catching a Redfang in the face.

Summoning her sword, Makaela charged into battle. The pain in her arm flared as she ran, but she did her best to ignore it. She could worry about her shoulder later. Her cousin was in trouble.

Putting herself between the wolves and her friends, she pointed her bronze blade at them. Sebastian arrived at her side with his casting hand raised. The ring on his hand lit up for a brief moment. The wolves caught sight of the Obscurio. Dipping their heads, they backed away slowly. One by one, they disappeared into the snowy fog. Their red eyes eventually disappeared.

Makaela gawked at Sebastian. "How did you do that?"

Sebastian stared at his ring, eyebrows lifted in surprise. "No clue."

Remy wrapped the boy into a tight hug, planting a kiss on his cheek before letting him go. "You totally saved us, Sebby! I owe you one, big time."

"Stop calling me that," Sebastian said while wiping his cheek. "Let's just get out of here before they come back."

As they walked toward the bus, Makaela couldn't help but notice the cheeky grin on Imogen's face. What could she possibly be smiling about? They almost got ambushed by a pack of Redfangs.

"I can't believe I just kicked a Redfang," she whispered, mostly to herself.

Makaela laughed. "If you're going to be rolling with us, you better get used to it."

Imogen nodded. "Looking forward to it, partner."

She smiled.

Huh. Maybe she isn't so bad after all.

But as they stepped onto the bus, she noticed the way Imogen was looking at Sebastian. As the boy made it toward his seat, the ordinaire tugged on Makaela's elbow. She shot her a sideways glance.

"What?"

"Is he your boyfriend?"

Had her complexion been lighter, her face would've been redder than a stoplight. Fortunately, Imogen couldn't see her embarrassment.

"Does it matter?"

Imogen held her hands up. "It's just a question."

Clenching her jaw, she shook her head. The ordinaire's eyes lit up.

"Good to know." She patted Makaela on the arm. "You mind if I sit with him this time around? Your cousin is great and all, but he's kind of annoying."

Not only was she trying to steal Sebastian, but she had also insulted Remy.

Makaela's hands balled into fists. Faking a smile, she gestured toward the back of the bus. "Be my guest."

"Sweet."

She glared at the girl as she walked toward Sebastian. Shaking her head, she joined Remy near the middle of the bus.

"What was that about?" he asked her.

"Don't worry about it."

Closing her eyes, she attempted to calm herself down enough to take another nap.

❁

Makaela's second nap of the day was much less eventful than the first. No dreams. Not a single one. She was grateful for the peaceful sleep, even if it only lasted a few hours. At least her shoulder didn't ache as much as before. But as she pressed her fingers beneath her shirt, she realized her bandage could've used replacing.

Luckily, the bus had finished its journey to Chicago. They were pulling into the station.

However, their journey was just beginning. They still had to find a way to Las Vegas, and then to Hodvekt. As she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, she considered Sebastian's plan.

They were banking a lot on his acquaintance to have a jumpkey. If there was no jumpkey, they would be out of luck. They had no backup plan, no fail-safe. Everything hung on this Jasper Blackwell person having a jumpkey in their possession. Such objects weren't common, even amongst magicians. It took either a lot of money or crafting to acquire such a tool.

Sebastian had been right about one thing, though. If anyone would have a jumpkey, it would be the leader of a magical crime syndicate.

"Oh, good, you're awake. Look at what I found" Remy showed her the magazine he was reading. It was chock-full of shirtless models, most of them men. "I've gotta admit, the ordinaires now how to make some good content."

Chuckling, she shook her head. "Yeah, okay." While he gushed over the magazine, she turned in her chair to steal a look at Sebastian and Imogen. Just as she suspected, the ordinaire was cozied up with the black-haired boy, her hand lightly touching his arm now and then as they talked.

She bit down so hard she nearly shattered her teeth.

"You alright, Kae?" Remy asked. "You look like you want to murder someone."

I do.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She kept her eyes on them, trying to read their lips. It turned out she was horrible at it.

Though, Sebastian didn't seem to be very interested in their conversation. He barely spoke and would only give Imogen one-word answers whenever he did. Makaela grinned before turning back around.

"Someone's got a crush."

She scowled at her cousin and hit him upside the head. "I do not."

"Oh, please." He rubbed his head. "Also, ow!"

"Sorry." She crossed her arms and dropped her gaze. Was it that obvious?

"Your secret's safe with me," her cousin said. "But you'd better make your move on him soon. It seems like our new friend has him in her sights."

Makaela snorted. "I've got more important things to do. You know, like trying to stay alive and make it to Hodvekt."

Remy shrugged. "It was just a bit of advice. Take it or leave it."

"Since when did you get so wise?"

"Always have been."

He winked at her. Or, at least, he attempted to. It looked more like he was trying to get something out of his eye. Laughing, she wrapped an arm around him and ruffled his curly hair. For a brief, fleeting moment, things felt normal. She almost forgot that Xander had been killed, that Uncle Olivier was captured-or dead.

She truly didn't know what his fate was.

That moment ended once the bus driver announced they had arrived at their destination.

It was time to get back to business.

Makaela headed to the back of the bus to grab her bag.

"Don't forget this," Sebastian said while handing her the golden case holding the Illumio.

She froze. How could she have forgotten she left it on the seat? Had she left it behind on the bus, that would've been the biggest blunder of the century. Trying to mask her embarrassment, she smiled and took the box.

"I didn't forget."

"Sure you didn't."

She cut her eyes to Imogen. The ordinaire was too busy fiddling with a pocketknife she freed from a tiny pocket in her combat boots.

"You had that the whole time?" Makaela asked.

Imogen nodded. "Wasn't going to do much against a pack of werewolves, though." She twirled it around in her fingers before gripping the leather handle. "Was my dad's. It's cool, I guess."

Makaela didn't care.

"Come on," she said, shouldering her bag and headed to the exit of the bus. "Let's see if we can find another bus to Las Vegas."

Sebastian stood up and walked behind her. As she walked, she felt his hand on the small of her back. Eyebrow arched, she peered at him over her shoulder. Then she smiled coyly after seeing Imogen's jealous face following after them. Of course, the boy was oblivious to the entire thing.

Maybe Remy was right. If she didn't make her move on him, Imogen certainly would. Now wasn't the best time for that sort of thing, though. Not to mention she had never been in a single romantic situation in her entire life. Being locked away inside a mansion with her cousin, uncle, and an eccentric old man didn't leave her with many options. It didn't leave her with any. Even if she wanted to try and seduce Sebastian, she wouldn't know where to start.

Sighing, she forced the notion to the back of her mind.

The group made their way through the Chicago bus station and searched for another ride to the southwest of America.

"What're we going to Vegas for again?" Imogen asked while they searched the electronic boards stationed throughout the terminal. "I don't think you ever told me."

"A friend of mine can help us get to Hodvekt," Sebastian told her. "I've got no clue where it is if I'm being honest. All I know is it's in the forests of Washington state. If we get a jumpkey, we can get it programmed to take us straight there."

"And what's a jumpkey? Sounds like a drug."

Makaela rolled her eyes. Explaining everything to her was starting to become tedious.

"It's not a drug," she said shortly.

"Jumpkeys are how certain magicians travel long distances if they can't get access to a portal," Remy said. He bounced on his heels, still hyperactive from the energy drink he downed a few hours before. "I've always wanted to use one. I read this one book that said anything can be charmed into a jumpkey with enough effort and skill. If I had the chance, I'd make a random doorhandle one and pull pranks on people."

Everyone stared at him incredulously.

"Sometimes I worry about you," Makaela said.

He simply shrugged.

"Anyways," Sebastian continued, "my friend, Jasper, should have one. We'll use it to jump to Hodvekt."

"And what if he doesn't."

"Doesn't what?"

She rolled her eyes. "Have a jump...whatever."

Sebastian huffed. "Trust me. If anyone is going to have a jumpkey, it'd be Jasper." He grinned. "Besides, he owes me a favor. Trust me, this is going to work."

"If you say so," Imogen said. "It's a little silly to be putting all your eggs in one basket without confirming first. Can't you call the guy and make sure?"

Remy's brows knitted together. "Eggs? There's no basket-"

Makaela fac-palmed. "It's an ordinaire expression, Remy."

"Pfft. I knew that."

She offered Imogen an apologetic glance. "Excuse him. He sometimes takes things too literally. Lack of social experience and whatnot."

The girl arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"We grew up in isolation for most of our lives. I'm afraid it's made us a little..."

"Socially inept?" Remy suggested.

"That's not exactly the term I'd use, but sure."

"Good to know," Imogen said. She pointed at one of the glowing lines on the board they stood in front of. "Says here another bus leaves for Nevada in an hour."

Makaela blinked. "Nevada?"

Imogen chuckled. "It's the state Las Vegas is in."

She rubbed her temples. States, countries, cities. It was all too much for her. Magicians kept things rather simple in that regard. Then again, they weren't the masters of the world anymore.

"Well, we've got some downtime then," Sebastian said. "What should we do?"

Imogen grinned. "Let's play a game."

"What kind of game?"

"Nothing too crazy," the girl said. "I'd like to get to know you guys a little better. We're a team now, right?"

Sebastian shifted his feet. "I suppose."

"Great." Imogen beamed at him. Makaela scowled. "It's called truth or truth. I'll ask the first question." She turned to Sebastian. "What's the story behind those robed weirdos and your psycho dad trying to kill you?"

He scratched the top of his head. "It's complicated. There's a prophecy, these seven artifacts- It's a lot to explain."

"Give me cliff notes version then."

Sighing, he obliged. He told the girl a condensed version of their story thus far, including his defection from the Order of the Black Lotus. As he spoke, Makaela noticed the hurt in his voice as he spoke about betraying them. He might've been on her side now, but he had once been one of them. Nothing would ever change that. Dark magic ran in his very veins.

"Interesting," Imogen said. She took a seat on a nearby bench. "Jeez, your lives are crazy."

"That's magicians for you," Remy quipped. "Everything about is crazy."

"I'll go next!" Makaela chirped. She narrowed her eyes at Imogen. "What's your story? We don't know anything about you." All she knew was the girl's name and that her mother died a few years ago. The little bit of common ground they established back in the convenience store had crumbled away.

"Fair enough." Imogen stared down at her shoes. "You really want to know?"

Makaela nodded, a hint of a smirk on her lips. By the look on the ordinaires face, it must've been a rather unpleasant story. Maybe it would be enough to make Sebastian completely uninterested in her.

"Fine." Imogen took a deep breath, then let it go. "I'm originally from Toronto, like I said earlier. After my mom died, I kinda went off the rails. I stole some stuff, hung around some bad people, did drugs." She rolled up her sleeves and held out her arms, which were riddled with small scars. A sad smile pulled down the corners of her lips. "I had a mental breakdown. Went absolutely batshit. My dad had to call the cops. I got admitted to a psych ward that day. After a few months, my dad moved back to Montreal to be with his family. I guess he gave up on me. Who knows? I try not to think about it."

Makaela felt herself going numb as she heard the girl tell her story.

"I was in that hell hole for two years," she said with a dry laugh. "Two years around all of those lunatics. Can you believe that? Had I spent another day in there, I would've started to believe I actually belonged there. Anyways, I saw my opportunity to sneak out and I took it. Got on the first train to Montreal to see my old man. He didn't even know I was coming. Then that's when I met you guys at the subway station." She gestured around herself. "And now I'm here, fighting magicians and werewolves. And they thought I was crazy."

Makaela didn't think she was crazy. Not in the slightest.

Sebastian stood off to the side with his hands in his pockets and his chin pointed at the ground.

"Wow," Remy said. "Looks like we've all got tragic backstories."

Imogen motioned for him to elaborate.

"Our entire bloodline has pretty much been destroyed," Remy said. "Me and Makaela...were the only lightweavers left. Our entire house...murdered by the Order. My mom too. Pretty sure my dad was killed too."

Makaela shook her head. It killed her to hear him say that. "He's not dead. We're going to get him back."

He nodded before apologizing. Then he turned to Sebastian. "Your mom went missing, right?"

"Watch it, kid," Sebastian warned.

Remy gulped before continuing. "Basically, what I'm trying to say is we've all lost someone."

Makaela frowned. "Was that supposed to make us feel better?"

"If so," Sebastian started, "then mission failed."

"Yeah, I'm not sure I want to play this game anymore," Imogen said.

Remy shrugged. "Well, I tried." He took a seat next to Imogen. Sighing, he stared up at the ceiling. Then he tapped the girl on the shoulder, grinning as he did so. "Hey, you got any more of those chips?"