Anomaly (Causal Enchantment) by K.A. Tucker

continued to help us.
    “Great. We ’ll grab it.” Caden swiftly led me out of the mine by the hand. “Which direction?”
    “I ’m coming,” Julian called out, echoed by Veronique seconds later.
    “No, ” I threw out quickly, turning to meet their gazes. “I need to talk to Caden alone.”
    W e stepped out into the fresh, cool night. “The truck’s that way.” I pointed north.
    Caden took off , glancing over his shoulder once with a teasing smile. I took the bait, running after him, never able to catch up but thrilled to see his strong, lean frame move swiftly through the thicket, dodging trees and branches, practically gliding over the deep snow banks.
    I managed to only take one small tree down.
    By the time I made it to the truck, he was in the driver’s side, inspecting the smear of blood on the now-deflated air bags.
    “See? Perfect again .” I wriggled my nose for effect.
    A glimmer of movement, and then he was standing in front of me, head bowed to lay a soft peck on my nose. When I was human, Caden always surprised me, sending shivers through my body when he would suddenly appear, his movements too quick for my mortal eyes. It would be so much more difficult for him to catch me off guard, but it wasn’t any less thrilling.
    “Yes, it is.” He pulled me against his body as his mouth found mine.
    “Won’t it be nice when we don’t have to run anymore? We can just do this for hours,” I whispered between kisses.
    “Days,” he corrected as his tongue slid against my bottom lip.
    “Years.” I deepened the kiss, my fingers winding through his thick hair.
    And that’s when h is phone rang. Caden broke off with a groan and, sliding the phone out of his pocket, he answered. It was Lilly’s voice on the other end, but her words were clipped and low.
    “Where are you?” Caden asked. A moment later, “Have you found her?” His frown told me that whoever “she” was, was still missing, a prospect that instantly wrenched my nerves. “I’m on my way. I’ll meet you at the rendezvous point. I’m going to leave my phone here, for Evie. Hers is gone. Keep trying, Lilly.”
    “Who’s missing?” I asked as Caden tucked his phone into my coat pocket.
    H is arms around me, his mouth pressed against my forehead, he whispered, “Amelie.”
    Alarm sparked. I pulled away to look at him. “What do you mean! Where is she?”
    “I don’t know. She went after some fledglings one minute and the next … gone. Probably got caught up in the chase. I’m hoping that’s all it is.” He bowed his head, his eyes squeezing shut for a long moment. Caden and Amelie were closer than any siblings I’d ever met, each willing to sacrifice everything for the other.
    “And …” Serious eyes opened to settle on me. “Galen’s dead.”
    My mouth hung open. “ Dead? But … how? The fledglings?”
    Caden nodded.
    “But I thought they were easy to kill . Sitting ducks! Baby chicks!” I threw out the analogies I’d heard in the past. If the fledglings could kill someone as battle-hardened as Galen, then …
    A lump formed in my throat. “Let me come with you. I can help find her.”
    Caden’s head was shaking before I even finished. “No. I can’t be worrying about you out there. You’re safe here, with Julian and the others.”
    My hands flew to my mouth with a gasp. “Oh my God, Julian!” What would happen when he found out?
    “Do not tell him. ” Caden’s hands cupped my cheeks as he leveled me with a stern stare. “I mean it, Evie. Don’t say a word. He will go nuts.”
    “ Okay.” I hoped Julian didn’t bring her up again. I was a terrible liar. Leo, Viggo’s old butler, used to say I was allergic to holding a secret. I guess I didn’t have a choice. Caden was right. “But you’re going to find her, right?” Another thought hit me. “What about Lilly and the missiles? What if—”
    “We’ll find her before sunrise. We will.” His jaw tightened.
    “We have to, ” I urged.
    Caden