Chapter Nine
WINNIE COULDN’T SHAKE Mattox’s threat as she walked through the forest, doing her best to stop her shaking. She knew he meant everything he said, too, which made it even that much worse. She saw what he could do a couple of years ago, and she never wanted to see that again. Deran might think working with Mattox was worth the risk, but she knew better. When you skated close to the flames, sooner or later you’re destined to fall into the fire. She didn’t intend on getting burned; she just needed to figure a way out before she was engulfed in whatever the other two had planned.
The wind rustled the branches of the trees around her, pulling at her red hair as she touched the bark of the cypress as she passed it. She reached out with her senses, touching the essence of the tree a
