Page 20 of Call of A Eagle

“Just stay put,” he ordered, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument.

Thoughts of Granny filled my head and worry for her overpowered any desire to follow his instructions.

I popped the door open and slid out, my owl stirring uneasily within me. She could sense the same wrongness in the air as Waylen had.

“Lyra, don’t—” he insisted, his voice sharp.

Ignoring his protest, I headed past him toward the cabin. Every step felt heavy as my mind raced, fearing the worst—something was wrong with Granny.

“Lyra, stop!” Waylen caught up to me in a few quick strides, his hand closing around my arm and forcing me to a standstill. “I’m serious—something’s not right. You need to get back in the truck.”

“I can’t,” I said. “I need to check on my grandmother.”

“She’s inside. I’ll check on her, but you need to go back to the truck.” His eyes softened, filling with concern for me that I didn’t understand. Did he know what was going on here? What the strange dark coldness was that had overcome the place? “Please.”

I hesitated, torn between the need to check on Granny and the urgency in Waylen’s voice.

In the end, my stubbornness won out.

“I can’t. I need to see that she’s okay,” I said, pulling my arm free from his grasp and rushing toward the cabin.

Please be okay.

Waylen didn’t argue. Instead, he closed the gap between us, until he was right at my side. The sense of unease twisting in my gut grew the closer I drew to the cabin. Something was terribly wrong here—I could feel it in my bones.

The air felt cooler, heavier, thicker—suffocating.

I held my breath as we neared the front door. Waylen froze, reaching out for my arm. I looked at him, wondering what he’d picked up on. His eyes scanned the surrounding area, sharp and alert. Every muscle in him seemed coiled tight, causing my heart to hammer inside my chest.

“Stay behind me,” he ground out.

I nodded, even though he wasn’t looking at me.

He stepped forward and opened the door. My heart leaped into my throat. Granny stood in the living room—her eyes glazed over—with a man I didn’t recognize standing behind her.

“Granny?” I whispered, stepping forward despite Waylen’s warning to stay behind him.

She didn’t respond, but the man behind her smirked.

“Who are you?” I demanded, my voice trembling while my owl rushed forward. “What did you do to my grandmother?”

The man’s eyes glinted with dark amusement, sickening me to my core. “Ask Waylen. He can tell you all you need to know,” he replied, his tone chilling.

I turned to Waylen, confusion and fear twisting inside me. I knew he’d been hiding something.

I knew it.

8

WAYLEN

My eagle was on high alert, every muscle in my body tensed, ready to spring into action. But I couldn’t just attack—not with Lyra and Alma so close. I had to think, to strategize, and to find a way to protect them without anyone getting hurt.

Xander stood there, his eyes gleaming with that familiar, terrifying cold darkness Dean and Astrid had mentioned. My eagle went wild. His urge to break free and fight Xander—to tear into him—was almost unbearable. But I couldn’t give in, not yet. I needed to keep a clear head.

Damn it, how did I let it get this far?

I should have told Lyra and Alma the truth about everything from the start. About why I was really here, about who I was looking for, and about the danger that I should have known would inevitably follow me. I’d been so focused on keeping my secrets that I’d put them both in danger.