Strings of Fate by Kit Bryan
Chapter 193

Strings of Fate 

193- Passing and palms 

Anyone who believes that using a tracking spell is easy would be very wrong. Not that the spell isn’t doing it’s job, it is. I can pretty constantly feel a prickling sensation in my fingers when we’re going the right way. The problem is that I can’t seem to keep us on track. At first going north was helping, I could feel the sensation in my fingertips getting stronger, then all of a sudden it was going away. The road that we were driving down which I THOUGHT was going straight north must have a subtle curve to it somewhere because we’re all of a sudden getting further away, even though we haven’t turned at all. At least not intentionally. We try all sorts of tricks to keep on track. The one that seems to work the best is pausing at every intersection and letting me choose which turn to take. But even that has problems. If the place I’m aiming for is directly between two roads for example, then no matter which one I choose we still end up going the wrong way. By mid afternoon we pause for a break at Maggie’s to eat and stretch our legs. I’m starting to feel very frustrated with our lack of progress. I mean, we have figured out a little. Aaron pulled out a map about two hours ago and he seems to be tracking our progress with little arrows and crosses. A cross when I conclude that a road is taking us further away, and an arrow pointing the way that I chose. He is slowly eliminating options, it’s working but it’s slow progress. It’s sort of like trying to find a needle in a haystack by picking up each individual piece of hay, looking it over then putting it to the side when it’s wrong. Sure, eventually you’ll run out of hay, and if you’re lucky it won’t be the last piece in the pile, but it is slow. Very slow. 

By the time it starts to get dark I am getting cranky and tired. My head hurts, my shoulder hurts from holding my hand up so much and my actual hand is feeling really stiff. My whole palm is still numb and the prickling in my fingers is almost painful in comparison. Not that I’m complaining about it. I suspect that Bellamy would get upset if he realised how uncomfortable 1 am and there’s nothing much he can do about it anyway. So I power through and do my best not to rub at my hand. I am starting to get anxious that this spell is going to wear off before I can find Kiara. I forgot to ask Cam how long it’s meant to last for. I get Megan to shoot Cam a text message to ask since I’m giving directions and Bellamy is driving. They assure me that the spell won’t wear off as long as I intend to keep it working. Once I am no longer looking for Kiara it will automatically end. It is my own intent and desire to find her that is powering the spell. Well that’s a relief at least. 

My frustration hits an all time high when we come to an intersection and I say to go left. Bellamy turns but Aaron 

raises an eyebrow and shows me the map. 

“Wait what? You’ve already marked this way as wrong. How can it be wrong? Unless I messed up, but I don’t see how that could be the case, either I feel something or I don’t. There’s no inbetween, no space for confusion.” I realise that my tone is very angry and I take a few deep breaths to try and calm myself. It’s not Aaron’s fault and I shouldn’t take it out on him. Megan is the one to answer me, but she sounds wary, like she doesn’t want to give me the answer. 

“Well… there’s a simple solution to that, Ry. If the direction has changed, it is probably because her location has changed. Someone has moved her.” She points out. I let my head thump back into the seat. It’s so obvious and she must be right. But it’s also the worst news. As far as I can tell, the only time that Kiara has been moved has been when the psychos wanted to commit a murder. I was hoping that they would stop with Cheryl in custody, I mean half the team is missing, that has to increase the associated risk. The remaining partner would need to control Kiara AND commit the murder. Unless, what if she has realised we’re coming? Would she run? Take Kiara with her? Or would she try to get rid of Kiara? It can’t be easy laying low when you have a kid with you. Not to mention Klara hasn’t been exactly presentable whenever I checkin on her. No one could walk down the street with that little girl and blend in. If I saw someone walking down the street with a child who looked like that I would probably call the police or something. No, if the psycho was running away, I doubt that she would take Kiara. So if Kiara has been moved then it’s most likely because there is another murder planned. 

“Stop here please.” I tell Bellamy. I need to check on Kiara, maybe she can tell me something useful if she’s outside. Something that will help me narrow this down. There is no point in driving around aimlessly in the meantime. In the 

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193- Passing and palms 

light from the car headlights, the street looks especially quict and empty. I can tell that there is a slight breeze from the swaying tree branches and everything is very peaceful compared to the turmoil raging inside of me. Two other cars of Shifters pull up behind us and I can head Darrien speaking to someone softly on the phone letting them know that we’ve just paused for a minute or two. I clear my thoughts as best as I can and return my attention to picturing Kiara 

It doesn’t take long. As we suspected, she is walking and moving around. She looks angry and determined. She must be able to sense me watching because she looks around briefly before realising I’m not actually physically there. The way her little shoulders droop kills me a little. Kiara is a very smart girl and must realise why I’m checking in because she starts speaking. 

“Can’t we stop and get something to eat first” Please? I’m starving. We passed that big shopping centre a few minutes ago. They’re probably open late and-” She is cut off as she jerks forward as if yanked and stumbles a little before catching herself. I don’t wait to see what happens next. I just immediately return to my own self. 

“That shopping centre we passed a few blocks back. They’re near there.” I tell Bellamy hurriedly. He immediately does a U turn and heads towards it. When we arrive I jump out of the car. I know they’re close and at this point going on foot seems a lot faster than driving. Shifters are still getting out of the cars when I start running in the direction that feels right. I cut through people’s yards, hop a couple fences (with help from Bellamy) and even break a gate to make sure I don’t lose the trail. The prickling sensation in my fingers feels more like stabbing and for the first time in hours, I can feel something in the palm of my hand. We’re close, so close and I am not going to stop until I’ve found her and she is safe. 

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