Fuck.
For one long moment, time slows to a crawl. My heart lurches. The wind stops blowing as though it, too, appreciates the severity of what just happened. The silence seems louder.
For a single heartbeat, I allow myself to hope that Hedran didn’t hear the sound, that he will leave, and Wren and I can escape this encounter unscathed.
But then, time resumes. My heart beats again, and when I look at the other Hunter, horror coils low in my gut.
Burning fucking suns.
Hedran’s gaze is dark and knowing, and it sets me on edge. His hand darts beneath his cloak to where I’m sure his weapon of choice is waiting.
Mist’s concern flows through our link, and my skin prickles. What are the chances that Hedran didn’t stumble upon us?
“I thought you were alone, Gabriel.” The other Hunter tilts his head towards the grove of evergreens. The movement is small, but he may as well be pointing at Wren’s hiding place and shoutingI know you’re hiding something.
Fuck.
My chest constricts, and I struggle to keep my face blank. It takes every ounce of training I’ve ever received not to let Hedran know I’m praying to whatever gods might be listening to keep Wren hidden.
“I am.” The lie tastes bitter at the back of my mouth. I take a few steps to my left, moving as inconspicuously as possible, and place myself between Hedran and the trees. My hand sneaks beneath my cloak, finding the hilt of my sword. “You’re the first person I’ve seen in days.”
The first person other than the beautiful Given who has turned my world upside down, but I’d rather suffer a thousand lashes at my father’s hand than admit that right now.
“Really?” Hedran cocks his head and moves towards me, each step slow and calculated. Menacing. Predatory in a way I recognize all too well.
“Yes.” My fingers tighten around the hilt of my sword, and my familiar pads over to me. Her tail flicks back and forth, and I don’t need to look down to know my panther is studying Hedran and Slate with her piercing silver eyes.
The other Hunter’s eyes slide from me to Mist, then back. His wolf lets out a low, warning growl. The hairs on the back of my neck rise.
The sound isn’t meant for me. It’s a warning from a predator to their prey. A promise. A vow, one I’ve made many times before.
I’m coming for you.
Chaos nickers uneasily at the sound, shifting from one hoof to the other, but he doesn’t try to free himself from where he’s tied. It’s not the horse’s discomfort that has the hairs raising on the back of my neck, but the sharp inhale of breath behind me. The sound is quickly stifled, but it’s too late.
Hedran’s smile widens—a fierce, nightmarish expression. The sound of metal being drawn fills the air as he brandishes his sword. The blade gleams in the moonlight, and dried blood decorates the tip.
The man is unwell in more ways than one—no wonder he is favored by the king.
I tug on my bond with Mist.
Don’t let your guard down, I warn her.
Warmth unfurls through our connection. She shifts her weight to her front paws, and I know she’s ready to do whatever is needed.
I don’t want to fight another Hunter, let alone hurt him, but I may not have a choice. It doesn’t matter that objectively, Hedran is a gods-damn awful person. He’s still my brother in the chase. We kneeled on the same stone at the foot of the king’s throne, took the same vows, and we hold the same rank.
“You’re lying,” Hedran accuses, his voice lethally cool.
He’s right, but there’s no fucking way I’ll admit it.
“You should go,” I warn, my tone equally cold. My feet carry me backwards towards the trees—towards Wren. Even with the danger, that never-ending need to be close to her delights at her proximity. “Drop this and forget it ever happened.”
Hedran shoves back his hood with a firm hand, his eyes gleaming. “Why would I do that? We’re chatting. Two Hunters,alone in the woods with their familiars.” He pauses dramatically, rolling his lips through his teeth. “Unless you know something I don’t, Gabriel? Like maybe... someone else is here?”
My jaw seizes, and I nearly crack a tooth. Hedran takes a slow step towards me, and Mist lets out a low, warning growl. He halts, raising a hand to signal that he heard her, shifting his gaze to the trees behind me.
“You know, Hunter Moreau, I never took you for someone who broke the rules. Yet here you are, hiding something very special.”
