We kept our quick pace as the hours melted away, and my stomach started to rumble. Yet Kali had switched into a serious mode, her expression schooled, her body tense, vigilant. Occasionally we’d chat, but the tension ratcheted up as Kali stopped more frequently to examine trampled twigs and another swatch of fabric.
“Maybe if we find enough bits of fabric, we can make a quilt,” I commented.
In the distance, smoke filtered through the air.
“A camp?” I asked.
She nodded but lifted her finger to her lips, signaling quiet. Maybe we’d closed more of the distance than I thought yesterday. I wanted to ask how Kali was so sure this was the person we were after, but she seemed to have tabulated details to confirm her suspicions. I wasn’t aware of how color markings on trees or swaths of fabric could determine that, but this was their field, not mine.
I reached into my sack, hoping to pull out something useful, but the only thing I could wield without self-injury was my wooden spoon. Better than nothing, I supposed.
We crept forward, and I took care to watch my step. Stealth wasn’t my strong suit, but I’d do my best not to compromise Kali’s work. As she led the way toward the trail of smoke, I slowed my pace, putting more space between us. I was here to make sure Dynlan didn’t get away, not to get involved in any main entanglement.
The path widened up ahead, and Kali ducked toward the trees to the right. I followed suit, trying not to crunch too many twigs along the way. My heart thumped a little harder, excitement mounting inside me.
I’d never participated in anything like this before, but I could admit that a thrill rushed in with the adrenaline.
Kali glanced back at me again and jerked her head forward. I followed the glance, but I couldn’t see past the big tree trunk in front of me without shoving my face into view. I shrugged, hoping she got the message. I wasn’t good at these coded gestures.
Kali snuck forward, and I lingered by my tree. Better to stay in the shadows here than attempt anything. I clutched my spoon a little tighter.
A crunch sounded behind me, and I whirled around.
An elf stood before me, their features obscured by a hood. “Why are you trailing me?”
A yelp escaped as I lifted my spoon in defense..
Then they pulled out a knife.
Chapter five
The elf with the knife was taking my attention right now, despite the thump of footsteps coming from behind me.
Which I hoped was Kali appearing to save the day.
If not, I was double fucked, and not in the fun way.
“What are you doing with that?” Knife-Wielding Elf snapped, looking past me.
“Dynlan,” Kali growled, and something in me eased, despite the flashy stabby bit close to my body. She had a black engraved box tucked under her arm. “I’m taking this. You can walk away, or I’m ready to engage.”
“Oh, so you’re throwing proposals to everyone now?” I joked, a nervous reflex because, well, what else was I supposed to do? I brought a spoon to a knife fight.
“I’m not giving this to you,” they said. “I’ve bet my whole fortune on this.”
I lifted my hands, spoon in one. “I mean, it feels like a flimsy bet to have a box you can’t open.”
Dynlan glared at me, moving the knife around a bit, too close for comfort.
“No,” Kali said, her voice low and deadly.
One moment, Dynlan lunged for me with the knife, the next, Kali’s hand darted past me to twist their wrist. The knife fell to the ground, and I managed to pull myself together enough to kick it away.
Kali darted for the knife before Dynlan could react.
“I’ve got the knife, I’ve got the box, and you’ve got a whole lot of problems on your hands if you don’t run,” she said, lifting the knife from the ground. The box was still snugly tucked under her arm.
Given that without the knife, they were a lot less threatening, I crossed my arms and stood in front of Kali. Granted, I probably wasn’t looking all that forbidding after being held at knifepoint.
