Page 79 of White Raven

A loud gasp startled both of us, jerking our heads to the side. Brynn stood with horse reins in one hand and a blanket roll under the other, her wide eyes locked on his crafty work. Her wild gaze snapped back and forth between me, my tattoo, and Onyx.

“What did you do?”

“Fuck, I’m starving!” Bjørn came barreling in, his own large horse behind him. He stopped, noticing the mood change, his regard darting from Brynn to me, pausing on my ink. “What the fuck, Sjef . . .you marked her?”

“I had to!” Anger threaded in Onyx’s tone. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?” Brynn’s mouth gaped. “You inked her with your mark. That’s a huge⁠—”

“I’m sure he can alter it. Change it to his mark when I hand her over.” Onyx clomped to the fire, throwing more wood on the blaze. “It was a necessary evil. Now drop it.”

“Onyx . . .” Brynn started, dumbfounded.

“I said drop it,” he snapped at her. “That’s an order.”

“I couldn’t find Renyx, but I retrieved his horse.” Sven strolled in with two stunning Friesian horses with dead rabbits hanging off their saddles. His forehead wrinkled, picking up on the tension straining between his friends. “What?”

“I’ll find him,” Onyx muttered, rotating around and vanishing into the darkness. Leaving me alone with the notorious Night Hunters.

All eyes were directed at me, making me feel that I was the next rabbit being stalked.

Brynn glared at me like another Frida, her dislike not hidden on her features, her assessment of me clear. While Bjørn watched me critically for a moment, then his head tipped back and a booming laugh echoed off the trees.

“Shut up,” Brynn hissed.

“What?” He wiped at his eyes. “You’re not finding this as funny as I am? I’m so shocked.” He grinned cheekily at her. “Probably should pretend to mourn like a loving wife for a bit before you try to hop sacks.”

“Fuck you, Bjørn!” She whirled on him. “You are such an asshole.” She stomped into the dark in the same direction as Onyx, only making Bjørn laugh louder.

“A wife?” I repeated, blinking in confusion.

Bjørn tipped his head to the side, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Her husband was Raelis.”

“Husband? But . . .” I peered out where the two figures disappeared, my intuition telling me she had feelings for Onyx.

“Yes, it can get awkward.” Bjørn chuckled. “When you’re married, but in love with his best friend, while your husband’s twin is in love with you.”

The smell of cooked rabbit still clung to the air, the fire popping and snapping loudly against the dark cloudy sky. Onyx, Brynn, and Renyx had returned, but tension hovered over the group. The Night Hunters openly watched me with a mix of curiosity, aversion, and resentment as we wordlessly ate. Onyx sat close, but didn’t look or speak a word to me, adding to a heaviness in my gut. As if we knew something had been lost. Whatever alliance we had made was gone. While Bjørn acted oblivious to it all, or just didn’t care.

“To my brothers and sisters, do not stand at my grave, for I am not there. I died with honor and fly free with Huginn and will live forever in Muninn.” Bjørn lifted his cup, the rest of the crew following suit. “To Raelis!”

“Raelis!” They all cheered his name.

“Bastard . . . you still owed me ten marks,” Bjørn muttered as he drank.

Renyx stared blankly at the fire, drinking heavily, his eyes blurring with alcohol and emotion. With every sip his dislike of me seemed to expand, his glower crawling over my skin, screaming animosity and vengeance. And from the other side of the fire, Brynn’s abhorrence claimed the same.

There was no one here I could trust. Not even the man next to me.

And there was my problem. I could never trust him. He was the enemy, but somewhere along the way I started to believe differently, which made me even more naïve and stupid than I was when I started. I was free of bindings, yet I let him lead me.

Earlier tonight I was on my knees . . . for one of Sarina’s killers. For the man who abducted me and would turn me over to the Night King like goods.

The cooked rabbit I barely got down threatened to come back up, the need to cry burning my nose. I would never let him see me break. He would never have that victory.

I stood up, the entire camp jolted at my sudden movement.