Page 30 of The Hunter

“Such fierce shar’thai burns in you both. You must take care that it does not make scars,” Garahk said as he neared.

Lacey scoffed as she glanced away, muttering, “What’s one more scar gonna do?”

Garahk looked from Telok to Lacey and back again, but Telok only saw the thornskull from the edge of his vision; he could not take his gaze off Lacey. The faintest glimmer of tears remained in her eyes, but it did not diminish her determination or strength even slightly.

“In the Tangle, ours must act as one,” Garahk said gently. “All is well now?”

Nodding, Lacey stepped forward and took her spear from Telok, which he relinquished without resistance.

“Yep.” She smiled at Garahk. “I’m ready to go. Let’s hit the road.”

With that, she walked away, rejoining Cole. The human male glanced at Lacey before looking at Telok and mouthing words that could only have been what the fuck?

Garahk turned his attention fully to Telok, tilting his head.

Though nothing within Telok was calm, he gestured smoothly for Garahk to go ahead. “I do not know the way. Lead, and I will guard our rear.”

CHAPTER 9

By midday, the sun was high and bright, and the jungle was hot and muggy. Lacey wished she’d gone with shorts or a skirt simply to feel the breeze on her legs, but she’d been practical this morning and opted for pants, which provided some protection from snagging thorns and branches but none from the heat. Sweat dripped between her breasts, down her lower back, and through her hair, making her scalp itchy, and her vest was soaked under her backpack. To make it all worse, the friction from walking in sweat-dampened pants was irritating the long scars on her inner thighs.

Though it would’ve been far worse if it was skin rubbing against skin.

Damned if I do, damned if I don’t.

Lacey groaned. “I think I’m dying.”

Cole, who was walking beside her, shirtless, laughed. “It’s been half a day.”

“I’m melting.”

“It’s called sweating, and it’s good for you.”

She pinched the fabric of her vest and peeled it off her skin, allowing some much-needed airflow over her chest. “I think I’m allergic.”

“To your own sweat?”

“To heat.”

Cole snickered and reached out, picking up one of her braids. “Must be the ginger in you.”

“See!” She pointed at him. “Right there. Me and my ginger self are heat intolerant.”

He gave her hair a little tug. “Too bad your ass got dropped in the jungle. You— Ow!” He stumbled forward, releasing her hair to clamp his hand over the back of his head. “What the fuck?”

Stopping, Cole spun around and scanned the ground at his feet before crouching and plucking something up. He rose with a pebble pinched between his finger and thumb.

“Good job Cole, you found a little baby rock,” Lacey said, stepping beside him and patting his shoulder.

“That wasn’t cool,” Cole called, tossing the pebble aside.

Lacey looked back to see Okkor, the green-hided thornskull, staring at them with wide eyes.

He quickly crossed his upper arms in front of his chest and pointed behind him with the thumb of a lower hand. “Kir’dak.”

Not me.

She shifted her gaze to the vrix who was trailing behind Okkor, the hunting party’s rear guard. Telok. All eight of his green eyes were narrowed, glinting with menace, and fixated upon Cole.