Page 52 of The Hunter

Cole laughed from where he walked in front of her.

“No kill,” she said with a smile as she lowered her arm. “Sorry to disappoint, but it was a figure of speech. It’s an exaggeration. A joke.”

“What nean?” asked Koss in stumbling English.

“Ah’ul ikar ikarex tes edar,” Telok said from directly behind her, his rough, raspy voice cutting through the din of conversation.

She spoke words of jest.

“I just really want to go for a swim,” Lacey said in vrix.

“What does swimming have to do with killing?” Ayali asked.

“Zet. Nothing,” Lacey responded, switching back to English. “I’m just desperate to cool off because it is so damn hot.”

Though that was a complete understatement. They’d been traveling through the sweltering jungle for three days, almost always slogging uphill, and she was downright miserable. While they’d come upon small brooks to refill their waterskins and rinse themselves off a little, they hadn’t found any water deep enough for Lacey to sink into.

Her clothing was soaked with sweat, sticking to her like a second skin, her hair was damp and greasy, and her inner thighs and the scars upon them screamed in agony from how chafed they were. She knew she was walking funny because of it. And despite quite liberally applying and reapplying her homemade deodorant, she was sure she was positively rank.

Not that Telok seemed to mind.

Every night, he insisted she sleep with him, drawing her possessively into his arms. Whenever it was his turn to keep watch, he did so with Lacey tucked against him. He was always near. And she wasn’t about to complain. Not only did he prevent her from tossing and turning herself right out of a tree, but he warded off the chill that often crept in during the night.

The Telok traveling with her now treated her very differently than the Telok she’d known in Kaldarak. He hadn’t been avoiding her or acting like he was repulsed by her at all, and the change was stark enough to make her question everything that’d happened between them before this trip.

He was still bossy, overbearing, and overprotective, but he was clearly motivated by a deep caring. And he seemed to seize every opportunity to steal a glance at her, to get close, to touch her. After so many months, he was finally the same vrix he’d been when they’d fled from Zurvashi together.

Nuh uh, Lacey. He’s not at all the same. Remember his little admission?

Little? Lacey was still reeling with shock. Shock and…pleasure that still made her toes curl every time she thought about it. Telok had been spying on her. Straight up freaky ass stalking her. Any sane person would’ve been angry and alarmed at the intrusion, but apparently voyeurism—at least when it came to Telok—was a kink Lacey hadn’t realized she had. Because fuck, she really, really liked the idea of him of secretly watching her.

How long had he been doing it? Had it been all along? If he’d wanted her so badly, why had he worked so hard to push her away?

And why had he so abruptly stopped doing so?

It was enough to give her whiplash.

“We should stop to rest,” Telok said in vrix, pulling Lacey from her thoughts.

“Oh please, oh please, oh please,” Lacey whispered as she brought her palms together, spear between them.

“You give good words, Scarhide,” Garahk said with a chitter before calling a halt.

Thank God. Or the Eight? Whoever.

Droztar, who’d been out of sight at the party’s front, rejoined the others as they gathered. The thornskulls found spots where the sunshine broke through the canopy and eased down to relax in the light, already chatting as they took waterskins and bits of food out of their bags.

Before Lacey could even scope out a place to plop down and melt, Telok plucked her backpack off, scooped her up from behind, and cradled her in his arms in a surprise bridal carry. She squeaked and threw an arm around his neck as he carried her to a shady spot near the rest of the group.

He tested the fern- and grass-covered ground with his spear before gently setting her down with her back against a boulder. The stone was hard but wonderfully cool.

Standing over her, he opened her bag, removed the waterskin, and held it out to her. “Rest. Drink.”

Shaking her head with a laugh, Lacey stood her spear beside her and took the waterskin, removing the stopper. “Thank you.”

Straightening, Telok fixed his unwavering stare upon her. Lacey drank deeply and gratefully.

Seemingly satisfied, he bent down, grasped her wrist, and placed something large, round, and weighty in her palm. Lacey looked down as he pulled away. It was a moonblossom fruit.