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Saxon rested his empty plate on one thigh. “Soren had originally tried joining the Wild Hunt, but he was never accepted. I guess he thought he could live it through his son, because he pushed Ronin to apply to join; began training him when he was just a kid. I don’t know if Ronin truly wanted it for himself or if he caved under the pressure to walk that path, but he pursued it all the same.”
Teague nodded. “Every time a scout from the Dark Host turned up to watch one of the hellhorse races that took place in our town, you can bet your ass that Ronin ensured he took part.”
“I’m guessing you also took part in them,” said Larkin.
Teague had rarely sat out races. “I also always beat him.”
“That’s part of Ronin’s issue with Teague,” said Saxon. “Jealousy. Soren had literally nothing at all to do with Teague, but the asshole liked to take credit for his speed and strength and grit—he would brag to his buddies at the tavern that his blood would always make a man strong. Dumb shit like that.
“More, Soren would try motivating Ronin by taunting him that his ‘little bastard brother’ was showing him up. But using Teague as a measuring stick did nothing other than feed Ronin’s hate for him.”
“That hate hit new heights when a Dark Host scout recruited me for the Wild Hunt,” said Teague. “Ronin took it real badly. Pitched a fit the likes of which you’ve never seen.”
Saxon’s mouth curved. “It was quite a sight to behold.”
“To Ronin’s credit, he didn’t throw up his hands and accept defeat.” Teague had thought he might. “He chose to instead sign up to be a general soldier within the Dark Host. Over the years, he bounced from unit to unit and worked his way up—which takes a lot longer than you might think. Promotions aren’t given easily. But he wasn’t content with that. He wanted to be part of the Wild Hunt. And he apparently got what he wanted after I retired.”
“How soon after you retired?” she asked.
Puffing out a breath, Teague shook his head. “I have no idea. Ronin might have been assigned the position immediately after I left, or other demons could have filled it before him. Typically, units serve for centuries. But that length of time might well have passed for Ronin. For me, it’s been over sixty years since my retirement. But, as I’m sure you already know, the times of the various realms aren’t in sync. It’s possible that, to him, I left hell only yesterday.”
Pausing, Teague gave a slight shrug. “Whatever the case, he feels motivated to use his position of authority to have me killed. The Master of the Hunt can direct shadowkin.”
Larkin frowned. “Won’t his superiors be a little pissed about it?”
“They will if they learn of it, yes.” It would seem that they hadn’t yet done so. “Retired hunters are respected. For someone to think to repay their service by having them assassinated . . . He’d lose his position for sure.”
Larkin looked away for a moment, pensive. “If he spent so damn long fighting to get that role, why would he risk throwing it away like this? I know he hates you, but would that really be enough to make him do such a thing?”
It was Slade who answered, “We’re not so sure. It seems senseless to us, but maybe not to Ronin. Is there anyone on this Earth who you hate with every cell in your body?”
She bit her lip. “There are people I’d happily see dead, but I guess that’s not quite the same thing.”
“Ronin has detested Teague since the moment of the guy’s conception,” said Slade. “And he has lived a very long time. Centuries upon centuries. Imagine spending so long a time investing such a level of hate in another person—it would become imprinted in your system. It would root itself deep and spread like an infection. You’d never be able to get it out, no matter what you did.”
Leo nodded. “Ronin might have always had his eye on becoming Master of the Wild Hunt, but remember that it was never really his ambition. It was Soren’s. And that probably hit him square in the face when he stepped into the position and didn’t feel the satisfaction he thought he’d feel.”
“And we have to take into account that hell is a place where dark emotion reigns,” said Teague. “To take a person’s life is no big thing there. Depending on the circumstance, you may be punished. But then you may not. My point is that murder isn’t the huge deal that it is here. It’s often a way that someone settles their emotions. Like therapy. Duels to the death are far from uncommon.”
Larkin hummed. “I’m surprised he never challenged you, then.”
