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“You will die here and now if you do not answer me truthfully.”
The man swallowed; his throat bobbed around the angry teeth marks that covered his neck and chest. “I am the Queen’s Huntsman.”
My blood ran cold. There were stories about the Queen’s Huntsman. He was a monster hunter and the queen’s bounty seeker who was sent to dole out punishment to those who wronged the queen. He was the one sent out when dark creatures threatened villages.
So, how did he find himself distracted enough bymeto allow a creature to attack him? Let’s face it—to nearly kill him?
I felt the arch of my brow as I stared down at him.
He closed his blue-gray eyes as if sensing my thoughts. “I see my reputation precedes me.”
“I’m not so sure‘precedes’is the right term at the moment.”
His eyes opened slowly, and I saw the curve of his mouth curl. He wanted to smile. It was ludicrous in these circumstances. What an idiot.
“I can’t believe this myself,” he stated with annoyance.
“What are you doing here, Huntsman?”
“Hunting.”
“What? The dark wolves?” I hadn’t heard of any attacks on the villages recently. I’d imagine the patrol guards would have warned me had there been.
“Something like that.” He glanced away as he said it, and I read something in his eyes as they had moved on.
I narrowed my eyes as my head cocked. He was lying. “What are you here for, Huntsman? Hunting the wolves for sport?”
I watched him swallow again, and his eyes came back to mine. They flashed with an intensity that stopped my heart. I brought my dagger up threateningly.
“Tell me, Huntsman. Now.”
He watched my dagger warily, but when his eyes snagged on mine, I knew what his answer would be. But it made absolutely no sense.
“I’m here for your heart, on the queen’s orders.”
I swallowed as my heart pounded in confusion and fear. “But, why? What have I done?”
His brows creased, and he didn’t answer for a moment. “To be honest, I don’t know.”
My body jerked at that. “What? How can you murder someone without reason? Especially for someone else?”
“Because I am just as much a monster as the ones I hunt. More so, even.”
Doubtlessly. The need for survival coursed adrenaline through my body. I shifted and gripped my dagger tighter. His hand came up to grab my hip as if to throw me off, but I had already lifted my knee and pinned him. I couldn’t have held him down if he weren’t injured; he was too large of a man. I was just lucky he had lost so much blood already.
My blade was beneath his chin in an instant. His eyes widened only a second before resignation swept through them. His body had tensed to fight me, but it went lax. He realized that despite the dagger’s lovely appearance, it had a bite. As did I. I think he knew I would use it on him with no remorse if need be.
“What have I done to deserve death?”
“I am unsure of the exact reason.”
I searched his face for a lie, but his mouth drew tight, and his eyes were clear but edged with pain. He was telling the truth, I was sure. At least he didn’t understandwhymy life should end.
This was crazy. I had done nothing to warrant death, had I?
But what was I going to do now? Despite contradictory evidence, something told me he did not deserve death, but I would be left with no choice if it were his life or mine.
My dagger tip pushed in just enough to nick. I opened my mouth, but his following words stilled me.
