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“I don’t think you understand his true motives. I don't thinkheunderstands them either.”
“Tell me.”
“I cannot. It is a feeling. Just be wise with your decisions where he is concerned and watch him.”
With a grumble, I conceded. Too often, the bird’s words were a mystery. “How is Ativan?”
“He is improving. He will be ready to ride home when you return.”
“Thank the stars for that.”
Iro rubbed his beak against my cheek. I ran my fingers down his breast and across his back before he fluttered off. He needed rest from the long journey, and I needed to get this huntsman into the village I had seen in the distance before he died, and another death would be on my hands.
It felt like déjà vu when I got to the small village and asked for a healer. This was becoming too habitual for my liking. These guards were not as friendly as in Cashore, but I got aid in getting the massive huntsman down off Tevere and into the healer’s cottage. I had to explain the huntsman's wounds and why I was venturing the north. The guards fawned over the weapons, and I felt uncomfortable with their interest. This village was decent, not impoverished, so I prayed to the Beyond nothing would be stolen from me as I went into the inn to secure a room. Unfortunately, it was too late in the day for me to continue my journey. The wolves attacking the huntsman made me nervous about traveling through the night. That the attack happened during the day made it even more frightening. I had gotten lucky, but I didn’t know how long my luck would hold out.
I would be pissing in the middle of the road from here on out. I was not going into the woods for any reason.
With a room secured, Tevere boarded for the night, and the weapons hidden under my bed, I ventured down for dinner. I was paying for it, so I might as well enjoy a hot meal and an ale.
Halfway through my meal, I felt someone staring at me and glanced around to find a guardsman watching me. I swallowed quickly and felt self-conscious about my every movement. I finished my ale in one swig and promptly returned to my room.
Did the guards question my reason for being here? Did telling them I was traveling alone make me a target? Had the huntsman said something to make them suspicious of me?
My nerves made falling asleep difficult, but I managed it. It had been a trying few days.
A noise jolted me from sleep, and my hand latched around the hilt of my dagger on instinct. My heart tripped as my eyes adjusted to my moonwashed room. It was a decently sized room with a window, which I noticed was wide open. My heart thudded so hard in my chest that I swear all in the inn heard it. My eyes flew to the room's far end to find a figure hulking over my pack in the room’s corner.
Anger shot through me. Were they looking for the weapons? How dare they think they could steal from me?
I shifted on the bed to stand, and the person swung around. The moonlight streamed into the room and caught the face of the guard who gawked at me downstairs.
I sucked in a breath. Who the fuck did this guy think he was dealing with?
Like a wildcat, I attacked. The man had minimal time to react before my dagger dug into the arm he’d flung up to save his throat. My emotions were high, and anger coursed me in a feverish rush. I repeatedly sliced until a muscular arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me back.
“Easy, Autumn. Easy.”
I knew that deep voice, low in a whisper, for my ears only. The Queen’s Huntsman. His breath fanned across my cheek. I fought at him half-heartedly but didn’t use my dagger. The guard was on his knees, bleeding all over the floor of my room. Any more bloodshed was unnecessary. I regretted my actions instantly.
“What’s going on here?” The huntsman’s attention was on the guardsman, and his piercing gaze held apparent rage that shivered against me and warmed my insides.
“I was a victim of attempted thievery; it would seem.” My voice came out steady despite the anger and adrenaline erupted through me. Not that the man had found my weapons, but that had to have been his intention. If he’d wished to do me harm, he’d have not been searching through my pack. I didn’t need to know the man’s true intentions; he’d entered my room unwelcome and unlawfully. I had to assume he’d meant me physical harm, or he had planned to steal from me.
The huntsman glared down at the guard. “Is this true guardsman?”
The man shook his head. “We were… fucking, and she went crazy.”
What in the Underworld! I scoffed. But usually, men took the word of other men. I needed to be careful lest I say the wrong thing and end up in a dungeon or something equally ludicrous.
I whipped my head to the huntsman to see his reaction. He was still glaring at the guardsman and looked unperturbed by his proclamation.
“I would think you’d be far less… clothed if that were the case.”
The guard said nothing, just glared at us, his hand over the slashes on his arm.
The hunter’s blue-gray eyes slowly drifted to mine and held. They were unnervingly, hauntingly beautiful.
“Lady, what do you say to this?”
