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“Hungary,” Croygen had said when we finally stopped for the night after running from those creatures, though I don’t think the three of us slept. We stopped for Annabeth. Fatigue wore through her bones. “The men had some sort of insignia on their clothes. A legion. They must work for a fae ruler there. The only one is in Budapest.”
“Do we know who reigns there?” Cooper rewrapped AB’s wound with strips from his pants, his gaze locked on her. Her skin was pallid and clammy; she couldn’t stay awake, her body too weak with blood loss and trauma. The bullet had gone straight through her shoulder, and her bleeding had slowed, but we all knew she was getting even weaker, unable to fight both cancer and a bullet wound.
The need for the nectar clanged in unsaid words. If we didn’t get it soon, it would be too late. It might be already.
“No.” Croygen shook his head. “Hungary being landlocked, I’ve not had any reason to know about it.”
After the war, international news wasn’t reported on like it had been. The countries that pulled from the Unified Nations were secretive and paranoid, cutting access to anything that might expose a weakness and becoming more totalitarian.
“So, do we head back to the ship or go over land?” I tied my dirty hair back in a ponytail, the knots in my shoulders pounding through my head, knowing either way would take too long.
“Land would be no less than four months, if not longer, on hard terrain. Dangerous.” Croygen rubbed at his brow. “Going back to the ship and sailing will take at least two to three months.”
“We don’t have months.” Cooper gnashed his teeth, trying to keep his voice down to not wake AB, his eyes flashing red. His anger streamed from what we all knew—Annabeth wouldn’t make it.
She wouldn’t even make the journey back to the ship.
“We’re going to get it.” He kept his gaze on Cooper. “We’re not giving up.” The problem was, Annabeth’s body might decide to give up first.
“Kat?” Croygen stepped in front of me, breaking through my reverie and bringing me back to the present. The crowd bustling around us, the smell of food, horse manure, and dense, sweaty air collided with my senses. “Come on.” He flicked his head for me to follow.
We had barely spoken the entire journey back, keeping our distance, neither wanting to talk about anything other than our plan to get the nectar. Ignoring our issues seemed to suit us.
Even a month ago, I would never have imagined the only thing I wanted to do besides kill him would be to run… to save myself from him. Or to fuck him.
Wearing his shirt, his smell wrapping around me twenty-four-seven, it felt like the latter was winning out. Awake, and especially trying to sleep, my thoughts wouldn’t stop from slipping back to the time in the barn. The memories of him pushing deep in me, making me come so hard I blacked out. The way he felt over me, coming inside me. How nothing in the world could match it.
Tugging his shirt to stretch it further down my thighs, I weaved through the throng of people, the smell of rice and chicken causing my stomach to growl. Food was high on the wish list, along with a bath and a proper bed to sleep in.
“I’ll get the horses. You get AB anything to help with the pain.” Croygen spoke to Cooper. “There has to be some kind of healer here.” He glanced around at the stalls. “And maybe get some supplies.” He started to turn. “Oh shit, I don’t have money.”
“What?” I recalled he had quite a bit of money. “What happened to it?”
Cooper snorted, digging into his pocket and slapping a few bills in his hands. “No porn and hookers this time, okay?”
“Funny.” Croygen stuffed the notes in his pocket.
Cooper and AB shuffled away, his steps trying to match her small ones. She was barely functioning. She was moving, but her mind was far away. She held onto his arm, using him as a crutch, disappearing into the crowd.
“Hopefully they can find something to ease her pain.” I tried to sound hopeful.
Croygen swung around, not responding, his jaw tight.
“So, what happened to all your money?” I caught up with him.
“I lost it.”
“Lost it?” Pirates didn’tlosemoney. We pilfered it. “What happened?”
“It’s gone, okay?” He stopped, turning to me with a furrowed brow. “Taken.”
“Taken?” My eyes widened. “As in stolen? Fromyou?”
He huffed out, looking to the side. “Amara.” He shifted on his feet. “She robbed me the night…” He drifted off. “You know, the night you and I…”
The night in the barn.
Blood rushed faster through my veins, heating me up and dripping sweat down my back.
