Hunter suddenly crossed the gap between us, snapping his wings in with a thud. I barely had time to react, to bring my sword up.
He got in close and broke my grip on the hilt, disarming me. I went to grab it from him, but he angled the blade behind his back and put his palm out flat, saying, “You’re going to listen to me. If you still want to kill me afterward, I’ll give you this back.”
He raised my Utem?. A promise and a peace offering.
My palms itched. I could strangle him. But he didn’t wait for me to reply; he was already rambling. “Morgan didn’t execute Wilder or force the blood oath on him because she wants him to be her general. Even enslaved to her, she’d find it difficult to control someone like him every minute of the day. Worst of all, she desires him.” He croaked out a bleak laugh. “My point is that she won’t hurt him. She’s never seemed capable. You, on the other hand …”
In a brittle tone, I snapped, “She’d torture me to get him. I know. That doesn’t mean you should save me and let him be taken.”
“She wouldn’t torture you. Not like that.”
That shut me up.
He rushed on in one breath. “Morgan might be jealous. She might desire Wilder. But she’s no fool, and she’s got a gift for spotting potential. And when she saw my memories, she was intrigued, Serena.” He winced. As if this was the worst thing that could’ve happened. “She thinks you’ll make an excellent addition to her collection. To her armies.”
Shock pulsed through me, setting my mind adrift. Rudderless in a stormy sea. “For gods’ sakes, why? There are better fighters. I’m not even fae.”
Not yet, anyway.
Hunter frowned. “Making you her creature’s the best way to destroy Wilder’s affections. And then she saw how you defeated Jace, that you had a friend in the Hunt. Even your wingless lover.” His teeth clamped together in a silent rebuke. “Can you really not understand why she wants you?”
The world spiraled; I was unraveling.
Hunter’s voice was barely more than a murmur now. “I’m sorry, Serena. For everything. But if he’s back at court with her, it might be the only way she leaves you alone.”
He had the audacity to look to me beseechingly. He wanted forgiveness. White-knuckling, fighting the urge to skewer him, I fired, “Why would she do that when she wants me so badly?”
There was a hollow truth in his words. “He shielded you with his body. Trust me, he’ll make a deal to spare you.”
I wanted to hurl my guts up. To scream and scream and scream.
He must have seen something in my expression because he moved toward me. I backed up, glaring. “Don’t touch me.”
Hunter showed me an open hand. A sign for peace. “I swear that I’ll make this right. I’ve got a plan.”
The absurdity of that promise struck me so forcibly, I sniped. “What plan?”
His Adam’s apple quivered. “After Morgan heard Wilder was coming here—”
I stopped him with a wild flap of my hand. “How did she know about that? No one knew.”
Hunter angled his head toward me. “Dimitri must’ve found out, because he’s the one who told me where to go, and suggested Tysion as my second.”
I couldn’t stop myself from barking, “Why him?”
A pause. “I think … I think Tysion might be Dimitri’s son.”
My jaw went slack. I shook myself inwardly. “Fine. Get to the point.”
Hunter’s brow creased as he looked down and thumbed the hilt of my sword. “Morgan didn’t want either of you permanently damaged in the capture. It’s why she gave us a sleeping potion to tip the arrows in and ordered me to take the shot, because I’m the better bowman.”
The best, if Tysion was to be believed.
Hunter met my angry eyes again to say, “But I thought Tysion might try to snatch the bow from me if he sensed any hesitation on my part. I wasn’t trusting him to shoot anything anywhere near you, so before we set out, I went looking for a weapon that couldn’t be used against you. Something that might help you—us—survive.”
Despite my wrathful thoughts, my eyes still darted to the maple recurve bow strung over his shoulder. “The bow?” I asked to confirm.
Hunter nodded vaguely and ran a finger along the silver string. He looked pensive. “It’s called a kaskan. Once enchanted, it can’t be used to harm its owner. It’s yours now, and it won’t ever miss, as long as your target’s in sight and you’ve got the focus and the heart to shoot someone. They’re practically impossible to get. So I went to the only witch who still makes them. He wouldn’t even let me in the front door, so—”
“You stole it?”
He shook his head and a smile flickered into existence. “Oh, no—that was Isabel. After Kesha sold her, she became the one and only apprentice to the kaskan crafter.”
I was stunned. “Is she okay?”
He nodded again. “She wanted to help you, so she spelled a bow to recognize you. You’re the only one who can make this thing work now.”
I couldn’t think what to say as he grasped the bow, holding it out to me.
I’m yours, it seemed to whisper.
“Isabel gave me something else—something that will help us.” His free hand dug into his brown leathers to pull out a chunk of quartz crystal that appeared to be giving off light waves. “It holds a powerful concealment charm at its core. It stopped Wilder from sensing us, but now it can do the same for you and me.” He pocketed it and went on in a brighter, more hopeful tone. “Come away with me, Serena. With the stone, I can get us across the sea to Asitar or Makara. We might be safe there. We’d have a chance at a life outside Morgan’s control—”
“Are you crazy?” I screamed, and Hunter recoiled. “D’you honestly think I’d run away with you while Wilder gets dragged back to that monster?” Breathing heavily, anger licking at my insides, I ranted on. “What makes you think we’d even make it? She saw into your mind—she must’ve seen this stupid plan of yours?”
Hunter just stared, glassy-eyed. When he spoke, his voice was broken. A mere rasp. “I hadn’t thought of it yet. Morgan isn’t all powerful, and the mind isn’t some book to be flipped through at will.”
I didn’t know what to make of it. And I didn’t care. “Fine. You’ve had your say. Now, give me my sword.” I held out my hand, waiting and expectant. “Because I’m leaving. I’m going after him, and you’ll have to kill me to stop me.”
He hesitated. “I’d never hurt you.”
“You already have.”
He blinked, pain crushing his features. Then, his nostrils flared, and his head whipped around. “Serena, we have to leave. Someone’s coming.”
He threw my sword aside and came to me. As if to pick me up.
Probably just some ploy to get me to go with him. Not happening. I let him get in close then brought my knee screaming up into his balls. He grunted. I didn’t stop to congratulate myself. I ran.
But I hadn’t gotten ten paces before running headlong into another male’s body. I stepped away, disoriented. Tysion?
Then, the firelights illuminated another male.
I let out a giant sob and threw my arms around Frazer. He didn’t reciprocate. I released him and moved back a step to see his eyes fixed over my shoulder. The intensity and loathing scared even me. He flew past me, not even bothering to draw his Utem?, and crashed into Hunter like a hurricane, flooring him, landing heavy blows to his face and abdomen and ribs.
I felt numb. Adrift.
Hunter tried to kick him off. When that didn’t work, he closed in on his attacker’s neck, canines free and snapping down. Frazer responded by landing a hit to his jaw, and then he went for the wings. I winced as Frazer dragged Hunter off the ground by those beautiful things that were storm and cloud made flesh.
Hunter’s nails scraped into the dirt. He was clawing, desperate, and sobbing my name.
My stomach clenched and twisted. I wasn’t made of stone after all. A sickening crunch followed. Frazer had thrown him against a tree and now pressed his thumbs firmly down on two spots either side of Hunter’s neck.