The Last Hunter: Collected Edition (Antarktos Saga #1-5)

“Mira!” I shout, but my voice is drowned out by a thunderous explosion.

Enki’s body bursts from the inside out. Purple blood and guts shoot out of his exposed back. One of his wings tears free and the other dangles from the one remaining shoulder. His torso bursts and his head sails away in chunks. The breastplate that had been covering his chest shoots away so fast that I think I understand what happened. While Enki held her, she must have placed an explosive between his chest and breastplate. The force of the explosion, confined between the hard metal and his softer body, took the path of least resistance and tore him to pieces.

Mira killed Enki!

My surprise and pride are short-lived because it seems she also killed herself. The fifty-foot drop alone would hurt, but the force of the explosion adds some kick to her fall and she’s propelled into the water. The remains of Enki’s massive body crashes into the lake beside her with an explosion of white foam that hides Mira’s landing site.

I yell her name again and wade deeper into the lake.

A tight grip on my arm stops me. It’s Kainda. “Let me go!” I shout.

“You can’t make it,” Em says, backing up Kainda’s silent, but forceful protest. “You’re too weak and she’s too far.”

“She was…admirable,” Kainda says. “But her fate is sealed.”

“No!” I shout, yanking away. I push deeper into the water, but my legs falter and I fall to my knees. They’re right. I can’t save her. After all this time, Mira returned to Antarktos, and I couldn’t get to her in time. I couldn’t save her. “NO!”

I pound my fists on the water, taking my anger out. As I bring my fists up again, a ripple in the lake catches my attention. A gray dog-like face surfaces. Gloop! I slide in deeper and the seal swims up to me. I look into his big black eyes. “Go get her. Do you understand? Go! Save her!” I motion my hands to where Mira fell. “Go!”

And he does. The seal spins around, moving through the water like a missile. He cruises out into the deep water, leaping occasionally, and then he disappears beneath the surface. I stand waist deep in the water, dripping wet, breathing hard, waiting and watching.

“Solomon,” Em says, sounding defeated.

“He can do it,” I say, clinging to hope.

Nearly a minute passes.

Kainda places a hand on my arm, gently this time.

“He knows what he’s doing,” I say. “He saved me. He—”

The water far out on the lake, where Mira fell, ripples. A body rises, identifiable by the dark skin and hair as blond as mine. Mira. Gloop’s body rises beneath hers like a living floatation device. The pod of seals rises with him, like escorts.

“They did it,” Kainda whispers.

I look at her and say, “Never give up hope.”

In response, she takes my hand, lacing our fingers together, and squeezes.

“Where are they taking her?” Em asks as the seals head further into the lake.

At first, I’m confused. I had assumed Gloop would bring her to me. But they’re definitely heading away. Then I see the boat far in the distance. The seals are following the boat. “They’re taking her home,” I say. “To her family.”

As I watch Mira fade into the distance with the seals, Kainda says, “Do you want to go with them? To your home? Your family?”

She’s right, I know. If I caught up with the boat, I could be reunited with the Clarks. And they could probably get me back to the United States. But my home in Maine is now the North Pole and it’s likely frozen over. And my parents could be dead. But even if none of that were true, my answer would remain the same.

“No,” I say, looking at Kainda. “I am home.” I look at Em. “I am with family.”

I see flashes of uncommon emotion on both hunters’ faces, but the expressions are erased by the sound of running feet splashing through water. We turn to face the threat. The hunter known as Tunis, who first put his trust in me, who Em claimed was one of their best, emerges from the jungle. He is weaponless and covered with long, bleeding slices—the kind made by a sword. Kainda catches the man by his shoulders.

“Tunis!”

He shouts in surprise, but then sees the three of us and looks relieved.

“Tunis,” Em says. “What happened? Where is Luca?”

“Luca is safe. Underground with Adoni. And the others,” Tunis says, his voice shaking. “I stayed behind with Marko, Selize and Annon to make sure they weren’t followed.”

“Where are the others?” Kainda asked.

“He found us,” Tunis said.

“Who found you?” I ask, fearing the answer.

Tunis turns his nose to the air and sniffs. “He’s here. He’s here now!”

Tightening my grip on Whipsnap, I say, “Who is here?”

His eyes are wide. His arms shake. “Ninnis,” he says. “Ninnis is here!”





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