The Mercenary's Bounty

by Kristen Banet

  He’s not my type, but…

  Didn’t I just make a joke before dinner about his hands? What is wrong with me? Stop staring at him and taunting him, Mave. He’s not your male.

  “Aye. Have any of you found anything?” Bryn looked over to the other males, ignoring her blatant look. It wasn’t the first time she had sized them up in that sort of way, but it was the first time she did it for the specific purpose of looking at the size of one of their cocks. She felt a little bad for it.

  Even though she was thoroughly impressed by the one on her hip, thanks to Mat, and the one she just saw from Bryn, she knew she shouldn’t be looking at any of them like that. Not with what they had just gone through. She worked harder to keep her eyes at chest level, at least, as they began talking about what was on the dead.

  “Only some change on most of these,” Nevyn said, rolling over another body. “We can take all their weapons and shit. There’s no reason not to loot them.”

  “Aye.” Bryn said, going back to turning out pockets of the dead. She helped, with Mat by her side.

  They continued to work, Alchan glaring at them. When Varon came back with Zayden and Leshaun, he rushed to them, getting a report on Leshaun’s injuries, but then came back, opening his mouth. She knew they were about to get told off. She could see it on his face.

  “I want all of you tending your damned injuries!” Alchan snapped. “Worry about the dead in a minute.”

  “None of us are bleeding out,” Mat said, sighing. She eyed him. His wings were limp, but in the dark, she couldn’t tell where the blood was coming from on him. “We’ll be fine.”

  “Look here, Matesh. When I say tend your-”

  “I found somethin’,” Bryn cut in, growling. “Forget the injuries for a minute, Alchan.”

  “What is it?” Mave didn’t miss how Alchan’s attention immediately went to Bryn without so much as a grumble. The bedru’s complaints about their injuries dropped in a second.

  Bryn pulled out one of his daggers and pinned something to a tree for them.

  “Oh shit. Ten thousand gold suns.” Alchan sounded sick.

  “Never seen a bounty that high…” Nevyn was shaking his head.

  Mave walked closer and found herself staring at a face she knew well.

  Hers.

  28

  Mave

  Mave felt all of her blood leave her head. Staring back at her was her without her tatua. Underneath was a large bounty, one that defied reason.

  The fear rushed back. The desperate plea began to echo in her mind again. The net and everything that came from it was on the forefront again. No longer was she pleased with how they handled the Elvasi.

  Now she just wanted to fall to her knees and process this new piece of information.

  No. No, she can’t have me back.

  “By the Skies,” Luykas whispered. “Ten thousand gold suns for the return of Empress Shadra’s property.”

  “They moved fast,” Bryn said with a snarl. “The entire continent probably has this bounty now. Fucking Empire sorcery. This was an ambush to take her! To take all of us! We were going to make them fucking rich, just like they said!”

  “Sorcery is right. She must have put the word out and had an artist make this up within days of our escape. This would have been circulating here for weeks now.” Luykas reached out and touched the blood-stained parchment.

  “And we paraded Mave through the streets,” Nevyn added. “We confirmed who she was during our night out.”

  This is my fault. That realization slammed in her, making her desperately begin to find a way to fix it. She had to fix this.

  “Fucking Skies!” Zayden exclaimed, looking the bounty poster over.

  “What?” Alchan snapped suddenly, turning a glare on Nevyn. “You did what? Why didn’t anyone fucking tell me earlier that you outed her identity back in Namur?”

  “Varon and I took her to the docks for fights. We confirmed she was the Champion when some Elvasi piece of shit asked, saying he’d heard rumors. I don’t remember the exact conversation - I was more excited for her to put him on his ass. She did, by the way. It led to more trouble later in the night.” Nevyn groaned. “Fuck!”

  “And it led to this!” Alchan roared. “They were here for her!”

  Mave growled at their leader, who growled back.

  “Not now, you two,” Luykas snapped. “Alchan, find a better way to say it.”

  “It’s not her fault - it’s just that Nevyn should have known better. You all should have known better than to let people know she was the Champion. You should have known!” Alchan threw something, but she couldn’t identify what it was. “Now we’re going to be hunted down!”

  “We need to hunt back,” Bryn cut in. “We need to go after these sons of bitches! We can’t run off to the village and hide! They’re goin’ to come after us. We need to show them we can fight back! We need them to think the bounty is too dangerous to go after!”

  “I’m with Bryn.” Matesh snarled. “They’ve never been stupid enough to come after us. We can’t let this stand!”

  “We’re going to get ourselves killed if we start picking these sorts of fights in this shape,” Alchan said, growling back. “And I’m in charge of this Company. The only person here who gets to back-talk me is Luykas.”

  Suddenly, it was an all-out argument. Mave watched as Bryn and Mat went against Alchan, yelling about how they needed to strike back and get the Elvasi for putting out the bounty. Nevyn tried pulling Bryn back, only to get snapped at.

  Find a solution, Mave. This is your fault. You brought this on them.

  Luykas stepped next to Mave, also watching. Rain and Zayden jumped in next, adding their voices to the fray. She could tell Rain was on her side, but Zayden was just trying to keep his son quiet. She could see Alchan was beginning to lose his patience, his face becoming red, causing an impressive contrast with his black tatua.

  “What do you think?” the mutt asked calmly. “Do we go after them and get revenge for this, or do you think we should go to the village and keep our heads down? They’re after you. I think it should be your call.”

  “Weren’t you saying that the planned raid is against an Elvasi merchant who supports the Elvasi who do this sort of thing?” She was already thinking about it. She didn’t know what her idea would be, but she could feel some inkling of an idea.

  “I did.” He offered no more information.

  “What if we just follow the plan? We make a run by the village, a shorter one.” She was beginning to feel the rage. Luykas was right. They were after her. They wanted her back in the Empire, back with the Empress. She tried to keep thinking about the plan forming in her head. “We will need to drop off Leshaun and Rain.”

  “He’ll survive and is already in his healing sleep in the back of the cart. He’ll heal slower, so you’re right. He needs to go to the village.” Luykas sounded genuinely concerned for the old male, but also hopeful.

  “How far to the village from here?” She’d forgotten in the mess of things.

  “Once we’re in the mountains, it’ll be quick. The village is close to the border.” Luykas was simply giving her more information.

  “Then we hit this merchant who funds these Elvasi. We hit hard. We ruin him. We kill him if we can. We fight back at a time that’s safest, without being weighed down by all of this. We walk away with all of his goods.” She waved to the carts of supplies. “Then we’re in a win-win situation. Right? We’re mercenaries and we need the supplies, but we hit harder than we planned, to prove we’re not to be messed with.” She would get the blood she craved. She wasn’t going to be a victim to the Elvasi, not any more. They couldn’t have her. She would kill every one of them in Olost if she had to.

  I’m never going back.

  “The guy we planned to hit might not be the one behind this,” Luykas casually reminded her. He seemed so calm, so helpful. She nearly wanted to strangle him.

  “So? All Elvasi are the enemy and w
e still need his supplies for winter, or so I’ve heard from you all.” She didn’t see a problem. Who cares where the Elvasi came from? If this one was funding their type of hunting, trying to capture her, attack the Company, and enslave their people, who cared?

  The smile Luykas gave her was brilliant. Then he turned to the Company right as Alchan roared and went for Matesh. “ATTENTION ON ME!” Luykas roared at the top of his lungs.

  In a second, Alchan was off Matesh, leaving her male on the ground, but unharmed. Everyone else snapped to attention.

  With everyone silent, Luykas looked back at her. “Tell them your idea.”

  With a deep breath, she explained the reasoning she came to. She wasn’t sure why Luykas was leaving it up to her, but as she spoke, she could see a light in his eyes, as if she was doing something right. Mat was watching her with a growing smile. Others were just nodding, hearing the reason of her words.

  When she was done, it was Alchan who spoke first.

  “Best idea anyone has had in over a fucking month,” he muttered. “Everyone, get fucking moving. Treat injuries and let’s get all of our horses back. Make sure they’re okay. Claim the Elvasi horses if you can.”

  Andinna jumped into action, cleaning up the camp site. Alchan stomped towards her and Luykas. She raised her chin, ready to face him down.

  Something soft passed over his face, though. “Your father would be proud of that,” he said, nodding respectfully to her and extending a hand. She took it slowly. “He was always a level-headed man when it came to a problem as well.”

  “Thank you,” she said, swallowing a lump of emotion she wasn’t expecting. Pride?

  “You know, Alchan, it sucks that it’s Mave, but at least it isn’t you.” Nevyn walked over next, shrugging.

  Alchan snarled, looking over his shoulder at the older male. “Don’t go there.”

  “Why would it be worse for Alchan to be the one they’re after?” She wanted an answer. Everyone began to shift around uncomfortably. She suddenly realized there was a secret, one they had been keeping from her this entire time. It pissed her off. “Tell me! I’m Company, so I deserve to know what everyone else does!”

  “Tell her,” Luykas said, cutting in again. “Alchan, it’s time. Just tell her.”

  Alchan growled, looking her over. She waited, upset that after all of this, over a month knowing all of them, there was a big secret they were obviously keeping. One they all knew. Mat looked down from her and so did Rain.

  They all know something.

  “There’s a rule in the Company that this is ignored. I’m one of the Company leaders first and foremost. I go by Alchan. I wanted to be treated normally. The guys, they all understand this. You need to as well.”

  “Okay?” She frowned, unsure as to what Alchan was talking about. Was this rule why they never told her? “What sort of thing could possibly-”

  “My name is Alchan Andini and I’m the King of the Andinna. The ruling King. The Company is considered my royal guard in the eyes of the Andinna. That includes you now. I hadn’t wanted to say anything until I was sure you were ready to hear it.”

  Mave was certain she didn’t hear that right. Alchan still wore his standard, somewhat angry expression.

  “What?” She barely got the word out. This wasn’t the shock she was expecting right on the back of finding out she was the most wanted Andinna in the known world.

  “The royal family is normally led by females, because we’re matriarchal. I’m the sole pureblood survivor. At the time the War began, I was the grandson of the reigning Queen. My father was her oldest child, her son. I was sixth in line for the throne, thanks to being a male born from a male. I was considered one of the last options to ever inherit the throne. Now I’m all that’s left.”

  Mave opened and closed her mouth more times than she could really count. She looked around at the Company. None of them seemed surprised.

  None of them had acted like this grouch was a king. The King.

  He was just Alchan, the bedru with a bad attitude that barked orders. She challenged him on a constant basis and they never got along.

  She was challenging the fucking King. She was fighting with and against the fucking King.

  He must have seen something that gave away what she was thinking because he snapped his fingers in her face. She bit back a snarl, realizing she couldn’t do that to him. “Remember what I just said, Mave. Here in the Company, my title isn’t important. I’m one of two leaders of the Ivory Shadows Mercenary Company and nothing more. I go by Alchan, and, if things are dangerous, sir. I don’t acknowledge the title outside the mountains. There’s no place for an Andinna king away from the Andinna. Everyone who sees me outside of the mountains that’s not in the Company calls me sir, not sire.” He sighed, turning away from her to stare at Luykas. “I told you this would happen. Now she’s going to be holding back.”

  “Mave?” Luykas walked closer to her. “Are you going to be okay with this? He’s still just Alchan. The asshole you don’t like.”

  “He’s…” She tried to hold back a growl. She had bad experiences with royalty. That overrode her small fear and regret at her behavior. Suddenly, she was mad. She was expected to follow orders from another piece of royal shit. “No wonder you’re an overbearing prick. You probably get everything you damned well could ever want thanks to having that sort of title to throw around.”

  “By the fucking Skies,” Zayden mumbled. “She really didn’t just say that, did she?”

  “She did, bodra. She really did.” Rain sounded downright fearful.

  “She’s a ballsy bitch,” Nevyn added lightly, almost appreciating it.

  Alchan glared and she held the gaze now. Fuck if he was the King. She had her fair share of experience dealing with royalty. If he expected her to fall in line with him because of his title, he had another thing fucking coming.

  “You’ll have to behead me if you think I’m going to play bitch,” she continued. “I dare you to try.”

  It was Luykas who started to chuckle first, breaking out into a full-bellied laugh within a few seconds. Zayden was next, Rain following him, and Nevyn and Varon were at the front, snickering. Bryn and Mat were last, Mat hiding his face. Bryn pulled his scarf up but it didn’t cover the sound.

  Alchan dared to smirk. “Thank the Skies. I was worried you would become a supplicant when I need a warrior. For your information, Mave, I’ve never used my rank to get a damned thing. I trained at your father’s knee so I could become a military commander. I worked my way up through the ranks of the army just like everyone else. Don’t ever accuse me of that again.”

  “So you won’t get pissy if I challenge you?” She knew now she was never going to be able to stop. King or not, she couldn’t resist meeting his eyes and hoping he would one day back down. She wanted everyone to turn their eyes down to her, though. It wasn’t an Alchan-specific problem.

  “I’m always pissy when you challenge me.” He scoffed but the smirk didn’t leave. “But don’t disobey an order - and that’s from your Company commander, not the King. Here’s the first order: get those ribs tended. Don’t try to play tough. I hate it when you fuckers play tough and only get in worse shape. Ask any of them.”

  She watched him walk away, and once he was out of ear shot, she turned a glare on Mat.

  “Why did no one tell me this earlier? He could have killed me.”

  “What’s really bothering ya?” Bryn asked. “The fact that you’ve been challenging the King, or that you were once owned by the Empress and now work for the King?”

  She wasn’t really sure which was worse and she didn’t like how observant Bryn was. She shouldn’t be challenging a king, especially not this one. Even as she had been telling herself to be scared of him, to stop, she challenged him. She had no control over herself, that much was apparent.

  “I don’t know,” she answered. “He’s really not that bad?” She was trying to separate her idea of nobility and royalty from the grouchy, piss
ed-off bedru she had to deal with every day. His attitude made her worry he really was like the Elvasi, which only pissed her off. How do I trust this asshole now? I know what royalty can do with their power.

  “Something you’ll have to see for yourself,” Mat said gently. “He’s just Alchan here. Do you see any of us groveling? Skies, Bryn and I started a fight with him. Rain joined in. He’s not having us beaten. I think he’ll give us guard duty in the village over the winter. It’s his favorite punishment and an easy one. Keeps us sharp when we’re not on a mission.”

  She nodded, accepting that.

  “I’ll be fine,” she finally said, everything weighing heavily on her mind. She would need time to process this. If it was something they ignored in the Company, she would need to see him with other Andinna. Was he domineering and mean? Did he use his position to get what he wanted out of others - sex, currency, or anything else? I have to see. Until then, I’ll withhold judgment.

  It was the best she could do with the new piece of information just thrust in her lap. Analyze it, wait, then act. She didn’t survive a thousand years of the Empress by acting impulsively.

  “Everyone, we’re moving out after breakfast!” Alchan called out, sitting down on a log. The rain was still coming down on them, but it was slowing. While she had been learning about him, some of the Company had been rounding up their horses. She grabbed her own bowl of soup for breakfast and sat next to Mat, lost in thought as she ate.

  29

  Luykas

  It had been a bloody night, evidenced by the scene at dawn as they ate breakfast and tended their wounds. Arrows stuck out of trees. Cuts across tree trunks marked where people had missed their attacks. The carts were generally okay, but Luykas’ eyes fell to the puddle of blood that had come from someone. They had moved the bodies away from their things, towards the road, a warning for anyone foolish enough to try again. The dead were the best signal they had now.