by Sadie Moss
The gray demon glared at me, clenching his jaw. He’d cleaned off the blood, but the cut on the right side of his face below his eye was swollen and bruised.
Damn. That ruby packed a punch.
As my head cleared, I noticed for the first time that Rolf sat in a chair by the door. He was shirtless and had a large white bandage wrapped around his hairy chest. The animosity in his eyes matched that in Garin’s, making me glad for a moment that Edgar was here. I might not like the smarmy Gifted man, but at least he kept his dogs on a leash.
Garin finally turned away, stomping to the far end of the tent to pout. Edgar watched him go before swiveling his head back to me with a look that said, What can you do? Then he leaned forward, his expression growing serious.
“Do you know what the penalty is for a Blighted who’s caught stealing from one of the Gifted?” he asked softly.
I met his gaze, anxiety twisting in my stomach. In many places, it was death. There had been some push for reform in recent years, and the harshest punishments weren’t always enforced anymore. But if Edgar wanted to, he could have me killed, and none of his Gifted government cronies would bat an eye. The best-case scenario I faced would be imprisonment for life, which was hardly a step up from death.
Swallowing, I nodded.
“Good. I thought you might, seeing as how you… dabble in thievery,” Edgar said. He scooted his chair closer to mine, leaning in as if we were sharing a secret. “Now, here’s the thing. I could turn you in to the authorities for your crime and insist on the death penalty, but what good does that do me? Not much. And it does you no good, obviously. But there is an alternative course of action that gives us both something we want. I have—” he paused, choosing his next words carefully “—associates who do not see eye-to-eye with me on certain things. In some cases, it would be easier for me if those associates were discretely… dealt with.”
I suppressed an eye roll. The infighting among the Gifted was legendary, each one scrabbling for more control, more power, more prestige than his neighbor. I didn’t understand why. There were so few of them, and they already had so much.
Chewing my lip, I listened as Edgar went on.
“But of course, it wouldn’t do if any observers could trace their bad fortune back to me. Which is where you come in. You’re smart, clearly resourceful, and tough enough to stand up to a demon and a bear shifter.” He flashed a triumphant smile. “And best of all, you’re just a human. No one would ever suspect a Blighted woman of being able to get the best of one of the Gifted. I certainly didn’t.”
My breath quickened. “You want me to… kill people for you?”
Edgar raised both hands, an innocent look on his face. “No! Nothing that extreme. Well, not in most cases. But there are other, less lethal ways you can be useful.”
“You want me to steal for you?”
He nodded noncommittally. “Among other things.”
“And if I say no?” My headache worsened as I tried to force the gears in my brain to move faster, to find a way out of this.
Edgar leaned back, regarding me. “Well, in that case, I’d be forced to turn you into the authorities and demand you be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Justice must be served in some form after all. You did steal from me and assault my men.”
His face darkened as he said those last words, and I realized that though he was playing off the attack on his men by mocking them, he hated me for it as much as they did. No Gifted liked to imagine that one of the Blighted was in any way their equal, let alone their superior.
He must truly think I’d be a useful asset if he was willing to let that slight go.
Or, more likely, he was sure I would eventually get killed carrying out whatever jobs he had in mind for me; so he figured he’d wring whatever use he could from me before I died.
I flicked my gaze across the tent to Rolf and Garin. The demon’s lip curled in a snarl when his eyes met mine.
“Would I have to work with them?” I asked, pointing with my chin.
Edgar barked a deep laugh, resting a hand on his substantial belly. “I think that would be unwise. No, you’ll be a lone agent. I’ll contact you when I have jobs that require your particular skillset.”
Silence settled in the tent as my mind churned sluggishly.
The sounds of the camp around us floated in through the thin walls. I could scream, and they’d all hear me—it wasn’t like I was being held in an underground dungeon. But I didn’t even consider it. No one would come if I did, and I couldn’t blame them. Honor and courage were great in theory, but if some well-meaning men from camp stormed in here to rescue me, they’d likely end up dead, and I’d be just as stuck as I was before.
I licked my lips. “I have to think about it.”
Edgar’s eyebrows shot up, nearly meeting his slicked-back hairline. “Think about it? The choice is between working for me and death, and you have to think about it?”
I nodded. “Nothing personal. It’s just—the thing that guy once said, ‘Give me liberty or give me death,’ you know?”
My education had been piecemeal, picked up in bits and pieces from various sources. I was lucky I could do the basics, like reading and writing—lots of little kids in the camp nowadays couldn’t even do that. Margie insisted that sharpening our intellects would keep us from becoming the animals the Gifted claimed we were.
I couldn’t remember who had said that phrase, but I knew the words were famous, and more importantly, I knew they were true.
Edgar’s expression darkened. “I won’t pretend I’m not a little insulted. But I’ll give you a day to consider your choice. I’m going back to Denver tomorrow, leaving at first light. You will be coming with me. Either to work for me or to face the punishment for your crime.”
Hope fluttered like a tiny moth in my chest.
A day. I could work with that.
A lot could happen in a day.
Edgar hauled his wide girth from the chair with a loud sigh. I steeled my muscles to keep from shrinking back as he approached me.
When he walked behind my chair, a chill shot down my spine. I could feel him behind me, but I could no longer see him. My gaze caught instead on Garin’s face—he was watching me with a smug expression.
Suddenly, my hair was lifted off my nape. Edgar’s thick hand wrapped around the back of my neck, right at the base of my skull. Before I could do more than register the feel of his cool, smooth fingers, a burning pain exploded under his palm as if he’d jabbed a hot poker into my brain.
Then I did scream, cutting off the sound immediately in a choked cry.
I bent forward as far as the cuffs would allow, trying to escape the burning touch, but his hand followed me.
Spots danced before my eyes, and I ground my teeth to stop another scream from escaping.
A moment later, the pain stopped.
My headache returned, but it was so mild compared to the agony I’d just felt, I barely registered it.
Edgar released the cuffs that bound my wrists with a soft click. Then his feet came into view as he walked around to the front of my chair.
He was wearing patent leather loafers.
In the grasslands.
What an asshole.
I raised my head to meet his eyes, panting.
“Still conscious,” he noted approvingly. “You are tough. I’ve branded you with a tracking spell, so please don’t think you can take your opportunity to ‘think’ as a chance to escape. If you attempt that, I will find you. And then I’ll kill you myself. Trust me when I say you do not want that.”
I nodded, shaking out my sore wrists.
Edgar inclined his head at Garin, who stalked across the room and hauled me to my feet, steering me roughly toward the tent’s entrance.
“Wait,” Edgar called before we reached the door.
Garin spun me around, forcing me to look back at the large man.
“What’s your name?”
I hesitated. “Lana. Lan
a Crow.”
He nodded, dismissing me with a gesture. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow, Lana Crow.”
Chapter 6
I stumbled through the camp, only dimly aware of the people passing by me. My hand kept snaking up unconsciously to touch the back of my neck, but I couldn’t feel anything there. The skin wasn’t raised. The pain I’d felt while Edgar branded me was gone.
That wasn’t reassuring. The fact that there was nothing I could physically feel on the surface of my skin just meant the spell was embedded deep within me.
The sun was low in the sky, the light shifting from bright yellows to warm oranges and pinks. Those magic cuffs must’ve kept me unconscious for a while. Edgar’s offer of a day to think no longer seemed so generous; the day was almost over, and I had to give him an answer by dawn tomorrow.
Or be gone by tomorrow.
I had no reason to doubt the power of his tracking spell, but part of me was still considering trying to run. Maybe if I got enough of a head start, I could reach the black market trading post near Devils Tower before Edgar and his lackeys found me. Markus might have some kind of charm that could break or block the tracker. And without the aid of his tracking brand, I was sure Edgar would never find me—I knew the landscape, he didn’t.
With my mind spinning, I pushed open the flap of the tent I shared with Corin, Margie, Lira, and Grace.
It was empty.
Panic clutched painfully at my chest.
Had Edgar taken them too? Had he not believed me when I said I worked alone?
I darted back outside, scanning the small street and the surrounding tents.
With a breath of relief, I saw Margie leaning on Lira’s elbow several tents away. Grace and another young girl about her age played a game while the girl’s mother stood nearby talking to Margie and Lira.
Slipping back inside the tent, I surveyed the small space. I didn’t have much in the way of possessions, just a few knickknacks and changes of clothes. My dagger had either been abandoned on the plains or claimed by Rolf and Garin. I wished I had a backup blade, but I didn’t exactly have the money to stockpile weapons. The first one hadn’t come cheap.
The only other important items I owned were always with me—a necklace Corin had made for me from a beautiful piece of quartz strung on a thin leather cord, and a simple tungsten and copper ring with numbers engraved on the inside. I’d had the ring for as long as I could remember; I wore it on a string around my neck until my fingers got big enough for me to wear it as intended. Now it adorned the middle finger of my left hand.
I ran my thumb over the smooth stone of my necklace. As long as I had it and the ring, I didn’t need anything else. And if I was going on the run, it would be better not to be burdened by too many belongings anyway.
Having decided that, I looked around the tent again, at a loss for what to do next. Should I leave now? But I couldn’t, not without—
Corin pushed aside the tent flap, bursting into the small space like a whirlwind. His sandy colored hair was windswept, his cheeks flushed from excitement and exertion. The day out in the sun had darkened his complexion slightly, lending a golden glow to his skin.
His eyes lit on me, and he crossed the tent to sweep me into his arms, spinning me around with a laugh.
“Guess who got first kill?” He set me down and pulled back, grinning down at me. “I’ll give you a hint. It wasn’t Theo.”
Despite the anxiety churning my gut so hard I felt sick, Corin’s laugh drew an answering chuckle from me. His mere presence made the world seem brighter.
I cocked my head, pretending to think. “I don’t know… Warren?”
Corin scowled at me, wrapping his arms around me again and walking me backward until my feet hit the pallet behind us. Then he lowered me onto it, bracing his body above mine. “I’ll give you one more hint.” He beat his chest with his right hand. “Big strong man. Hunt. Kill. Bring back meat.”
“Oh! You?” I asked in mock surprise.
“That’s right,” he declared proudly. “We’ll eat like kings tonight.”
He bent his head to kiss me, but stopped a few inches from my lips. His brow creased. “Lana? What’s wrong?”
It had to be my imagination, but I could’ve sworn the brand on the back of my neck pulsed menacingly. A heavy rock settled in my stomach as I stared into Corin’s concerned blue eyes. He brushed my hair back from my face, and I leaned into his touch.
“Corin, do you love me?” I whispered.
I needed to hear him say it, as if those words would stave off everything bad that existed in the world. As if the words themselves were an armor that could protect me from pain.
His eyes warmed. “You know I do. I love you more than every star in the sky, Lana. I’d do anything for you.”
I let out a soft breath. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him everything and beg him to run away with me. Though the truth was, I wouldn’t need to beg. I knew beyond any doubt that if I asked, he would follow me to the ends of the earth, into any danger.
But… what then? I was willing to risk my own life running from Edgar, but I knew it was a long shot at best. Would Corin face Edgar’s wrath with me when the Gifted man invariably tracked me down to exact his vengeance? Would we leave Margie behind to live out her last days on this earth unprotected and alone? Sure, Lira was here, but she had Grace to worry about. How could I ask Corin to give up everything—his future, his family, possibly his life—when I knew his joining me wouldn’t keep me safe but instead put us both in danger?
He had told me he wanted to be where I was, always. But I’d do all I could to keep him far away from where I was going.
“I’d do anything for you too, Corin,” I murmured, blinking back the tears that threatened. Was it only this morning I’d been dreaming of our future together in California? Those dreams tasted bitter on my tongue now, like ash from an old fire.
“What is it, Lana? Did something happen?” Corin shook his head, refusing to let me brush off his question.
I almost smiled. Stubborn man.
Biting back all the things I wanted to tell to him, I answered, “I’m… just worried about Margie. She had a bad morning.”
Corin’s face fell. “Yeah, I worry about her too. But we’ll take care of her, Lana. Just like she took care of us. It’ll be okay.”
He kissed both my cheeks, his lips collecting the tears that had leaked from my eyes. He was usually so good at reading me that for a moment, I couldn’t believe he’d accepted my lie so easily. But in all the time I’d known him, this was the first time I’d lied or kept anything from him—of course he didn’t expect it.
Corin’s worried expression broke on a grin. He gazed at me with adoration in his eyes. “Margie’s lucky to have you. So am I.”
Sliding my fingers through his hair, I pulled his face down to mine and pressed a kiss to his lips. I slipped my tongue out to lick the seam of his lips, and he opened them, inviting me to explore his mouth. A low sound rumbled from his chest, sending a wave of warmth to my belly. My legs twined around the backs of his, bringing him even closer. I could feel his hardness pressing against me, and it lit every nerve in my body on fire.
One of his hands ran down my side, gripping my hip firmly. The other threaded through the back of my hair as he changed the angle of our kiss. His fingers worked their way lightly down my neck, brushing the spot where Edgar had branded me.
With a yelp, I pulled away, a shiver of fear overriding the pleasure running down my spine.
“What? What?” Corin asked breathlessly, drawing back to look into my eyes.
“Not… here,” I gasped, scooting up and pushing onto my elbows.
Corin sat back, grinning at me guiltily. His cheeks were even more flushed than they had been when he came in, and his lips were swollen from our kisses.
We had a rule about clothes staying on while we were in the tent. No matter how alone we felt, sharing a tiny living space with three other occupants meant we could
never count on a blissful moment of privacy lasting long.
Of course, that wasn’t what had made me stop, but at least it was a reason Corin would understand.
I grabbed his hands and pulled him back toward me as I lay down. He collapsed next to me, rolling my body so it was draped halfway over his, my head resting in the crook of his shoulder.
“I can never get enough of you,” he sighed. He looked down at me, his long lashes feathering over his cheeks. “Believe me, I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to. But I think it’s hopeless. I’ll always want more.”
My heart skipped two beats then thudded so hard in my chest I thought it would crack my ribs. I couldn’t find the right words, so I simply nodded, lifting my head to gaze into his eyes. I dipped down to kiss him, breathing in the sun-drenched smell of his skin.
“Tonight,” I whispered. “We’ll take a blanket out to the grasslands.”
Corin’s eyes widened before a giddy smile spread across his face.
“Tonight,” he echoed, nodding vigorously. He wrapped both arms around me, squeezing me tight, then threw his head back and exclaimed, “But first, we eat… like… KINGS!”
We were laughing like children when Margie, Lira, and Grace returned to the tent, Corin tickling the spot on my ribs that made me giggle uncontrollably.
Margie shook her head at us, the wrinkles in her thin skin deepening as she smiled.
Fuck Edgar.
He could take nearly everything from me.
But this moment was mine, and it always would be.
We did eat like kings that night. At the far edge of camp, Corin and Theo and the rest of the men from the hunt cooked their kill over a giant bonfire. Grace ran around the perimeter of the fire, tossing little twigs on the flame and offering every few minutes to help check if the meat was ready yet.
The smell of cooking bison made my mouth water as I sat on a log next to Margie, her head resting on my shoulder and her wispy white hair tickling my cheek, a blanket wrapped around us to keep the chill air at bay.