The Wanted

by Rory Miles

  Kace spoke next. “None of us approve of your decision to help Dawn.”

  Bron, Sloan, Noah, Erik, and Shawn all nodded in agreement.

  “I suppose you all realize trying to stop me is a bad idea?”

  Bron smiled. “Why do you think we haven’t already tied you up?”

  “Don’t think he didn’t mention that idea to us,” Noah said.

  “Thank you for recognizing my right to do whatever I choose.”

  Erik gave me a hug. “Be safe. We want our favorite bounty hunter to come back in one piece.”

  I said goodbye to the rest of the men, leaving them with frowns on their faces. How odd it must be, watching the woman you care about chase after danger. I’m sure it did wonders for their pride. Considering she’d hooked Orval, Dawn had to be a badass. As for me, I didn’t want to toot my own horn, but . . . TOOT, TOOT baby.

  Dawn shivered when we stepped through the portal. “I’ll never get used to that.”

  I chuckled. “I hate it. It feels like I’m being pulled inside out.”

  “That’s exactly what it feels like. Orval wouldn’t be too happy if I ended up discombobulated.”

  Giving her a side-eye as we started to wind our way toward the cottage, I asked, “How’d you get mixed up with him?”

  She sighed, shaking her head. “I’d never pictured myself with someone like him. Then again, I never imagined any of this would happen.” The smile she wore faded, a darkness threaded with anger replacing it.

  “How long has your sister been missing?” I asked, not missing a beat.

  “Almost two months.” She stared at the ground. “She doesn’t deserve what happened to her.”

  Something about the way Dawn said it led me to believe she meant more than her sister’s disappearance. I chewed on my lip, holding back my questions.

  “Well, as soon as I get everything set up with the business, we can start looking for her.”

  Dawn retreated into herself, not acknowledging my words. Trailing just a few steps behind, she followed me to the cottage. When we made it there, I showed her the bathroom, giving her time to wash up while I scraped together a mediocre dinner. I had planned on staying with the men for a few days so the food choices were limited. I ended up making toasted chicken sandwiches with lettuce, tomato, and avocado. I’d just finished putting them together when she finished, hair dripping and freshly washed.

  She made my clothes look way better than I ever could. The shorts were extra short on her as she was a few inches taller than me, and her legs were perfectly toned. The tank top stretched tight over her chest, making me twinge with envy. Don’t get me wrong, my boobs were great, but compared to her, I looked flat-chested. No wonder Orval fell for her. She was one of the most attractive women I’d ever met. Long, lush blond hair, pretty blue eyes, light pink lips and her sun-kissed skin.

  “What I wouldn’t give for clothes that actually fit.” She pulled at the shorts, frowning when it didn’t help.

  “We can go to the market in the morning.” I looked her up and down, quirking a brow. “But I think you should keep that outfit, save it for the next time you see Orval.”

  She smiled, winking at me and shaking her hips. “These shorts do make my ass look fabulous.”

  “I hate you so hard right now.”

  Her head tipped back and she laughed. “Oh please!”

  “Seriously, those things should be illegal.” I waved my hands in front of her breasts.

  “No, honestly I envy you. You have great boobs. They’re so perky. I promise you, running with these melons is no fun. You’ve never known pain until you’ve run without support.”

  I grimaced. “Yeah, that little dress you were wearing didn’t seem very supportive.”

  “Not in the slightest.” She shook her head. “Thank you for letting me stay with you.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” I pushed a plate toward her. “Can we eat or are you one of those women who prefers not to?”

  She picked up her sandwich and took a dramatic bite, making obnoxious moaning sounds that made me blush.

  “Well, okay then,” I said. “I guess we can be friends.”

  After dinner Dawn wanted to sleep, so I showed her the bedroom. I went out to find Red, letting her have some peace and quiet.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Leaving Red in charge was just a matter of filing a temporary management order with the palace. She’d be in charge of the new jobs, handing out the marks and making sure the hunters were kept in line.

  “I shouldn’t be gone more than a few weeks.”

  She took the paperwork I handed her, a smile pulling at her lips.

  “Don’t worry about a thing. I’ve got this.”

  I smirked. “I know you do. I’m worried I won’t have a job when I come back.”

  Red laughed. “Paperwork is not really my jam. I’m a hunter at heart—your job is more than safe.”

  “All right, well, give me a hug before we have an awkward goodbye.”

  “Aww, you want a hug?” she gushed.

  With arms raised, I gestured her forward. “You’re making it weird.”

  “I’ve always wanted a sister. Ouch!” she cried when I pinched her for being a smartass.

  “Me too,” I confessed.

  She narrowed her eyes at the face I made.

  “Okay, byeeeee.” I winked at her before strutting out of her little apartment.

  The bridge barely swayed as I headed toward the ladder, proving how sturdy the upper-level construction was. The ropes they’d used were massive and coiled tightly around the trees. A small queue of people waited to go down to the main level of Forest City. I glanced around at the other apartments; they were all small and mostly inhabited by students. A steady hum of chatter filled the air, which became unbearable as the voices rose to be heard over a couple of guys arguing over a card game.

  I shimmied down the ladder and hurried out of the city, thankful for the quiet that enveloped me the further I got from the institute. I loved the city, but I didn’t think I’d ever enjoy living in an apartment. I didn’t know how Red could stand it. Then again, she was young and went to the school; she probably liked the chaos.

  When I arrived back at the cottage, just before lunch, Dawn was ready to go. While I’d been busy, she’d gone into town and found some clothes that fit her—black pants, a blue tank top, and boots—and to gather a few supplies. She held up a Berry Berry Muffin, smirking when I swiped it from her.

  “You’re my new favorite person.” Sammie’s muffins were divine.

  “I know.” Dawn smiled, handing me some water when I finished chewing. “Ready?”

  “Uh. Sure. Let me go to the bathroom and get my weapons.”

  With the toolbelt buckled securely over my black shorts, I counted the weapons, touching each one as I went. They were all there, they always were, but the ritual helped me prepare.

  I touched Lumi last, squeezing the sapphire as I looked in the mirror. My hair was freshly washed and styled, sleek and black. My white tank top felt like a second skin, though not in a suffocating way. Moving without loose clothing or restriction was essential. I laced up my boots, double knotting the string so I wouldn’t have to worry about tripping to death.

  Dawn had laid out all the supplies and was methodically repacking the backpacks when I came out. We’d packed light, but the bedrolls at the bottom of the packs would be heavy regardless of what else we brought. Even with years of experience, I didn’t like sleeping on the ground without some sort of cushioning. Picking up the last of the items, I shoved them into my bag.

  “Let’s do this. We can use the step-portal to get to Mountain Sector and then hike down to the last place you saw her.”

  She nodded, tears glistening in her eyes. Her throat bobbed when she cleared it. She slung on the pack, determination filling her gaze, the tears now gone. “She was near Untamed land when it happened.”

  “Then we better hurry.”

  The
walk to the portal went quickly, both of us too lost in our thoughts to make conversation. Dawn worried about her sister; I worried about how close the DMC would be. For Dawn’s sake, I hoped her sister wasn’t with Daman. If she was, Dawn wouldn’t be getting back a whole person. Best not to think of that right now.

  The step-portal waited for us. This deep in the forest, the sun hardly lit the ground. Sweat from hiking as fast as we had beaded on my forehead. I wiped it away with the back of my hand, waiting for Dawn to catch her breath. When she was ready, we stepped through.

  Since we were on a mission, we didn’t bother saying hello to the men. Not after the last goodbye. I doubted Orval would let Dawn walk away again. We’d see them once we finished the job. The sun began to set over the dry grassland. We’d hiked out of the mountains and into the foothills, following a trail that led to Untamed territory. Without the cover of the boulders or trees, we’d be spotted.

  My hand wrapped around Dawn’s arm as I whispered, “We should think about finding a place to stay for the night.”

  Dawn glanced over at me, brow wrinkling in confusion. “They won’t hurt us. Well, not badly.”

  “That’s encouraging. How do you know these friends of yours again? Oh, I remember, didn’t you say they bashed you over the head?”

  She snorted. “You’re being dramatic.”

  “Yeah. Not wanting to be stoned is dramatic.”

  “Really, after the whole head-smashing incident they were nice. Friendly, even.”

  I made a face at her. “Maybe you have brain damage. How hard did they hit you? The Untamed are known for flaying trespassers.”

  Her shoulder lifted, fingers brushing over the long grass. My legs itched. Shorts hadn’t been the best choice but I didn’t feel comfortable in pants.

  “You’ll see.”

  I frowned. Rule number ten: Trust no one. Especially a woman you just met who was determined to take you to meet an entire community of violently uncivilized people.

  Boldly walking over the empty grassland and into the heart of a small Untamed community, Dawn pointed out things as we passed. Gesturing to a run-down shack, the first building we passed, she said, “This is where they kept me and Amree after the head-bashing incident.”

  My eyebrows disappeared into my hairline. Seriously, she almost sounded wistful about having her skull cracked. More grasslands separated the shack and a river crowned by trees and boulders. A dirt path led us to stones that we used to step over the water. Now that we were on the other side of the river, I could make out adobe houses, hidden within the trees and foothills of the mountains.

  Two girls playing tag ran toward us on the path, not seeing us until they collided with Dawn.

  “Jolene, Lizbeth, you need to be more careful.”

  The girls stared up at her, eyes flashing with fear until they realized who it was, smiles taking over their faces.

  “Dawn! Tam, Dawn is back!” The girl with braided brown hair sprinted into the thicket of trees. “Tam!”

  “Wait for me. Lizbeth!” The girl with wild blond hair rushed after her, curls bouncing behind her.

  Dawn smiled at me over her shoulder, eyes holding a hint of a challenge. “Come on.”

  Following the path from the river up to the houses, I watched Dawn smile and wave to a couple. They returned her greeting with big toothy smiles. I guessed the stories I’d heard about the toothless Untamed weren’t true.

  A tall, imposing man swaggered over to us, his eyes flicking over me before returning to Dawn. His size rivaled Orval’s. Dawn pulled the giant into a warm embrace when he reached us.

  “Hey, Tam.”

  Tam glanced at me again, wary distrust shining in his eyes.

  Dawn answered the question on his mind. “This is my friend, Winter. She’s come to help me find Amree.”

  At the mention of her sister’s name, Tam’s face transformed from guarded to concerned.

  “You haven’t heard?” he asked.

  Dawn shook her head, face scrunching in confusion. “Heard what?” Her voice wavered.

  He looked away from her as he spoke. “Maligna has her.”

  Okay, so she wasn’t dead. That was good, right?

  I looked at Dawn. The color had drained from her face and she swayed on her feet.

  Okay . . . maybe dead was better.

  “Well, now we know where she is.” I nudged her. “This is a good thing.”

  She shook her head, a few strands of blond hair shaking loose of the ponytail.

  “Nothing good happens when Maligna is involved.”

  I started to argue that it didn’t matter who was involved: now that we knew who had Amree, we could find her and help her out of whatever situation she’d gotten herself into. When Tam shot me a scathing look, I promptly shut my mouth, not wanting to anger the man who could still flay me if he decided he didn’t like me.

  “It is almost time for dinner. Why don’t you come eat and rest before you make plans to go rescue your sister?”

  “Okay,” Dawn said. Her eyes were distant as we followed Tam to a small house.

  When a short woman with red hair and an angry gaze kicked the door open, some of Dawn’s color returned. Her spine stiffened and she narrowed her eyes.

  “Hello, Genevieve,” Dawn spat the words out.

  The woman slowly took Dawn in, eyes skating over her body. “I see you found clothes that actually fit.”

  “No thanks to you.” Dawn flicked her long hair over her shoulder.

  Genevieve glared at Tam. “Why is she here?”

  Tam let out an annoyed sigh. “She’s looking for Amree.”

  The woman softened slightly. “Well, she’s not staying in this house.”

  “Aunt, you have no say in where I let Dawn stay. Or have you forgotten who your leader is?”

  This woman was his aunt? Poor guy.

  She jutted her chin, huffing in frustration. “I’ll be at Margaret’s. Let me know when the trash leaves.”

  Dawn cursed, yellow magic flickering from her fingers, and started toward the woman. I went with her, preparing to kick the woman’s ass because that’s what friends do.

  Tam ran in front of Dawn, an unpassable wall of muscle. His jaw clenched.

  “Eve, you should leave before you find your way to an early grave.”

  “Ha!” The woman spat on the ground. “I’m not afraid of a fancy city woman.”

  Tam turned his head, giving her a side-eye. “Did you already forget the last fight you had with Dawn? It took two healers to fix your crushed wrist.”

  Dawn shattered her wrist? Goddess above, even with all my jobs I’d never crushed bones. I shot Dawn a surprised look she didn’t see because she was too busy shooting figurative eye daggers at Tam’s aunt.

  I think I found my new best friend.

  “Bah. She caught me on a bad day.”

  Dawn snorted. “I’ll gladly break it again. Tam, move.”

  He gave Dawn a bored look, not at all bothered by her demanding tone or magic.

  “No.”

  Genevieve slunk down the stairs, giving Dawn a wide berth as she walked backward toward what I assumed was Margaret’s house. My mouth pulled up in a sneer. All that posturing and she wouldn’t even turn her back to us. Dawn must have kicked some serious ass.

  She pointed at Tam. “I want her gone in the morning.”

  “Goodbye, Genevieve,” was all he said.

  When the woman disappeared into a house, the fight drained from Dawn. Her face was now tired and pale.

  “You mentioned food?” I asked Tam, clutching my grumbling stomach.

  Dawn chuckled, making her way into the house. “Let’s eat.”

  Tam watched her go, admiration and affection rippling over his face. I hoped for his sake he never met Orval. Tam looked to be twice our age, but he obviously loved Dawn. When he saw me watching, the emotion drained from his face. Without a word, he jogged up the steps after her.

  I whistled, rocking back on my heels
. Dawn had made friends, all right, and apparently one petite enemy.

  After eating the roast and potatoes Eve had made for Tam, we sat around a surprisingly modern living room. The furniture was all sleek lines and leather. The couches were laid out in a U shape with a nice, short wooden table centered over a rug. The burnt orange accent wall complimenting the cream color on the other walls had me wondering if Tam had been married at some point.

  Dawn smiled as she lay out across one of the couches, kicking up her feet and placing her hands behind her head.

  “I see you took my advice,” she said, tilting her head at the accent wall.

  Tam grinned at her. “You were right. It does make the place feel more like home.”

  She smirked, glancing around the room.

  “So,” I said, turning the conversation back to the mission. “What’s the plan?”

  Dropping her feet to the floor and sitting up, Dawn clasped her hands in front of her.

  “Finding Amree has become exponentially more dangerous now that Maligna is involved.”

  I shrugged, pointing to myself. “Bounty hunter, remember?”

  “Right.” She pinned Tam with a look. “Do you know where Maligna is keeping her?”

  He shook his head. “No. All I heard was the queen had taken her.”

  Dawn stood, pacing the floor. “We will just have to wing it. Find someone who works in the castle and get them to tell us.”

  “Our best bet is to try the local pubs. There are bound to be a few disgruntled employees drinking away their troubles.”

  Tam nodded in agreement. “You must be careful. I’ve heard the madness has only gotten worse.”

  The madness he mentioned was due to Maligna’s use of deep magic. The more a person used the vile power, the more their mind broke, the sentient nature of the magic driving them mad with its thirst for more power and corruption.

  “We will be.” I pointed out my plethora of weapons. “Plus, we’ve got a little extra protection. One of these darts will knock a man your size out within a few minutes.”

  “A man my size can do a lot of damage in that amount of time.”