It will all arrive soon,he says through the bond.
Maven tips her head.What will arrive soon?
I didn’t mean to send that to you,he says sheepishly.
Her eyes narrow. He fidgets with his sleeve, a flush crawling over his cheeks.
Aid,I inform her finally.When you wished to know what we were up to, that was it—planning resources and assistance for the humans once they are safely in this world. Emergency medical help. Food. Temporary housing. Transportation to safety away from the Divide and the legacy government.
Maven stares at me and then at Everett, Crypt, and Baelfire.You guys were...planning more help for the Nether humans?
We all nod.
She looks away, a smile brushing over her face and vanishing just as quickly as she tries to tame her emotion. I suspect ourkeeper speaks through the bond because she doesn’t trust her voice to remain steady.
Gods. You’re all such fucking softies. But…thank you.
Crypt leans over to kiss her temple.You can thank us properly later when we give you those twenty-three orgasms.
That’s way too many fucking orgasms,she argues. Then she pauses, tipping her head.Isn’t it?
Only one way to know for sure,Baelfire grins.We’ll keep a scoreboard and everything. Whoever contributes the most to your birthday orgasms wins?—
A howl in the distance makes us all tense. Even the Reformists in the nearby field go still, recognizing the approach of hellhounds. The Nether humans are pouring through the waypoint now, rushing into freedom by the hundreds, but some of them slow in alarm when they hear the hellhounds braying.
Maven swears and storms out of the cemetery toward the howling. We follow her, passing by many tearful, awe-struck humans from the Nether until we near a small forest at the edge of the barren field.
A hellhound leaps out from the trees. I lift my hand to rip it in half with blood magic, but then a voice firmly says, “Heel.”
Douglas emerges from the forest along with a handful of other bounty hunters and their hellish dogs. Baelfire growls while Crypt’s markings light up ominously.
But Douglas ignores them, looking behind us at the humans fleeing into the mortal realm.
Then he studies Maven, debating. “We’ll help.”
“What?” one of the other bounty hunters snaps angrily. “She’s the fuckingtelum.We’re supposed to kill her!”
“Try,” Crypt warns darkly, smiling without humor.
Douglas shakes his head, still holding Maven’s stare. “This is why I wanted to question you, but now it’s fucking obvious that the rumors were right for once. So. Will you accept more help?”
“How about an apology for hunting us like dogs first?” I point out dryly.
Douglas snorts. “Apologies are worth shit. Action is all that matters.”
Maven smirks. “I knew I liked you.”
Baelfire sighs, dropping his head forward.Raincloud, are you fuckingtryingto make us jealous?
The other irritated bounty hunter swears angrily, having had enough. He takes aim at Maven—but just as I notice and step in front of her, Douglas turns and promptly shoots his comrade in the leg.
The other bounty hunter goes down with a sharp cry. His pet hellhound bares its teeth at Douglas, but Douglas’s massive black hellhound snarls menacingly, snapping its teeth close enough to the other pet that it whines and yields.
Douglas looks at the other hunters. “Now, does anyone else feel like being a fucking moron, or are we going to help these people escape the Nether?”
The others don’t argue.
“Good. When shadow fiends escape, you have dibs,” Maven says decisively before turning to walk back to the waypoint where the humans are still emerging into the mortal world in droves.
