“Fuck,” Maurice hisses from across the room. The Huntsman stalks over, and I go still, but he doesn’t move to take the phone from me.
On the screen, Cassian leans back and speaks to someone else in low tones. I try to listen, but I’m hyper-aware of the Huntsman next to me. Vlad is still a few feet away, but he’s moved closer. I can feel that, too.
Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised when Asher said the Huntsman had told him we all have bonds. We’re all connected to the Huntsman, as well, because he handed out some of his magic as a blessing. Regardless, I’ve always been able to feel Vlad, and for the past fifteen years, that’s been a comfort.
Recently, it’s begun to feel more like a cage.
“Right,” Cassian says, moving back in view of the camera. There’s a flash of long dark hair at the side as someone else leaves. “You’re all there?”
“Yes,” the Huntsman says, and Maurice wanders back over.
“Okay. So the good news is that things could have been a lot fucking worse.”
“How so?” the Huntsman asks. He doesn’t look amused. Not that I can read his face. I’m not sure he has an expression that isn’t ‘mildly perturbed’.
“If Asher had been true fae, or even if he hadn’t been awolfto begin with, then this tear would’ve been a lot bigger. It wouldn’t have rivalled the gateway here, but we’d have a problem.”
“Thisisa problem.”
“I know, I know.” My eyes widen at Cassian’s dismissive tone, but the Huntsman says nothing. “Anyway, could have been worse. As it is, I think this will heal on its own. Grant, does it look smaller than last night?”
I lift my head and squint at the tear.
“I think so?”
“Get someone to keep an eye on it, but I think it’ll be gone in a couple of days.”
“The bad news?” the Huntsman bites out.
“There’s no way to tell how many fae got through,” Cassian says with a sigh. “I know you were there just after daybreak, but that’s still hours of time unaccounted for. Soren’s willing to make the trip to the Otherworld to check, but it might be good for you to come along and… grease the wheels, so to speak.”
The Huntsman growls. I jump, jerking the phone, but Cassian doesn’t move at all. He’s not looking at me—he’s looking at the Huntsman and waiting.
How powerfulishe? I frown. Quinn’s pack has a real mage too, I think. Maybe I can ask Quinn to introduce us and get the rundown on his magic.
AfterI’ve seen Quinn shift. He promised.
“Fine,” the Huntsman says. “Let Soren know I will be there in a few hours. He is to await my arrival.”
Cassian huffs and I swear he rolls his eyes. “Yeah, sure,” he says. “Get Grant to call me if you all need anything else. I don’t want to get seasick again.”
Cassian ends the call without saying goodbye and I offer Maurice’s phone back to him. He gives me an amused look when he takes it.
The Huntsman turns his back to the tear, surveying the lot of us. “We need eyes on this day and night until it is gone,” he says. “We will not risk any more high fae crossing over.”
“And the ones already here?” Jeremiah asks.
“Await my return before investigating but react if there is an emergency. We do not know how many high fae are here orwhy.”
We’re all quiet for a moment and I do my best not to shift my weight and draw any more attention to myself.
Last night was a mess after I got back. I’ve never seen Vlad so panicked in all the time I’ve known him, and I know we’ve still got a conversation waiting abouthowI managed to get out of the house without him noticing in the first place.
Not that he spies on me or whatever. Well, not much. But I can manipulate the wards that should have let him know I was leaving, and he didn’t know about that.
I’m sure he’s figured it out now.
“Maurice, you will stay here tonight,” the Huntsman says, and Maurice scowls.
