“Unique how?” Sabine asked, frowning.
“In a good way,” I immediately reassured her. “It’s all over the place but organized all at the same time, if that makes sense?”
“Chaotically organized, I like it.” Rune stretched her arms above her head, her expression shifting back into something mischievous. “Okay, this was fun, but I’ve got a new poison from Cursina to test, so I’m out.”
“A poison?” Jesper visibly paled. His brown eyes widened in alarm. “No, that’s not?—”
Sabine waved a dismissive hand. “She’ll be just fine. It’s her unique power, after all.”
“Unique power?” Jesper paled further but didn’t argue.
Rune was already halfway to the door when she called over her shoulder, “Don’t forget to talk to Dad for me!”
Then, she was gone, disappearing into the hall, the door clicking shut behind her.
Jesper’s eyes lingered on the spot where she had been, as if still processing the whirlwind that was Rune Bloodwyne.
Sabine refocused on our group. “We have another mission scheduled for next weekend. Infernal Grove. Saturday, the seventh. Be prepared, okay?”
At the name, Bram flinched. A ripple of worry gnawed through our bond, sharp and immediate.
I flicked my gaze to him, hearing the way his pulse quickened and feeling the unease that settled in his bones.
He swallowed hard but bowed his head in acknowledgment, the same as we all did.
“I’ll prepare our team,” Jesper confirmed, before turning toward us. A flicker of something unreadable crossed his expression, but his voice remained steady. “I look forward to working alongside you again.”
“You as well,” Hunter said, his gaze snapping to meet mine.
A slow, searing heat curled in my chest.
Burning hot retribution.
We were going to sabotage anything Sybil Shaw tried to do—we would be her karma.
20
HUNTER
Itook Pandora away from the academy tonight.
We’d walked across the bridge at Odyssey Bluff and kept walking until we found the best spot to watch the stars. I heard distant howls of desert creatures, but we were safe here. The animals of the desert knew not to bother demons.
“Thisis the perfect spot,” I told her, spreading the blanket I’d brought with us out on the sand and gesturing for her to sit down with me.
The desert at night was a vast expanse bathed in both moonlight and starlight. The sand was cool, and shadows draped around us. The sky was an endless canvas of stars that twinkled like scattered diamonds.
A gentle wind stirred the dunes, shifting the sand slightly.
She settled down on the blanket and scooted close to me. “I love it out here, Hunter,” she rasped. “I’ve never walked this far before.”
My heart damn-near combusted from her admiration of the nature around us. “I’m glad. I wanted to watch the stars with you.”
“The stars are so beautiful,” she murmured, leaning against me and inhaling my scent.
“You’rebeautiful.” I leaned back on the blanket.
She fell back on the blanket as well, moving so our heads were next to each other, and we gazed up at the twinkling stars above us.
