His normally warm gaze had cooled with steady calculation. He was angry, furious, but he wouldn’t attack now. He’d wait.
Darius moved to me next, his hand brushing my side as he reached for the sheath at my hip. I bit down the instinct to twist his wrist until he screamed. Instead, I forced stillness into my limbs and lifted my chin as Darius slid my blade free.
“Time to walk.” Darius nodded at a path and the men moved out, placing us in the middle of the procession.
We walked in tense silence. Every crunch of leaves beneath our boots felt too loud. The hunters appeared relaxed and confident. They had no idea what I was capable of. They had no idea what I would do to protect those I cared for.
I just needed time to plan.
10
I stumbled on a large tree root and almost careened into Grog’s broad back. The big man grunted. I could trip him and slide his dagger free from the sheath before I took my next breath. It would be so easy.
But now wasn’t the time.
Straightening, I brushed off my arms and scowled.
Ace walked beside me. His lips twitched as if he heard my internal thoughts, but he otherwise kept his gaze forward, scanning the forest.
“Have you ever been here?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I'm not familiar with this area.”
Neither was l. We’d crossed back to the mortal realm from Phaantasia a day ago. If my sense of direction remained true, based on the path of the sun and the placement of moss on the tree trunks, we’d headed Northeast steadily, crossing through the northern section of the forbidden forest. Nala padded along the forest floor. She’d managed to keep up with us but still moved sluggishly. If only these hunters arrived a little later. Then Hecate would’ve had time to heal my familiar.
Nala whined and bumped into my leg. I reached down and scratched her head.
“Where do you think they’re taking us?” I asked Ace.
“Why don’t you flirt with their leader some more and find out?” He hissed back. “I hear he has a whip kink.”
I jerked back as if he’d slapped me. Flirt? Who the phaan did Ace think he was throwing accusations like that around? He did plenty of flirting when he returned to town. “You sound jealous.”
“And what if I am?”
“Then you’re also ridiculous. Would you prefer I growl and snarl, like you? Would that make our situation any better or easier?”
“Catching more flies with honey, Mouse?”
“Maybe I just don’t want to be shot with an arrow.”
He grunted. “So you’d rather play nice in chains?”
“As enjoyable as it is to listen to this conversation,” Darius called out from the front of the entourage. “We’re almost at the first checkpoint.”
“So?” Ace’s lip curled up as if he’d tasted something foul.
Darius stopped and everyone followed suit. He turned to me, a glint in his eye. “So, we’ll need to make things more official.”
I didn’t like the sound of that. Darius pulled a rope from his rucksack and stepped closer. I locked my knees and lifted my chin.
“Come on, love, lets see those wrists.” He waved his hand to motion for me to hurry up.
I sighed and held out my hands.
Ace growled. Again. Maybe he was part wolf.
Darius gently wrapped the rope around my wrists and secured it with a knot. He leaned in to whisper in my ear, “Have to make this look real.”
