Page 75 of Huntress

“If an actual Lord were to decide to destroy your little hunter organization, there’s nothing you could do to stop them. A northern lord, mind you, not those weaklings playing pretend in the south. You demon hunters are so far beneath the lords that you don’t warrant notice.” He gave her a considering look as he thought over his words. “You, maybe, once your seal is broken. Being a reaper may give them reason to consider you. Your kind are spooky, even to the biggest and baddest.”

Elsie chewed the inside of her lip. She didn’t want to believe him, but memories of her fear of Stolas and her mother’s wolf made more sense now. Elsie wasn’t afraid of the demons she fought because she’d known far scarier as a child. She eyed Saint. With all that power, he wasn’t a lord.

“Are you an upper-class demon?” She asked again, uncaring if he thought her rude. Those dark eyes found hers, and he nodded in answer. Elsie chewed the inside of her lip. At least they weren’t completely off base.

She gently stretched her limbs. Standing still for too long was making them stiff. She teetered and grabbed the table to keep herself from falling over. Elsie huffed out an amused laugh. She’d never let her body get this torn up before. It was exhausting, but there was one more thing she needed to do before she could rest without guilt plaguing her.

“Does that nose of yours know where the other squad’s hunters are?” she asked.

Saint’s brows furrowed as he looked at her; the last thing she needed was more adventuring. She should be tucked in a bed somewhere, but she’d know if he lied, and her stubborn ass would go looking for them without his help. He sighed and beckoned.

She was careful with her movements, and it took several minutes to get there. Thrown haphazardly around the communal room were the bodies of Oasis’ hunter squad. Elsie checked each of them, verifying their deaths. The first three had clearly been dead for hours.

She came to Talbot in a pool of his own blood and gasped. “He has a pulse!”

Elsie rolled him over. His throat had been slit, but his assailant had missed the major veins, and the cut was too shallow to kill him. “Hang on.”

She checked the last three, finding one more survivor. He was a smaller man, and judging by his appearance, he was one of her mother’s people.

“I have to get them to Marley.” She hoisted the man onto her back, not thinking about the consequences. She’d sit still and relax after she got him to the healer.

“Put that down,” her demon growled. “You’re not in any condition to be playing the hero.”

“He needs help. I’ll come back for Talbot, I can’t take them both at once.”

Saint’s hands balled into fists, then he turned and grabbed the collar of Talbot’s shirt. “Let’s go.”

“You can’t drag him there, you have to be gentle.”

“Watch me.” He crept along, waiting for her as she struggled with every step. If she wanted to be stubborn, he wouldn’t get in her way.

Elsie got him through the door and followed Saint down the hall. She was too focused on staying upright to know where they were. Heat spread through her body in waves, and her head floated, leaving her incapable of any thought other than her goal.

Saint dragged Talbot into the infirmary in front of her, dropping him on the floor.

“What the hell?!” Marley yelped, but Saint was already looking back at Elsie, eyes shrouded.

Elsie took the last few steps, her breath little more than ragged wheezing. Marley abandoned Talbot and closed the distance between them in seconds. “Captain, are you serious? Why didn’t you come get us?”

“The rest of them are dead,” Elsie whispered as Marley dragged the stranger off her back, taking his weight.

Elsie’s one reason to focus was gone. A heat wave flushed hotter than ever, and her vision narrowed to a tunnel. She didn’t even feel it when her head slammed to the floor.

She heard their voices before she was able to open her eyes. Quiet shuffling, the murmurs of a healer looking after their patients. There were voices she didn’t recognize, speaking in hushed tones with Marley.

“It’s been three days, how long is this going to take?” an impatient man demanded.

“Removing the sleeping spell on your orders doesn’t mean she’s ready to wake up. The captain is lucky to be alive,” Marley said. Elsie caught the sour note in her voice.

She dragged her eyes open, struggling to focus her vision. Marley and the man were walking toward the door. Fabric brushing against plastic drew her gaze to Saint, who’d posted up next to her bed. She watched his fierce expression soften and fade away when he noticed she was awake. He leaned toward her, searching her face while they listened in.

“The investigation will continue, with or without her,” the man told Marley. Elsie pushed herself against the pillows and sat up, not liking the tone he was taking with her healer.

“What investigation?” she croaked, her throat dry. They turned her way, and Elsie spotted the insignia on his lapel. Marshal Harlan, in the flesh.

“The investigation into your gross misconduct and negligence, resulting in the deaths of sixty-four humans and seven hunters.” The volume of his voice rose.

“Seven? Talbot and the other one didn’t survive?” Elsie raised a hand to her forehead, trying to do the math with a hammering headache. “Seventy-one people died?”