Page 69 of Saints & Sinners

Her eyes narrowed, a playful glint flashing as she brought her fists up, mirroring the stance I’d taught her the past week. She surprised me by making the first move, her steps light on therain-soaked grass.

I laughed, and her teeth clenched as she lunged towards me once more. She’d retained some of the basics, and I could tell she was trying everything possible to get to me, but whenever she thought she’d pinned me down, I slipped out of reach.

She launched her fist towards my face, but I managed to catch it just in time. She was getting better, and her frustration only gave way to her fierce determination since day one.

I looked down at her, unable to stop myself from smiling. “Close,” I said and chuckled when she tried to free her hand from my hold. Just as I was about to release my grip, I caught a glimpse of a figure moving across the park. A man in a dark coat, hood hanging low over his face, but the length of his sleeves was pulled back ever so slightly, revealing the edges of a mark.

Grace followed my gaze, her body tensing when she saw the man disappear into the trees. “Is he—”

“Most likely,” I murmured. “Come on, there’s a place we can stay at in the meantime.”

Grace nodded, already matching my pace as we crossed the park and onto another road with barely a shop in sight and only a rundown motel in the distance.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Hunter’s hand was warm against my lower back as we walked into the motel. It was a rundown place with dim lighting and a musky smell that made me want to wrinkle my nose in disgust, but I managed to keep my expression neutral. Hunter stepped up to the counter with me in tow as he requested a room.

We weren’t staying the night, but like Hunter said, we needed a place to rest for a bit and get our bearing.

The receptionist barely glanced at us. She was too focused on a small TV playing above the counter. “Name and card?”

Hunter handed the receptionist everything she needed. When she finally looked away from the TV, she stared at us for a minute too long while chewing her gum loudly.

“Single or double?”

“Excuse me?” I spoke.

She rolled her eyes. “Single bed or a double.”

Oh.

As I was about to say single, Hunter spoke up and said double.

I blinked, looking up at him, but he hadn’t even glanced my way.

The receptionist blew out a huff before handing us a key. Hunter then guided me down the hallway, his hand lingering abit longer than necessary as if playing the devoted partner. It oddly felt natural, which only made the nerves in my stomach flicker.

The illusion of whatever Hunter was faking with me inside our motel room dissolved as he clicked the door shut and immediately got to work. I watched, half-amused, as he pulled two different Celestial daggers from beneath his jacket, followed by a Nightsteel I hadn’t noticed was in his pocket.

“Are you always this well-armed?”

“Precaution,” he said, setting the weapons on the nightstand. I was disappointed by his lack of a sarcastic response. Instead, his face was calm, but the way his jaw tightened told me otherwise.

I watched him closely; how his movements around the room were focused but tense. It reminded me of our first encounter, the darkness that lurked behind those grey eyes. “Why did you ask for a double bed?” I asked quietly.

He paused by the bed, his fingers trailing the thin covers. “You never know what a place like this could be hiding. I thought it would be best if they saw us acting like a... regular couple.”

Right. Regular couple.

I found myself feeling cold again. “And, um, so, last time... was it a Riftkeeper who attacked you then? Was it this exact town too?”

He seemed to know what he was doing, so my assumption led to that but as Hunter’s face shifted and a brief flash of something unreadable passed him, I began to think I was wrong. “That’s not important right now.”

“Not important? If we’re going to get anywhere close to finding your brother, I think I deserve to know what we’re dealing with, don’t you? Like, where were you the last time you were attacked? Was it near here? Was it close to the academy like we overheard Nadael and Joe say or—”

“Just leave it, Grace.”

Frustration bubbled up my throat. “Well, you’re not exactly giving me a reason to trust you right now,Cain.”

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