Page 92 of Beneath the Starlight and Storms

I take Hook’s hand. “We’ll go see her together. I just want to make sure she’s okay.”

“Fine, but you don’t leave my side.” Hook glances down at our joined hands.

“Deal.” Warmth spreads through my chest as a smile stretches my lips.

Hook shakes his head at me before tilting his head at Cash. “While I have another little…talkwith our Hunter, Cash is going to train with you today.” Hook lifts my hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss on it before heading out of the kitchen.

I look at the man in question with a raised brow. “You’re training with me today? Really?”

Cash chuckles. “Yep. It’s about time you learned how to use some daggers.”

CHAPTER24

I glancearound the derelict building Hook and I are in. Cash is waiting outside in case the girl isn’t here yet.

The building isn’t too far from the market, so it gives me hope that we’ll find her soon.

That is until I notice just how awful the building is. My heart drops the more I look around it. The dark, dirty floor and rotted metal that lines it. What’s left of the shattered windows, and not least of all—the smell. A foul, pungent stink that I can only compare to the rot of an animal corpse. But one that has laid in the sun for far too long.

I can only imagine what trouble the girl is in if she chose this place to stay hidden.

With Cash’s daggers concealed beneath my coat, into the side of my dark jeans, I feel a small measure of relief should anything happen. Even if it was only one lesson I had with him.

A small rattle draws my attention to a large metal container sitting in front of one of the walls beside a doorway. I step closer when I spot a small figure peek out before quickly hiding once again.

“It’s her,” I whisper to Hook as I take a step toward the container. She’s obviously frightened. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to bring Hook along. But I doubt he would have let me come by myself.

One look at him tells me I’m right.

“Tink,” he warns.

“She’s right there, Hook.”

Hook frowns as he glances around. “Something doesn’t feel right.”

I glance back at the container just as the young girl peeks out once more. Her frail body, dirty skin and matted hair breaking my heart.

We can help her. I know we can. I just need to get to her to convince her to come with us.

“She’s just a child, Hook.” I take a slow step toward her and when she doesn’t move or dart out and scurry away, I take another.

Hook tries to follow me, but I give him a look, pleading with him to let me do this. If we lose this opportunity to get to her, who knows when we’ll be able to get another chance.

Hook sighs but nods, his eyes glued to each step I take.

I continue my slow measured steps until I’m right beside the container. I turn and take my last step, finding the young girl huddled behind it, shaking. Bending down, I reach a hand out to her, leaving it there in the space between us. I needed to earn her trust and not just take it unwillingly.

It takes a moment, but her little hand slowly reaches out to mine, her eyes darting from my face to my hand in hope.

All of a sudden, she grabs it and the look in her eye’s changes to something else, something close to guilt as I’m sucked into the dark.

“TINK!”

Hooks' roar follows me through the darkness as we emerge in another room. I can tell we’re still in the same building from the smell and same dirty ground. But whereas there was bright light from the windows in the other room, this one was cloaked in darkness, with only shades of light filtering in from the crumbling ceiling.

But it’s enough to make out large ruins of pillar-like structures that are spread out around the room, and a handful of cars slowly rotting away around them.

Why would she have brought me here?

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