Page 65 of Hunted
Sanka was currently muttering with the curse breaker in the corner, arguing over magical tolerances and why the curse breaker couldn’t just do the ritual to break my bond with Acacia early, rather than wait for the full moon.
I couldn’t focus.Couldn’t feel anything past the ragged emptiness that filled my chest.
Acacia had made me hurt someone again.Someone I cared about.Yukio might not like me much, but I saw the goodness in him.The way he watched out for everyone—even if his care sometimes came in the form of barbed words and mild insults.And beyond that...he mattered to the others.Ruya, Robin, and Sanka, at least, were all in love with the man.
I didn’t know how much of that Acacia was aware of, but she had to have picked up on the court dynamics from looking through my eyes and shuffling through my brain.She had used me and Yukio to hurt the others.She might have been motivated by rage over the curse breaker’s interference, but still, there was calculation behind it.An intent to cause the most pain possible for as many of the court as she could.
And this time, she’d done it through my dreams.I couldn’t even trust myself to sleep.My one escape from her had been stolen.
I stared at my hands, seeing blue pixie blood that wasn’t there, wondering if I’d ever feel clean again.
Sanka exhaled loudly in displeasure, and he and the curse breaker came over to stand by the table near me, in the center of the room.
I glanced between them.“That bad?”
Sanka looked at him for a long moment.“You know she’s scared, right?”
“Who?”In my scattered state of mind, I instantly looked toward Ruya.Was she terrified of me now?Afraid I’d come for her next?She couldn’t magically heal herself, the way she healed the others.
“Acacia,” Sanka said flatly.“She’s reacting.Lashing out.That means you’re pissing her off.The longer you resist, the weaker her grip gets.She’s scared you’re gonna give her the slip.”
I didn’t answer.It was something, I supposed.It just didn’t seem like enough.
“Soon,” the curse breaker said, holding his coffee mug up toward me in a salute.“Sanka here has a spell to make sure you can’t take the amulet off again, which will muffle her.On the Cold Moon, we’ll do the breaking.Just try not to kill anyone before then, kid.”
And with that, the guy left, probably off to lock himself in his warded guest room where I couldn’t eat him by accident.
*****
The court convenedmore formally again that night.I was surprised when they summoned me from my room.I couldn’t believe they continued to include me in these things, poison that I was.
Cicely lingered close by, fully recovered from the injuries I had inflicted on him and as warm and easy with me as ever.The fool.
Sadavir stood on my other side like a stone statue, stoically contained fury written in every line of his tall, muscular frame.Every once in a while, he reached out to touch my shoulder.I wasn’t sure if it was an attempt to comfort me or himself.
Robin’s eyes were molten gold.She still struggled to be in the same room as Sadavir, and she seemed to be avoiding close contact with Ruya.I didn’t blame her.I wanted Ruya and Sadavir to be happy together.They were a wonderful pair.But I hadn’t had the time and space to process what it meant that my lover—however long that continued now that I was a vampire puppet—now had a bonded omega true mate.
The last omega he’d set his sights on had tried to shove me out of Sadavir’s life completely.Not that I thought Ruya would purposefully do that.But if he needed another reason to kick me to the curb, there it was.
Martina watched Robin and Vir, one hand suspiciously close to the knife at her belt, as if she was just waiting for one of them to step out of line so she could stab them.
Dusek, leaned in a shadowy corner, unreadable as always.
Ruya finally stopped fussing over Yukio and moved to joined us in the center of the room, and I watched her every move with a hunger I hated and gloried in at the same time.I hadn’t had a chance yet, to talk to her.It seemed pointless anyway.What would I say?Sorry I almost killed two of your lovers so far and would really love to pin you down and drink your sweet magical blood until you run dry?But don’t be mad.Right.
Besides, we had more important things to worry about right now.
“Well?”Robin said, crossing her arms over her chest and cocking a hip as she stared me down, her posture all deceptive ease and her voice too soft and easy to be anything but dangerous.“Sadavir tells me you have a message from ourdearlittle friend Acacia.Share with the class, Josh dear.”
“She gave me another name,” I said softly.I was tired.So tired of all of this.I had dragged my feet too long before going to Robin with this new demand, hoping some new information would come to light about the emperor in the meantime, and Acacia had made me pay for it.MadeYukiopay for it.
Robin arched a red-gold brow, giving me an unimpressed look that I knew was actually for Acacia.
Ruya’s face tightened, and I felt a fresh wave of guilt.I knew how she felt about taking life.“Who?”
I pulled a slip of paper from my pocket and handed it to Robin.I’d written the name down just in case.But I knew I wouldn’t forget it.Acacia wouldn’tletme.“Lady Violet Elhenna.Matriarch of the Willowfen fae enclave.”
A gasp rippled through half the room.Cicely flinched.
