Page 38 of Stalk the Dark
We didn’t speak on the way back. Not one word, and that was fine by me. I’d done and said enough for one day.
Back at the mansion, Ordell helped me off the horse. His hands continued to rest on the dip above my waist even with my boots firmly on the ground, and Iforced myself to look at his face, fully expecting to see disapproval, but there was nothing but compassion in his ocean blues.
“You could have died,” he said softly.
“Instead, she got someone else killed,” Hemlock said tightly. “Well fucking done.”
There it was, the judgment I deserved. The berating I was owed, and heck if I wasn’t grateful for it.
I stepped out of Ordell’s grip to look at them both. “I fucked up. I’m sorry.”
Hemlock closed his eyes briefly, exhaling as if to let it go.
“Nothing with Ezekiel can be taken at face value,” Ordell said. “You can’t make assumptions. Your assumptions can get someone killed.”
I swallowed against the tightness in my throat. “I realize that now.” But it was too late for Laroux. Three deaths on my watch. I was failing. Hard.
“Here.” Hemlock held out my sword to me. “You dropped this.”
I’d walked out of the castle without it. What the fuck was wrong with me? I didn’t drop the ball like this, not ever.
I took it from him with a muttered thanks.
“Get some rest,” Ordell said. “This is only the beginning. If you’re serious about moving into the castle, then we’re with you. But you need to heed our counsel. You may have watcher journals, but we havehunter accounts, and hunters know how to assess a predator.”
“I can’t lose another innocent. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“He saved you earlier,” Hemlock said. “Those things could have done some serious damage to you before he wrested control of them again. He could have let you get hurt, but he’s claimed you as property.”
“I’m no one’s property.”
“No. Of course not,” Ordell said. “But we can use it to our advantage. He’s intrigued by you, and while his attention is on you, it won’t be on his next murder spree.” Ordell’s brows came down in thought. “Maybe wecando this. Hold his attention long enough for?—”
“It’s late,” Hemlock cut him off. “We can talk tomorrow,afteryou’ve been into town and bought a dress for the Exciatio. His favorite color is?—”
“Red?” I canted my head. “It has to be red, right?”
“No,” Ordell said. “Blue. His favorite color is blue.”
“How do you know that?”
“Hunter archives,” Hemlock said dryly.
Wow, they really did keep good notes.
“Get some rest,” Ordell said. “You’re going to need your wits about you. We all are.”
Sleep didn’t come easilythat night, and dawn came too quickly, leaving me irritable and tired. The night before replayed in my mind—all the things I could have done instead of the thing I did do. That man was dead because of me, and my failure ate at me.
Haiden was a welcome sight in the kitchen, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee went a little way to helping me find my happy place.
“How did you sleep?” he asked, his back to me.
“Terribly.”
“I heard what happened last night.”
“Good, because I don’t think I have the will to recount it.” I parked my ass and dropped my head into my hands, elbows on the table. “I messed up so bad. Completely misread the situation.”
