Page 32 of Tattered Huntress
I frowned as I pushed myself out of the crevice. Dusting myself down, I reached for the satellite phone that I’d clipped to my belt and gazed at the screen. Fuck.
‘Problem?’ Hester inquired.
‘Hugo’s found the first key part,’ I muttered.
Of course he had. I sighed, then turned to the red-faced ranger who was storming up the hillside to confront me. Apparently this entire debacle was my fault, whether I liked it or not.
Chapter
Thirteen
Sir Nigel had thoughtfully arranged for a local hotel to accommodate the remaining hunters for the night now that the first key part had been found. It was the wee hours of the morning before I dragged myself through the doors and heaved my aching, fractured body up to the empty front desk.
I dinged the bell, hoping a night porter would appear quickly; I was in desperate need of a shower and a decent sleep. I slumped untidily across the desk like a rag doll. I was so damned tired I could probably sleep right there.
‘We’ll go and see if we can find a member of staff.’ Otis sounded worried. ‘You need a bed before you collapse.’
I raised a hand in acknowledgment, impressed that I could muster up even that much strength, and the brownies flapped away. Hester went right while Otis flew left. Hopefully, they’d find someone to check me in before I passed out.
‘Well,’ drawled a familiar voice behind me, ‘I expected you to be ruthless but I didn’t think you’d go so far as to lead four men to their deaths.’
I didn’t have the energy to be annoyed. ‘Nobody is dead,’ Imumbled. It was true; before they released me, the police had told me that Alan Vargas, the man in black who’d been the recipient of Bella’s worst attack, would survive.
‘Not for want of trying,’ Hugo said. ‘You knew they were following you and you deliberately led them to Snake Pass without a word of warning.’
I hauled myself upright and turned to face him. The bastard was freshly showered and shaved; from the look of him, he’d happily head out for a ten-mile jog before bedtime. I gazed at his handsome, annoying face for a long moment. There didn’t seem any point in denying his accusation. He would believe the worst of me no matter what I did.
‘Were you charged?’ he asked.
‘Would I be standing here if I had been?’ I demanded. ‘I was questioned and then released.’ I didn’t mention that I’d been arrested, questioned and was now being fined an eye-watering amount for disturbing the snake. Hugo Pemberville didn’t need to know that part – and I didn’t want to think about it.
The only saving grace was that the police hadn’t searched my belongings very thoroughly and discovered my hidden stash of spider’s silk. If they had, I wouldn’t be facing Hugo Pemberville right now, I’d have been a quivering wreck with serious withdrawal symptoms. And a guaranteed criminal record.
Hugo continued to watch me. ‘So you’ll be free to continue with the treasure hunt then.’ It wasn’t a question. ‘That’s a shame because I suppose we’ll have to watch our backs. But you won’t win, no matter how much you cheat.’
Unbelievable. ‘You think thatyou’llfind all the parts of the key?’
He shrugged. ‘Of course.’
What must it be like to possess so much arrogant confidence that you never felt a moment of self-doubt? Isighed and turned away. I couldn’t deal with this conversation any longer – and I certainly couldn’t continue to look at his smug expression.
Hester reappeared, preening herself as she zipped around my head before settling on my shoulder. ‘Found someone. They’re on their way.’
She sounded happy. Knowing Hester that probably meant she’d frightened them out of their wits by appearing out of nowhere and demanding their attention. She was often blind to the fact that most people had never seen a brownie before. Forget giant snakes; before too long Hester and Otis would give someone a heart attack simply by opening their mouths.
‘Goodnight then, killer,’ Hugo called out.
I paid him no attention but Hester stiffened. Before I could say or do anything, she took off from my shoulder and flew at him. ‘What did you say?’ she demanded. ‘What did you call my Daisy?’
‘Leave it, Hester,’ I said tiredly. ‘He’s not worth it.’
‘Maybe not,’ she snorted. ‘Butyouare.’ She addressed Hugo again. ‘It’s not Daisy’s fault that those idiots followed us. We thought we’d lost them during the drive. They’re the ones who woke up the snake. Daisy could have left them to be eaten and she’d have found that key before you did but instead she helped them. They’re only alive because of what she did. You need to show her some respect.’
Otis emerged from the other doorway, glanced towards me and then gave his sister a worried look. ‘Is there a problem?’
‘Yes,’ Hester yelled, her tiny voice echoing around the hotel lobby. ‘There’s a problem. There’s abigproblem. This idiot seems to think that Daisy was trying to kill those men by leading them to the snake.’
Otis’s mouth fell open. ‘What? We didn’t know they were still following us!’
