Page 33 of Tattered Huntress
‘That’s what I told him!’ Hester replied.
‘She saved them!’
‘I told him that too!’
Otis curled his tiny hands into fists and flew past me, also prepared to confront Hugo on my behalf. I raised my eyes heavenward. ‘Guys,’ I said. ‘Can we please just leave it? It doesn’t matter.’
‘Of course it matters! Your honour is being impugned!’ Otis protested.
‘Hit him, Daisy,’ Hester urged. ‘Challenge him to a duel. Or stab his eyes out.’
‘She doesn’t need to use physical violence.’ Otis put his hands on his hips. ‘But a stern word is definitely merited.’
‘A stern word?’ Hester shrieked. ‘He should be hung, drawn and quartered.’
‘That’s probably a bit extreme, Hes.’
‘Is it?Is it?’
I passed a hand over my eyes as they continued to bicker, then I glanced at Hugo. He wasn’t watching their antics, he was watching me with a strange look on his face that I couldn’t decipher.
‘Why didn’t you tell me that before?’ he asked, his voice considerably softer. ‘Why didn’t you defend yourself?’
My body swayed with exhaustion. ‘What’s the point? You’ve already made your mind up about me.’
I could have been wrong but I thought I saw him flinch. I didn’t care and to prove my point, I reached into my pocket and took out another spider’s silk pill. Holding his gaze, I tossed it defiantly into my mouth then raised my eyebrows, daring him to comment.
‘Good evening, ma’am,’ said a polite voice. ‘Do you need to check in?’ The man behind the front desk was studiously avoiding looking in Hester and Otis’s direction.
‘Yes,’ I said. ‘I do.’ I gave him my details. When I movedaway a minute later, keycard in hand, Hugo Pemberville had vanished. Frankly, I was so tired that it was possible I’d imagined the whole scene.
‘Come on, you two,’ I said to the brownies, who were still yelling at each other. ‘I need to hit the sack.’
‘You shouldn’t be hitting sacks!’ Hester told me. ‘You should be hittinghim!’ She frowned at the spot where Hugo had been. ‘Where did he go?’
Otis clapped his hands. ‘We scared him off with our stern words,’ he said. ‘See, Hester?’
I was already at the bottom of the stairs. They could argue all night if they wanted to but I was going to my damned bed. I didn’t care what Hugo Pemberville thought of me. I didn’t care about anything beyond getting some fucking sleep.
The babbleof voices inside the breakfast room silenced as soon as I stepped across the threshold. I could feel several pairs of eyes burning into me with hatred; so everybodydidthink I’d tried to lead the black-clad men to their deaths. Hugo had obviously done nothing to dissuade them of that despite Otis and Hester’s sterling defence of my integrity the night before.
I looked around but I couldn’t see any evidence of him or his Primes, so I helped myself to a glass of fresh orange juice and did my best to act nonchalantly. Loudly protesting my innocence would only make me look more guilty. Besides, none of the people in this room were my friends before this treasure hunt had started, and none of them would be my friends after it. I shouldn’t let their silent censure get to me.
I sat at one of the empty tables in the centre of the room and ordered a full English from the waiter. The hotel was on Sir Nigel’s dime and, after receiving the finefrom the police last night, I needed to save every penny I could until I found the Arkaig gold. If I ate enough now, I wouldn’t need to spend money on food later.
I checked the satellite phone, noting that the last message from Sir Nigel told me to await further instructions about the location of the second part of the key. With any luck, the next stage of the hunt would be monster free. I could only hope.
As a steaming pot of coffee was placed in front of me, I noticed the twins at the next table eyeing me with undisguised malevolence. I poured myself a cup and smiled at them cheerfully. They glowered in response.
‘I’m going to say something,’ I heard one of them mutter.
‘Don’t,’ urged her sister. ‘She might strike you dead where you stand.’
‘She can’t. It’s against the rules.’
‘Those rules didn’t stop that bitch yesterday.’
I lifted my chin. They must know I could hear them, right? ‘If you have something to say to me,’ I called across, ‘go ahead.’
