Page 104 of The Spider Queen
“I guess I’ve been allowing him to hear us. Though it wasn’t a conscious choice.”
Hunter looked at the ceiling of the pub and sighed. “Even I don’t know the rules anymore.”
“Then you can break them. Who is Thane? Really?” I leaned over the table. “Tell me who he is.”
“You can hear him again,” Hunter stated. “Why don’t you ask him?”
Chapter 39
Who are you?I asked, not expecting an answer.
The Guardian,came an immediate reply.
Guardian? Guardian of what?
Guardian of the Bridge—that’s all I will say about it, Poppy. Until…
Until I free you, you mean.
Yes.
You’re using my innate curiosity against me.
There was a flicker of amusement.Yes.
Why not just let Hunter explain it all to me?
Because there are things even he doesn’t know.
I truncated the conversation and focused on Hunter. His face was bleak.
I’d been battling everyone and everything, including him: the man who was my only ally, the only one I could trust.
“I haven’t been fair to you, have I?”
Hunter ran a hand through his hair as weariness tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I think I preferred you angry. At least then I knew there was some fight in you. Thought maybe…”
I smiled, but it was tragic. “There was hope for us?”
He nodded. “Yeah.”
“So even the great Hunter Jones loses hope. Interesting.” I got up from the table. “I’ll get the next round. I have a feeling we’re going to need it.”
As I started to walk away, Hunter’s voice called me back. I turned. Hunter was holding out a few bills, a slight smile on his face “You might need some money.”
Just another reminder that if it hadn’t been for Hunter, I would still be in the hospital.
Or worse.
I walked back toward him, placed my hand on the table, and leaned in. “You know what happens when someone tells me I can’t have something?”
He tilted his head back. “What?”
“I want it more.” I looped my arms around his neck and brought his face to my chest. “I’ll free Thane. I’ll get my answers. But that’s it, Hunter. Because I want you.”
“You do?” His voice was muffled because his lips were pressed to my shirt.
“I do.”
