Page 108 of Esperance

Curiosity had her kneeling beside the pile, and after a slight hesitation, she began to pull aside the rocks. The grate of shifting stones was the only sound, until finally she reached the bottom.

And there—ringed by stones—was a small drawstring pouch. The cloth was decayed, hinting at an old age. Amryn gingerly handled it and eased it open.

A dull, black gemstone set in tarnished silver landed gently on her palm. An attached chain coiled into her hand as well, and it was just as age-blackened as the rest of the amulet. There were no smaller gems or precious stones set around the black one on the pendant.

In appearance, there was nothing remarkable about the amulet. But the low vibration she’d felt clearly emanated from it, and everything about that was unsettling.

She’d never picked up any sort of feeling from an object before; and she’d never picked up anythingat that distance. So, even though there was nothing alarming about what she felt, the mere fact that she feltanythinggave her pause, even though it wasn’t malevolent.

Amryn didn’t know a lot about empaths, but she knew there were variations. Some people could feel the emotions of animals, for instance—which was something she couldn’t do. Others had a sensitivity for objects, and could often glean something about where they had been, or who had last touched them. She’d never demonstrated that ability before, and she wasn’t picking up on any other items, even though she tried tofeelthe pack she’d left behind.

Nothing.

But the amulet in her hand continued its dull hum.

A ripple of emotions tugged her attention away from the strange necklace. A man—only one this time—was creeping back toward her location, and he was focused. Ready to kill.

Amryn shoved the old amulet into her pocket and moved back to the pack, scooping it up as quietly as she could and fitting it over her shoulders. As much as she wanted to remain in the shelter of the cave, this time the hunter was being more careful. She couldn’t risk him spotting the cave and trapping her here.

She wasn’t exactly sure which direction the path was, but she could feel the general direction of her hunter.

She went the opposite way.

Amryn’s fear was strangling. A second man had joined the first. Now, she felt the presence of a third.

It was late afternoon and thunder rumbled distantly, threatening another storm. She was exhausted, blisters covered her feet, and she knew she had to rest before her body simply dropped. She’d run out of water hours ago, and her empty stomach ached. She was thoroughly lost, and the hunters were closing in. The game of cat and mouse she’d been playing with them was one she knew she’d lose eventually.

That left only one option.

She ducked behind the thick trunk of a tree and dropped her pack. She bent, her fingers scraping over moist earth, brushing past clutches of grass until she found a large rock with some jagged grooves that would make it easy to grip. She straightened, her back pressed to the trunk behind her.

Her body shook from more than just adrenaline or exhaustion. Knowing she would feel flashes of any pain she delivered made her stomach pitch with dread. If she managed to kill one of them, she would probably double over and be violently sick, leaving her vulnerable to one of the other attackers.

The rock was a heavy weight in her hand, but she didn’t drop it. She couldn’t. She would fight for her life, even if she was doomed to lose.

Thunder boomed. As the three men drew closer, their emotions became more distinct.

Focus. Determination. Rage.

Anger. Frustration. Need.

Cool fury. Desperation. Protect.

Sensing that last desire, Amryn’s hold on the rock flexed. Confusion sparked along with a flash of lightning. That third presence didn’t feel the same as the others. He wasn’t driven with a desire to kill, but a need toprotect. A desperation to not be too late . . .

It wasn’t Carver. She knew his essence well enough that she would have known him instantly. No, this was someone else. Someone new.

When she felt his sudden elation, she tensed—just before she felt a life go out.

Her hollow stomach clenched, and she fought a gag.

The next death happened near enough to her that she heard the gasp, and the body hitting the ground.

Only the third man remained, and his footsteps slowed as he approached her position.

“Hello?” a deep voice called out. “Can you hear me?”

Amryn didn’t make a sound.

---