Page 62 of A Hunt Bound in Blood

“Mage Tersey?” she asked. “There’s a name I haven’t heard in a century. How do you know about his amulet?”

Now it was Glory’s turn to be surprised. “You know of him? Of it?”

Thorn smirked. “Of course. How do you think he passed through the mountains to bury it the first time? Though I will say, we weren’t nearly as accommodating towards him. The man had the manners of a perturbed cow and was just shy of madness to boot.”

Glory’s expression flattened. “Yes, we’ve experienced that for ourselves.”

“Yet you’ve managed to follow his path. How? He wasn’t a man for leaving an obvious trail.”

“I’ve studied his work for many years. Even so, it hasn’t been easy. I wouldn’t have made it this far without Cammon’s assistance.”

She gestured vaguely at me, but by the way her fingers hung in the air, I got the impression she was reaching for me. I stepped closer, and the tension in her shoulders eased.

“Since you’re here, I can only assume your next step was to go over the mountain to reach the next signpost?” Thorn asked.

I crossed my arms and levelled her with a glower. “The only logical move.”

She stared back for a beat before returning her piercing grey gaze to Glory. “It’s a good thing we found you when we did, child. You would have wasted days attempting to go over the mountain, winged guide or no.”

Glory’s shoulders slumped. “We would have found a way. We have to. There’s a deadline, and if we—we have to make that deadline.”

“Or this princess dies?”

The lines around Glory’s eyes relaxed with the convenient explanation before her. “Exactly. Her death might spark war with the fae.”

I noted the lack of surprise in Thorn’s expression. Another curiosity. How could she know so much about the affairs of the nation way out here?

“So please,” Glory continued, “if you know how we can get to the next signpost, I ask you to tell us.”

Thorn pursed her lips and looked between us. Her braids shifted on her shoulders, the tiny metal clasps at her roots catching the light and adding a shine to her ashen hair. The woman knew how to give herself a presence.

“I’ll need time to consider,” she said. “Either way, you won’t be going anywhere until this weather changes. Kalla and Cliff will show you where you can clean up. Tonight, we revel. Tomorrow, I’ll inform you of my decision.”

“And if you decide not to help us on this quest?” My voice was the edge of a well-honed dagger, a warning against prevarication.

“As long as you keep your talons to yourself, you can leave freely whenever you choose.”

The slight quirk of her lips told me she knew I didn’t believe her, but there was nothing for it but to go along with her. If she turned on us, I would slaughter as many of them as I could to make sure Glory saw the sun again.

Thorn dismissed us with a twitch of her fingers, and Kalla hooked her arm under Glory’s to pull her away.

“This way,” she said. “I’ll show you to your room after, but first, a bath. You look like you could use some time in the hot spring.” Her nose wrinkled. “Maybe with some soap.”

I started after them, but Cliff stepped in front of me. “Let’s go this way, yeah? Believe me, you don’t want Kalla in your face once you strip down. She won’t give you any peace.” When I didn’t move, Cliff looked between Glory and me. “She’ll be safe. You have my word.”

I dropped my gaze to him. What good was the word of a vampire I’d just met? But his expression was open and non-threatening, and thus far I hadn’t had any reason to distrust these people. Besides, I reminded myself, Glory could take care of herself.

Woe be to anyone who proved me wrong about that.

As I made to follow Cliff, Thorn called out, “A word, demon.”

I tensed and looked back at her, braced for her to tell me she’d already made her decision and changed her mind.

“Those mutts chasing you. What do you know about them?”

My shoulders relaxed, but only by a fraction. “They’ve been following us most of our journey, but this is the first time they’ve engaged. The shifters claimed the mutts had been crossing their territory, causing trouble as they went.”

Thorn nodded, her brow furrowed. “My scouts report that more have been scented. You dealt them a serious blow, but you’ll need to stay on your guard. While you remain here, the fury will hold them at bay, but that protection ends once you leave.”