Page 30 of Bonds of Starfall

"Not bad," she murmured, walking closer to hover her watch over the Rogue, capturing its death in the database so she could complete her assignment.

"Your reaction time could have been a bit quicker," a masculine voice, smooth as silk, spoke from above, whispering down on her.

Rin gasped and raised her pistol, training it above.

She knew, even before she truly studied the shadowed treetops, what she would see—whomshe would see.

The gleaming blade of a scythe and a white cloak.

Her Soul Searcher was back.

Perched atop a tall branch, one leg was pulled close to his chest, a gloved hand clutching the impeccable handle of his scythe as it rested over his knee. His other leg dangled off the branch, the edges of his white cloak caught under him, fluttering in the evening light like a stark beacon.

"But not bad at all, Vesperin Vox," said the Soul Searcher.

Rin did not lower her gun. "How do you know my name?" she demanded.

The Soul Searcher’s hood fell back as he stared up at the winking Stars, peeking through the canopy of trees above them both. It revealed his gorgeous, untouched, pale skin—and the small five-pointed mark under his left eye. Breathtaking.

"I have my ways, Hunter. It was easy to find the name of the girl with Stars in her eyes." He canted his head down, toward her, and then, before she could blink, he hopped down from the branch, the end of his white cloak billowing out as he landed lithely on his feet. Not a wince on his face, nor even a breath of sound as his boots landed on the dead, brittle grass.

His blue eyes pinned her to the spot. Something about them… the way they took in every bit of her, it made her feel seen—like she couldn’t hide, even if she wanted to. Consuming and knowing, he stared at her, taking her in from the tips of her black laced-up boots to the top of her white hair, tucked behind her ears, revealing the many silver earrings lining her lobes.

The Soul Searcher hummed.

"You’re encroaching on Hunter territory again." Rin was on edge. Something about this man… She couldn’t explain what he was doing to her. Maybe it was the simple fact of him being aSoul Searcher—they were blessed beings. Chosen Souls who died and went to the Stars, gifted immortality and capable of many great feats, then tasked with reaping Souls.

But it was hard to even stare at him for too long. As if she were staring straight into the sun. Blinding.

Her arm was steady as she held the Echogun, uncaring that it was a grave offense to harm a blessed Soul Searcher.

"Soul Searchers do not abide by the laws of your government, Hunter. There is no place we cannot go." He walked closer to her, boots silent. The muzzle of her gun was a breath away from his chest. He seemed not to care. In fact, if Rin had to guess, she’d say he was amused by her. "Nothing is hidden from us."

Rin’s eyes narrowed, and she dared to cross the scant space between them, pressing the tip of her gun against his chest. The side of his lip twitched.

"I do not want you on my assignment, Soul Searcher." If he were to view her as nothing more than a faceless Hunter, then he would be nothing more than a Soul Searcher. "I want to do this alone. I work better on my own, anyway."

He hummed again, blue eyes sparkling with mirth. His gloved hand raised, pressing on the top of her gun as he lowered it from his chest. She felt the force he used, a quiet sort of strength—a sort she was no match against.

He stepped to the side, and she followed, Echogun trailing after him, even though she knew the bullets within it were perfectly curated to kill Rogues. They could be deadly to humans and other creatures, yes, but each bullet was engineered in a specific way to be the deadliest to Rogues. Laced with chemicals that reacted with Rogue blood and dissolved into their bloodstream on impact, just as Echoswords had blades designed in the same fashion.

But still, a bullet would hurt. Even for an immortal.

The Soul Searcher started to circle her, the end of the scythe barely brushing against the ground as he held it lowered, non-threatening.

"You are quick. Nimble," he commented. "And clearly well-trained. Does the Hunter’s Guild enjoy your obedience? Are you a good guard dog for them?"

Rin swung around to face him, dropping her arm slightly in her anger. "I am no one’s dog, Soul Searcher. What about you? Are you a good little bitch for the Celestials?"

Her tone was sardonic, dripping acid. Everyone knew the Celestials had long since abandoned them, and in the process, conjured up other religions to keep them from spiraling and wondering what the point of it all was.

Rin believed in nothing but herself and the Stars—they had never abandoned her. Even now, they shone up above.

"Careful, you do not know the beings with which you play."

Her mouth opened to fire back a retort, but she was stopped by a beep from her watch.

"Nova warning," Rin said aloud.