Page 10 of Inked in Emeralds (Inkbound #3)

S omeone yanked me back, and the door slammed shut, but not before I caught sight of a dark shape overhead?—

Thunk.

A spear punched through the wood, its iron tip jutting from right around where my face had been a second before. My hands went clammy as splinters peppered my cheeks.

“You okay?” Hook stood behind me, sealed against my back, arm wrapped around my chest like a steel band.

Billy was already pushing past us, nocking an arrow as she went.

“I’ll take care of this.” Her face was a mask of icy cold rage as she kicked the door open and launched into a full sprint before dropping to her knees. Chunks of grassy dirt sprayed into the air as she slid, loosing her first shot before skidding to a stop.

Her hand blurred back to her quiver as Hook headed out behind her, magic already flooding to his fingertips. Duncan pulled up the rear, his body seeming to swell, muscles bulging against the fabric of his shirt as he called back to me over his shoulder.

“Stay back.”

Another twang sounded, followed by a muttered curse from Billy.

“Don’t let him get away—Oh, shit!”

Screw this.

I launched myself out the door, yanking my whip free as a second flying monkey dive-bombed Billy with zero regard for its own safety. It landed, whipping twin swords around in a tornado of steel and fur, but she was a half-step too fast, dancing around its strikes with preternatural speed.

Duncan sprinted to her side, tearing his great sword from its sheath as Hook faced the spear handling-monkey who had nearly skewered me.

I dashed toward him, heart in my throat.

Up close, these things were even more horrifying than before.

The creature’s eyes were blinded by bloodlust, its long canines dropping saliva as it screeched and snarled.

Hook blasted a gust of gale-force wind its way that should’ve knocked it clean out of the sky, but with a single beat of its massive wings, the beast lunged toward us in a burst of unfathomable speed.

I struck on instinct; my whip cracked empty air.

The monkey was on me before the sound reached my ears.

I threw my weight sideways, seeing my life flash before my eyes as he adjusted, mid-thrust, to track my movement.

A burst of uncontrolled magic roared up from within me like I’d never felt before as I hit the ground, shooting wildly in all directions in a desperate, instinctive attempt to survive—or at least take this ugly bastard with me if I didn’t.

The beast came to an abrupt halt, freezing in place as his spear hovered just inches from my chest.

My head roared with relief, and I sucked in a breath.

Got ‘em.

It wasn’t until a drop of hot blood spattered my cheek that I saw the iron hook poking from its matted, black fur. Hook yanked the monkey back, his saber ripping through the air to decapitate him before he could hit the ground.

He turned, his eyes flitting down to look at me. And, seeing that I hadn’t been hurt, he strode toward Billy and Duncan before stopping in his tracks.

“Well, fuck me.”

I rolled onto all fours, the scent of moss and blood swamping me as fingers of panic teased at the base of my neck.

Instead of the two dead bodies I feared, I found Duncan in full berserker mode, holding the monkey scout by the leg as he swung it head-first against the ground.

And, judging by the streaks of blood and pulverized bone surrounding him in all directions, it was far from the first swing.

He slammed it down a final time for good measure, then whirled in my direction. He let out a breath as he saw me, his eyes flickering from silver back to gray. “Bloody hell, those bastards are stronger than they look.”

Billy emerged from behind him, giving him a wide berth as she approached the fallen corpse, her muscles still tense and on high alert.

She tore the arrow from its chest and stuffed it back in her quiver before kneeling beside the creature.

“All good?” Hook muttered, reaching down for my arm and hoisting me to my feet.

“Yeah,” I said, gulping hard.

Just peachy.

“Hate to agree with prince pretty boy, but you should’ve stayed in the fucking hut like he told you. Until you’ve regained your strength, you’re going to get yourself into trouble against enemies like that. Too much power and speed.”

If I regained my strength. But I couldn’t dwell on that right now. “I’ve never seen anything move that quickly.”

“They’re scary fast,” Billy agreed, still hunched over the fallen monkey.

“What’re you doing?” Duncan asked, glancing over at her. She stood, eyeing him for a long moment before answering.

“Just...checking him for valuables.” She lifted her head and shot us a grim smile. “Sometimes they steal jewelry and such from people they’ve killed. Nothing on these, though.”

“Are they all that strong?” I asked, rolling up my whip. “We saw thousands of them when we were in Munsch Kin Land through the skylight. I don’t see how anyone could survive that if the shield protecting them failed.”

“None of them are a walk in the park, but scouts—the ones that come out during the day like these did—are the elite. Faster, stronger, and daylight-proof. They’re out collecting intel and usually don’t attack unless provoked, though.”

Eh .

“About that…uh, so one other thing you should probably know.” I shuffled my feet, staring down at the tips of my red boots.

“The whole Wicked Witch thing goes both ways. I’m hunting her, but she’s hunting me, too.

In fact, my guess is that she sent those scouts out specifically to find me.

I’m sorry I led her to you, and I understand if that changes things… ”

Apparently, I didn’t need to finish my thought because she was already shaking her head.

“Doesn’t change nothing. Let her come.” Billy’s eyes flashed blue fire, and she lifted a hand to the simple silver locket around her neck. “I’ve been waiting.”

I wanted to ask why…and for how long? Something told me this grudge ran deep, but that same thing told me that now wasn’t the time to ask. She’d tell me if and when she was ready. It was enough that she’d agreed to come along.

She glanced back at the monkey corpses and then turned to Duncan, who winced in pain…I hoped only from the aftermath of using his power.

“Thanks for your help. Just to be clear, though. I would’ve had him. The sword ones blow their load too fast, use up all their energy in a single combo. I was just waiting him out, is all.”

The comment would’ve come off like a cocky joke coming from either of the old Billys’ mouths, but from this one, I found myself believing it. Her movements had been incredible, keeping pace with a beast I’d been completely unable to manage.

“Well, I saved you the trouble, and that leather of yours from a whole lot of mess.” Duncan glanced down at his blood-soaked clothes.

She strode over to the second of the two dead monkeys, taking a long look at the decapitated head before standing. When she turned back to us, her expression had regained a fraction of the humor I’d grown used to in the other worlds. She spared a pointed glance at a pale-faced Duncan.

“Yeah, I look great. You, on the other hand my friend, look like you got off a long shift at the butcher’s shop.

In fact, all of you could use a bath for yourselves and your clothes, yeah?

I’ll show you to the stream and then take care of these bodies—I need to burn them, before we go—then I’ll come get you. ”

“I can help,” Duncan cut in, but she held up a hand.

“My land, my job. I won’t have you interfering as I’m particular about certain things, but thanks anyway.”

The stream wasn’t far—only a few-minutes walk downhill through brush and knee-high fern. But it was like stepping into another world. Sunlight spilled through the canopy of trees, turning the water to liquid gold. Dragonflies skated across the surface, their wings flashing sapphire and green.

If Oz needed an image to bring in visitors, this would be it.

As if by some unspoken agreement, Duncan waded upstream while Hook stalked a few yards in the opposite direction. I took a second to yank off my boots and then went straight ahead until the water lapped at my waist before sinking to my knees into the gravel.

The lazy stream was just cool enough to be refreshing, and I let out a sigh as it washed away the blood and grit. Shame it couldn’t do the same with the thoughts clouding my mind.

Billy’s grudge, Duncan’s pain, Hook’s anger, my own failing magic. And underneath it all pulsed a new worry…

Why had my magic surged, only to drain away again, leaving me hollow inside once more?

I scooped up some water and lifted it to my face, pausing as a crimson droplet splashed my wrist. Pausing, I pressed the heel of my palm against my nose and then pulled it away.

Nosebleed.

Fuck.

I stood and tipped my head back to stop the flow. Had Almira broken me for real? Was that wild, uncontrollable burst of magic like one of my flash-bangs right before it exploded into a useless pile of paper and charred sawdust?

I was so focused on the blood and what it might mean that I didn’t realize someone had come up behind me until a shadow fell over me.

“Can I fix it for you?”

Hook’s voice, low and as rough as the gravel under my feet.

I turned to face him and froze. His soaked linen shirt clung to his chest and shoulders, his Tideblessing tattoos peeking through. Permanent reminders of every life he’d taken, every blessing he’d absorbed, and there were dozens.

Even knowing all that, what did it say about me that he was still the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen?

“I’m fine,” I lied, pinching the bridge of my nose.

He ignored my words and bent closer. “Hold still.” His hooked hand hovered in the air an inch from my face and magic hissed against my skin. Tom’s Mend blessing. I didn’t need to swipe to know that the bleeding had stopped.

“Thanks,” I whispered, my throat aching as I pictured the deck hand’s smiling face.

Hook’s expression softened as he lowered his hand. “Yeah, well, he’d give me hell if I let you walk around dripping blood all over Oz. He always said blood belonged in bodies, not on boots.” He reached out to brush a stray lock of hair from my cheek.

Damn him for being so sweet now, when I was barely holding it together.

“I think my magic is gone.” Saying it aloud felt like dropping a rock into a pool of water. No take-backsies once it sank.

His brows drew together into a fierce frown. “Almira?”

I nodded miserably. “Like she just ripped the spark right out. I had that one, wild burst back at the hut, but I couldn’t control it, and I can’t call on it.”

“It’s still there. I can see it in you even now, alive and humming. You just have to find your way back to it.”

“You really think it’s that simple?”

“Nothing about you is simple, Princess. But magic wants to live, and even Almira doesn’t have the strength to kill the kind of magic that lives in you. She just tangled things up a bit, so we’ll untangle it.”

We.

Apparently, that meant we were…what? Friends again? If we’d ever been that.

I was about to open my mouth to ask, but he beat me to the punch.

“Prince pretty boy threw me for a loop. He means something to you, and I’m still wrestling with gutting him like a pig, even though I have no right. That’s not your fault, though. I know I’ve been acting like a bastard, and I’m sorry for it.”

“Well that’s not your fault. You’re only acting like a bastard because you are one,” I reasoned with a shrug.

His lips twitched and he very nearly smiled, sending a wave of heat curling low in my belly. I opened my mouth to say I don’t know what, but water splashed upstream, and we both turned to find Duncan heading toward us.

He was bare-chested, wet shirt clutched in one hand, the lion tattoo on his shoulder flexing with each step.

“Hate to break up the heart to heart, but I smell smoke. Billy’s likely done with the monkey pyre.”

Hook’s jaw tightened, mask back in place as he nodded, the moment between us shattering like Gayelette’s glass ball.

The three of us trudged back to shore in silence.

“Time to go, kids!” Billy emerged from between the trees in a fresh set of leathers with a pile of threadbare towels in hand, not a speck of gore on her. “Bodies are ash. You three look marginally less disgusting.”

Her gaze snagged on Duncan a beat too long as she held out the towels.

“No need.” Hook flicked his fingers; a dry wind spiraled around us, whisking the moisture from our clothes and hair. In less than twenty seconds, we were dry.

“That’s a neat trick, I’ll give you that.” Billy gave a grudging nod of approval. “I just hope you’ve got plenty more of those rattling around in that big body of yours.”

“Why is that?” Hook asked, one inky brow arched.

She let out a harsh laugh.

“Because if you think those monkeys were tough, wait until you get a load of The Wicked Witch of the West in the flesh.” She slowed to a stop and sighed.

“Look, I hate to be the bad guy—Actually, scratch that. I don’t care whether I’m the bad guy or not.

I’m going to give it to you honest-like.

I’m here because I want that bitch dead, same as you, but that doesn’t mean I think we’re going to succeed.

Odds are, even if we get to her, we’re all gonna die.

Starting with this one.” She jerked her chin my way.

“That’s just the facts. Fortunately for you all, it’s a risk I’m willing to take.

You just have to decide if it’s a risk you’re willing to take. ”

With that, she strode away and didn’t look back.

That was one thing you could count on with Billy O’Donnelly. Doppelganger or not, she was a straight shooter in every single story.

But I couldn’t stop myself from wishing that her aim was a little less true for once…