Page 62 of Hunt Me

I stride toward the stone wall where the cliff’s edge offers a fast getaway. Behind me, Tori calls out, but I keep going, needing an escape before I completely lose my mind and do something stupid. Like touch her.

When I reach the wall, I shrug out of my clothes and step up onto the ledge, calling my dragon forth. It is quick to respond, berating me for leaving her this way but no less willing to help me fly off into the darkness alone.

Chapter 15

Tori

Legion’s mood swings leave me confused and pissed off. Not to mention his little comment about his past guests. How many other women has he brought home anyway? Ugh. Why does it even matter? Alone on the ledge, I stare out over the skies where I’d watched him shift into his massive dragon and soar out of sight. The wind is cold as shit up here, but it’s also beautiful the way the clouds seem to wrap themselves around the distant mountain peaks, their snowy caps reflecting in the moonlight.

Both moons are completely full, their glow nearly as bright as a coming dawn. For a moment, I wonder what it would be like to live in a world of perpetual darkness. I’d always imagined Tartarus as some dark hell filled with evil and ugliness. But now, seeing the beauty of this place under a blanket of serene moonlight and twinkling stars, I have to admit I might have been wrong about this world.

Turning away from the ledge, I wander the gardens, appreciating the vitality of the plants. Deep blue ferns and ivy the color of amethyst twinkle beneath the moonlight. It’s kind of amazing how a world plunged into permanent darkness has found a way to grow things. Their life force sings to my fae blood, though what echoes back at them from inside me is much darker than it’s ever been before. Here, I feel powerful.

I feel safe.

Finally, when my hands and nose are numb from the cold, I make my way back through the garden and into the Keep. The hall is still empty, the house still quiet. When I get to Kendall’s room, her door is open, and she’s not inside.

Doubling back, it takes me several wrong turns to find my way downstairs and into the dining hall. Kendall is seated at the table in front of a plate piled high with pancakes.

“Morning,” I say.

“You’re up early,” Kendall offers.

“Unfortunately, my wake-up call was not optional.”

Her brow lifts, but before she can ask, I add, “Any chance I can get what you’re having?”

“I’ll split it,” she says, grabbing an extra plate. I start to protest, but she says, “Chaya is nowhere to be found, and the cook was impatient to leave too.”

“Cook?” I repeat. “How many people live here?”

And why haven’t I put more effort into doing recon before now? I’m clearly losing my edge.

“Three or four maybe? I don’t know. The others have kept to themselves.”

“Do they all, like, work for him?”

“No idea. The cook wasn’t exactly talkative this morning.”

“Where’s the kitchen? I’ll make it myself.”

“If you’d met the cook, you’d know that is not a good idea. Here.”

She passes me a plate with half her pancakes, which I take gratefully. “Well, I guess it’s just you and me then.”

“Where’s Legion?”

“He left,” I say flatly.

At her questioning look, I scowl down at my pancakes—which are delicious. Tartarus is really growing on me.

“What do you mean he left?” Kendall asks.

“First, he said we were going to see the witch but, then he changed his mind—and his mood, apparently—and left without me.”

“When is he coming back?”

“Tonight, I guess.” I take another bite of pancakes, knowing she’s about to launch an interrogation about what happened to make Legion leave. Questions I have no interest in answering. “How are you feeling today?”

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