Page 10 of Hunter's Moon

His lips brushed my ear. “You’re doing well,” he murmured, so quietly I could barely hear. “Keep it up.”

Then, louder, he snarled, “Start talking!”

My heartbeat drummed in my ears but I had to focus, had to come up with something believable. I made a fist, fought to keep my voice steady, tried to think of any gossip, anything that might work in our favor.

“There were... rumors,” I forced out. “About Arin Tal.”

Tharion’s grip on my throat tightened slightly. “What rumors?” he growled.

I squeezed my eyes shut, partly for effect and partly to block out the distracting sight of his intense red gaze. “People in the marketplace... they whispered about a secret storage space.”

“Where?” Tharion demanded, his breath hot on my cheek.

“I don’t know exactly,” I whimpered. “Somewhere in Adtera. That’s all I heard.”

Tharion snarled, pressing me against the wall, his body far too close to mine for my peace of mind. “You’re lying. Tell me more!”

I tried to focus on my role, on spinning a convincing tale. But my traitorous body had other ideas, leaving my mind blank, thoughts struggling to keep up.

“I swear, that’s all I know!” I cried out, my voice higher than usual. “I was just running errands in the marketplace. I overheard things.”

“Liar,” Tharion hissed, his hand moving from my throat to grip my jaw. “You know more than you’re saying.”

I let out a small, involuntary moan at his touch. Heat flooded my cheeks as I realized how it must have sounded. Tharion’s eyes widened slightly, and I saw a flicker of something in their depths.

“Really,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “I’m telling you everything I know. There were whispers about a hidden entrance. Near the old spice market.”

“Go on,” he rumbled, and I quivered at the sound.

“They said Arin had connections. With smugglers, maybe?” I was grasping at straws now, hoping it sounded plausible. “Something about about moving goods off-world without going through official channels.”

Tharion pulled back slightly, studying my face. I held my breath, praying he’d play along convincingly.

“And you expect me to believe you know nothing more?” he snarled, his grip on my arms tightening.

I tried to look terrified and not... whatever else I was feeling. “I swear, that’s all I heard! Please, I... I don’t know anything else!”

Tharion’s eyes bore into mine for a long moment. Then, abruptly, he released me and stepped back. I sagged against the wall, my legs suddenly weak.

“We’ll see if your information proves useful,” Tharion growled, turning away. “For your sake, it had better.”

I slid down the wall, hugging my knees to my chest. My heart was still pounding, and I couldn’t quite catch my breath.

It was just the adrenaline from our act, nothing more.

But as I watched Tharion pace the cell, his powerful form taut with barely contained energy, I knew I was lying to myself. And that terrified me more than any threat from our captors ever could.

THARION

The cell door hissed open, and Grax sauntered in, a smug grin plastered on his face. I kept my expression neutral, not giving him the satisfaction of a reaction.

“Well done, Vinduthi,” his voice dripped with false praise. “Your kind always were cold bastards.”

I met his gaze, my red eyes boring into his. “When do I get out of here?”

Grax chuckled, the sound grating on my nerves. “Patience, my friend. Once we confirm the information, you’ll be free to go.”

“And how long will that take?” I growled, letting a hint of irritation seep into my voice.

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