Page 134 of Bull Moon Rising

The word barely penetrates the haze. I look up and I’m outside. Not sure how I got there. Not sure why Rooster’s following me. Bad idea to follow a Taurian on the edge of rut.

“Hawk?” he demands again. “Where are you going?”

Where am I going? I consider for a moment, but one word beats inside my head over and over again.Mine. Mine. Mine.

Mine.

I push past the humans. “Find Aspeth…Drop Thirteen.”

“It’s not safe. Wait until we can send a rescue team….” He continues on, chattering, but I barely hear him. “…file an emergency order…no Taurians…patience…”

Mine.

Mine.

Mine.

“Not waiting,” I grit out. “I’ll find her.” They say a Taurian with the god’s hand upon him can pick up the smell of his female from a thousandyents. We’ll see if that’s true. Even now I’m sniffing the air, trying to find her scent.

“…you…sent a missive to Lord Honori…in danger…coup…his daughter is here…” Rooster continues rambling, walking at my side even as I stride toward the drop zone. “Wait up,” he calls. “Hawk—”

I turn. Grab him by his collar. Lift him into the air. Red hazes my vision. Red is everywhere. My pulse is in my ears.

Mine.

Mine.

“Are you trying to stop me from finding my wife?”

His eyes widen and his fear smells acrid on the air. First time I’ve ever smelled fear. Huh. “N-no. Of course not.”

I pull him closer to me, his nose practically pressed to mine. “You see…Conquest Moon…in the sky?”

He blinks. Nods.

“You know what that means?” When he nods again, I set him down as carefully as I can, because I still need a job. “I’m finding my wife.”

Mine.

Mine.

“Your wife is in trouble with the guild,” Rooster continues, oblivious to the danger he’s in. “If Magpie’s side of things is correct, she was stealing.”

Mine.

Mine.

“That can’t go unpunished—”

I’m barely aware that I’m lunging at him. He dodges, fast for a squat little turd like him, and I snarl in frustration.

Rooster puts his hands up. “You’re not yourself right now, Hawk. We can put you with a nice sex worker, get you taken care of—”

“Wife,” I growl. “Finding my wife.”

And I turn toward the drop center once more. I don’t have a pass. I don’t have flags to demarcate where I’m going. No one stops me, though. They get out of my mucking way and avoid me. Good.

I’m barely aware of finding the drop. Of pushing past guards and climbing into the basket to be lowered. Of snarling at the drop attendant until he lowers the basket with just me instead of a Five.

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