Page 35 of The Great and Terrible

I swung a fist, but he caught my wrist. Angels sang a chorus in my head as our gaze locked and his identity registered. Jasher, here in the flesh, not just a voice in the atmosphere. He no longer wore his armor but a white tunic and black leathers. Gashes and scabs littered his face and arms, dried blood and rips littered his clothing, and filth caked his boots. He’d never looked more rough and tumble, or more smoldery, and I’d never been so happy to see him. But, um, wow. I mentioned the smolder right? Because his eyessizzled.

Nugget didn’t notice the newcomer, too busy snoozing.

“Hi,” I breathed.

Jasher anchored the bow to his shoulder and dialed it down, suddenly as calm as ever. “Took you long enough.”

I snorted, perhaps a little out of my mind now. “I could say the same to you. Instead I’ll go withhello, Tinman, so good to see you.” Since he didn’t seem to be in a hurry to leave, the need to flee faded to a soft buzz. “Shall we head out?” Look at me, being all nonchalant and polite in the face of danger.

“There’s no rush. You weren’t followed. Actually, your foes traveled in the opposite direction.”

In that case, I relaxed enough to kiss Nugget’s adorable nose. “Glad you survived. The cannibals told me you were dead.”

“It will take more than a pack of rabdogs to kill me.” Hishead canted to the side as he studied my bundle of love. “Meanwhile, you decided to domesticate one?”

I hugged Nugget closer. “Yes, and isn’t he a total darling? His birth mother rejected him, and I signed the adoption papers in my heart last night.”

Jasher’s eyes rounded, practically bugging out with shock. “But he’s the runt.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing. There’s nothing wrong with being a runt. Isn’t that right, sweet boy?” I nuzzled my face into my son’s fur.

“There’s a reason rabdog mother’s always help the smallest of the litter die, Moriah.”

“Because they’re considered feeble? How dare you! Nugget is strong and courageous. By the way, our partnership ends if you so much as attempt to harm him.” The sweet darling had suffered enough. “Also, I thought you weren’t coming for me.”

Jasher shrugged, unaffected by my outburst. “I came for the compass.”

Maybe. Probably. But the fact was, he’d come, and that was all that mattered to me.

Nugget woke with a start and growled at the executioner, his eyes flashing bright red. I kissed his fuzzy little face, telling Jasher, “He’s hungry.”

A moment passed in stunned silence. “You expect me to feed the runt our rations, too?”

“Was I not clear? Sorry. Yes, I do expect you to feed him our rations.”

“You know he’ll grow into a beast as depraved as trappers, yes? He’ll do it fast.”

“There are few beings as depraved as trappers. But yes, I’ve seen a fully grown rabdog. I understand what I’m getting into.” No way I would back down on this. “So do you feed him or do we part ways now?”

His jaw clenched. “I said I’d get you to the City of Lux, nothing more, nothing else.”

“Well, he goes where I go.” Up went my chin. “About that food.”

“I probably killed his father. And his uncle. And his aunt. And?—”

“Okay, I get it. The big, bad executioner slaughtered the pack of rabdogs sent to kill him. Noted. Last chance.” I redistributed the animal’s weight and held out my hand, waving my fingers. “Jerky.”

Huffing, the ruthless executioner dug a piece of dried meat from his pack. Rather than offer it to Nugget, he passed it to me. I pressed the morsel against Nugget’s mouth, and he gobbled it up in record time, ending his growl fest.

Then Jasher shocked me further. He picked up a pair of boots resting at the base of the tree.Myboots! Kneeling, he fitted the shoes on my battered feet. It hurt, but I didn’t dare complain, too overjoyed by the gift. And the man. He’d let me hang on to my baby.

“Thank you.” There was no stopping a sudden, wild tsunami of affection for him. Without Jasher, Earl’s plan would have failed. I saw the truth so clearly now. As desperate as we’d been, we’d hadn’t acknowledge the very real obstacles. The executioner solved the problem and saved the day.

“You’re welcome,” he grumbled.

I wouldn’t let myself hug him. “Shall we go before the cannibals decide to turn back and seek revenge?” I batted my lashes at him. “Along the way, I’d love to hear where you got the bow and all the arrows.”

“It’s not a long story. I spent the night making them.”

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