Page 31 of Bounty Hunter

Rather than continue silently, Ikar speaks from behind me. I brace myself to hear that I’ve gone in the wrong direction, but instead he asks, “You know I was serious about the deal, right?”

“What deal?” I feign innocence.

“I mentioned that if you released me, I’d pay you as much as the bounty reward, but I’d like to make oneminorchange to my offer since it hasn’t been accepted yet.”

“Make as many changes as you like, I won’t be accepting.” I glance at him, expecting to see a sign of frustration, but instead I still see the remnants of that grin on his face.

“I should clarify. I want to offer you acontract.” He gives me a pointed look. “In exchange for you assisting me on my search, I will pay you double the reward amount that was listed on the warrant.”

It is similar to what he suggested that first night I’d cuffed him when I immediately shut him down, and it’s a jaw-dropping amount of money. It’s an offer that can change my life. There has to be a drawback. I hate to act interested, but he’s ignited my curiosity.

“What exactly do you need help finding?” I narrow my eyes at him.

“A flower with magical properties. I believe it can be found high in the Lucent Mountains,” he says in his deep, rich voice that has me wanting to say yes just from the sound of it.

But I knew there was a drawback, and this is a huge one. The only thing I know about the Lucent Mountains is that no kingdom or realm has specific claim on them. They are, literally, owned and protected by magic. Lucent has weakened considerably. The entire mountain range may be engulfed in gloam by now.

“People don’t go there,” I say flatly.

He shakes his head in disagreement. “People have been there.”

“They haven’t returned!” I whisper-yell, my eyes wide at the insane idea he’s presented.

“I’m sure they’ve returned. They just don’t brag about it.”

“The logic there is surprisingly lacking.” He’s a smart man. He’s shown me that. Is he in denial?

“Doesn’t matter if it’s logical or not. It’s the only place I can find the flower I need.”

“You’re sure about that?”

“I trust the king’s advisor. So, yes. But I need an Originator to do it.”

“Well, good luck finding anyone willing.”

“Just think about it.”

“Don’t need to. I don’t work with criminals,” I say.

I look back at him after an extended moment, wondering why he didn’t respond. I barely catch the way his eyes have tightened at the corners as his left shoulder pulls forward in the smallest way. A memory comes to mind of how my father’s bad shoulder used to cramp up after a long day. It was much more noticeable than this, but is it the same for him? He did fight off a murk yesterday and has carried that pack for two days straight.

“Your shoulder bad?”

“It’s fine.” His voice isflat.

“My father’s shoulder would cramp up when he’d use it too much, an old injury acting up.” I continue talking about my father and his injury and about some of the healers I worked with to fill the silence. He simply listens, and I end up feeling like I shared too much.

A minute later, Ikar speaks. “You talk about your father as if he no longer lives.”

It’s a statement, but I can sense the question within. For some reason, maybe because he’s been tolerable and, you know, sort of saved my life, I decide to answer this time.

“He doesn’t. Neither does my mother. They died when I was fourteen, and I spent the next four years with my fae aunt.”

We’re walking side-by-side now, the feeling between us very close to a comfortable camaraderie. My first instinct is to rush ahead and remind him I’m in charge and that we’re not friends. But I don’t, and don’t try to ask me why because I won’t be able to tell you.

“And after that?”

“After that, I left. Went off to make my own way.”

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