Page 47 of Bounty Hunter

She laughs out loud this time. It’s genuine and light, and I think I’d like to hear that sound every day of the rest of my life.

“Just say it.”

She takes a moment to press her lips together and steady her laughter before she says, “Pretty impressive that she was able to pick up the scent of your… virility…” she snorts again, “over a mile away.” Then her restraints fail, and she ends up in a fit of laughter.

I rub a hand over the back of my neck, shaking my head a little, unsure how to respond. I found that more terrifying than funny, but her laughter is so natural and warm that I can’t help but smile because of it.

She continues, seeming encouraged by my embarrassment. “That’s got to boost your confidence a bit, right? Attracting all the ladies without even trying.”

And then she slams her mouth shut as if she knows she’s gone too far, and I can’t help but take advantage of the moment.

“Allthe ladies?” I ask in a drawn out voice.

Now it’s her turn to be embarrassed—her cheeks pink in a flatteringway.

“Well, I don’t know.” She stumbles over her words, looking everywhere but at me. “I mean, I assume… you know, that ladies like—you know…” Her eyes drag from my boots up to my face, and the pink deepens to red in her cheeks.

I smile, amused at how flustered she’s become.

She abruptly stops walking and whips her pack off her back as fast as she can with her injured arm. “Hungry? I’ve got some jerky left in here,” she mumbles, as she digs through for an extra long time, long enough for her blush to fade, I assume. She hands me some without meeting my eyes again and acts as if I burn her when our fingers graze, the way she yanks her hand back toward her. Then she hefts her pack back on and takes a bite big enough that she couldn’t converse if she tried.

My smile grows wider, but I duck my head to hide it, aware that I’ve pushed her enough already. I feel the attraction between Vera and me. I’ve seen the battle of her will in her eyes as she thinks herself attracted to a criminal she’s arrested. Sometimes I can see she’s afraid of me—of what she doesn’t know—and she should be. It’s times like this, when she has practically admitted that she’s attracted to me, that worry me because I have been fighting the attraction as well. I’ve noticed too many feelings toward her that lean toward affection, and that isn’t acceptable—I can offer her nothing in regard to a relationship.

We walk in silence a little longer. I still feel frustrated that we fell into that everwisp trap in the first place, but I had no idea everwisps couldsensevirility. Since that is the case, they probably would have caught us somehow, even if I knew to watch for them, but the truth is, without my magic, my senses are as dull as a flat quill. It’s frustrating beyond belief. As far as I know, everwisps only live in the Shift Forest, which is why I haven’t had a lot of experience with them. I’ve seen some scarycreatures in my life, but those ones top my personal list—never has a creature been after my manhood. A shiver creeps up my spine, and I shake my head to clear my mind. I’m left wondering—what else do I not know about in the Shift Forest?

Chapter 33

Vera

If I ever get out of this cursed forest, I will never return. My arm aches and throbs, but I make sure not to show it. My criminal has already been acting overly protective today, offering me a hand over even the smallest of obstacles, wordlessly watching for blood on the bandage, and glancing at my face for signs of illness or pain like a hawk. He acts as if I almost died, and while his concern is sort of adorable, we don’t have time to linger in these woods until he deems me ready to travel again. We lost half a day yesterday in our battle with the everwisps, and today we need to make up for it. Ikar and I are both fatigued and injured, and it’s showing. Even though we push ourselves, we are slower than we should be. The weather is mild today, but the last three days it’s been mild, and I expect a show of force from the atmosphere soon. I’m too tired to stress too much over it, Rupi always sticks close before a weather change, and she’s currently nowhere to be seen. I shrug. She’ll return by tonight, I’m sure.

Releasing my stress about the weather gives me space to think over what happened with the everwisps. I have a lot ofquestions now. And suspicions. That brown-haired vixen said sheknew what he was. Pretty sure she wouldn’t say that about him being a mercenary. Mercenaries aren’t anything special unless a person is looking for a violent, honorless, weapon wielder to get a job done. When I think about it that way, though… yeah, maybe everwispsareattracted to mercenaries. But what if that’s not what she meant? What if he’s really not a mercenary… like he’s said over and over again? If he’s not, whatishe? Assassin? Soldier? A famed hunter I’ve never heard of before? Women often love the hunter and soldier types. I’m ashamed of myself for falling into the stigma I’ve always mocked.

Ikar navigates a boulder-strewn portion of the trail before he reaches back with his hand extended to help me. While I usually wouldn’t need help to traverse a path like this, without both arms at full capacity, it makes it difficult to climb. I place my hand in his larger one without hesitation.

Whatever he is, I no longer fear him, and it worries me—a lot. That healthy dose of fear kept my heart hard and safe, and now that it’s gone, it’s worrisome. Ihaveto keep my end of this bounty contract. Renna is depending on me, and so is my future. I have to complete this job. For a second, I imagine the impending moment where I drop him off with the officials in exchange for a large sack of money. But even imagining the weight of the money in my hand is nothing compared to the feeling I imagine I’ll have when I walk away from him. I swallow tightly, uncomfortable.

We begin our way up another rocky incline and finally emerge onto a wide path that appears to cater to wagons. Deep ruts eat into the earth on either side. I’m not sure what city comes next, but maybe we can find somewhere to clean up and possibly even hire a healer to fix my arm. With that thought,I quicken my pace, sufficiently motivated. Wagons mean civilization, right?

Apparently, Ikar doesn’t agree. He pulls me back toward the side of the road, his eyes alert and his shoulders tense. I know he prefers the off-the-path routes, but this one is much easier to walk with injuries. I don’t argue about it yet.

Instead, I decide this is the perfect moment for a distraction. “What did the everwisp mean when she said you are immune to her?”

Ikar hyperfocuses on a point ahead of us, rather than look at me. “That’s the first I’ve heard of such a thing.” His voice is terse.

“What about the part where she said she knows what you are?” I cock my head, waiting.

He finally looks at me, exasperation on his face. “Any other questions?”

I shrug with a guilty smile. “I’m bored.” And I want to know. Badly.

“You don’t believe me when I answer your questions anyway.”

I regret the way I treated him in the cave. I know that’s what he’s talking about, but I still don’t apologize. I can’t, or it shows how far I’ve softened toward him. I walk close enough that I can bump him with my shoulder. “Come on, tell me. If she gets to know your secret, I should, too.” I smile. How bad can it be? “You truly are a criminal and don’t want to admit it, is that it?”

“What? No. I told you I’m not a criminal.” His gaze scans the woods around us.

“But you are?—”

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