Page 58 of Of Nine So Bold

“We will,” I continued to the Huntsman. “Somehow, we will.”

Several of my giants nodded, but Dex didn’t move. “Before we do that, tell us why you and the others were here?”

The Huntsman’s chest rattled again. His body struggled harder. “Please.”

“We will help you,” Dex said with a firm glance to me as if to reassure me of his words too. “But there’s nothing for miles around, yet you and the others attacked us.”

A shudder rolled through the Huntsman. “Trap. Queen knew… you’d come this way.”

“Why?”

“The boy.”

My stomach turned to lead. “Niko?”

The Huntsman nodded. “Said… you’d think he went… to the mines… at Lumilia.”

Cold dread sank over me.

“That we’dthinkhe went there?” Clay repeated.

A sickened look crossed Lars’s face. “But he didn’t.”

“No.”

Clay made an incredulous noise. “Where the hell is he, then?”

Another shudder racked the Huntsman. “Please. Her power… coming back. Please.”

My heart raced. “Where is he?”

The Huntsman groaned, agony in the sound. But something else was too. A savagery like a predator discovering it was in a trap.

“Where?” I pressed. “Please!”

He snarled, his head turning back and forth. His body began to thrash so hard, he appeared to be close to dislodging the demon’s foot.

The demon scowled, pressing down harder.

“Please,” I begged.

He only snarled again.

Anguish crushed down on me. If Niko wasn’t at the mines of Lumilia like we’d thought, he could be anywhere.

And I didn’t know where to begin.

Thrashing on the ground, the Huntsman tried to tear at the demon’s leg, though his burned fingers could do no damage, only leaving bloody trails that made the demon’s lips curl in disgust.

“Dammit,” Dex cursed under his breath, resignation in the sound.

My heart ached. I wanted to ask more. To wait and see if somehow he responded. But it was a childish wish. My stepmother’s curse had him well in its grip, tormenting him with rage and unending pain.

We couldn’t force him to stay like this any longer.

I lifted my hand to extend what magic I could toward the man.

“Don’t.” Byron caught my arm, alarm on his face. He shook his head. “Whatever she did to him, it could harm you too.”

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