Page 52 of The Buck Stops Hare

His eyes widened, and he paused, stepping back. “Dude…what the fuck are you?”

I held myself up to my fullest height and stared him down. “I said it’s complicated.”

“Hell, the fuck, yes, it’s complicated. Jesus, man.” He paused. “If you can’t tell me what you are, tell me who fucked with you? Okay? I’ll make ’em pay, disappear… I don’t truck withanyone fucking with omegas.” Ransom stared me down, afraid of whatever flashed in my eyes.

“Boars. They’re taken care of.” I sneered and earned a wide-eyed, jaw-dropped expression.

“Holy shit! You’re a god’s mate!” His face stayed mired in awe. “The boars are out for blood over what happened. You’re the Buckling Stone’s mate? Let me tell you, I am rooting for him. The boars are shit.”

I let loose a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Muscles in my body relaxed, and I turned, studying his worried face. “Almost lost Buck. It wasn’t cool. And if Buck was gone, I think I’d have died, too.”

“Between you and me, that witch deserves what’s coming to her.” Ransom’s upper lip curled. “Friend of mine knows where she’s hiding, and we totally ratted her ass out. I know she’s going to try and hit Storm’s land.”

I halted mid-step. Anger boiled under my skin as I slated my gaze toward him. “Who and where?”

“She’s in a caravan on her way. Gadge Winsley, not that the name means anything. She’s a throwback from a fox clan. Dad’s a boar. Absolutely ashamed to share kin with her.” He rolled his shoulders, and it was everything I could do not to dissipate on the spot and hunt her down.

“Get me the exact location as close as possible,” I said. Though part of me wanted to go after him myself, I wasn’t quite that stupid. Another was owed his pound of flesh.

I barely processed what he told me as I walked to my car. Some witch with a death wish, desperate for money and at the mercy of the boars… Grim’s remnants. Maybe he should have done away with them all.

“One moment.” I grabbed my phone as he stood there, staring at me with genuine shared anger.

I dialed a number and on the third ring, a hoarse and listless voice answered. Brook hadn’t been the same since River had been relegated to his original form. “Cliff?”

“I found out who did it. You want to come with?” Ransom stared at me wide-eyed. “I have a fox here who is going to tell me all we want to hear.”

“On my way. Stand near some water in a quiet spot.” The line went dead and I could feel the pull of another god searching for me, pricking at my senses. He’d find me soon enough.

Ransom fidgeted as I gestured for him to follow me, his expression flowing from nervous to vindicated. “I’ll come too!”

“Gods travel differently.” I unlocked the car and grabbed a bottle of water from the backseat, opening the stale contents before I poured it on the cracked pavement. The resulting puddle rippled and reflected the sky above, water seeping down for but a moment before Brook materialized from its surface, drawing up from a spout into existence before giving me a wan smile.

“I want to help!” Ransom stared me down and Brook huffed.

“This is the business of gods.”

“There must be something I can do. I had the info, but I can—” Ransom steeled himself when I fished in my pocket to hand him the keys.

He stared at them.

“Get my car back to Mrs. Pemberlin’s house. How long’s this going to take, Brook?” I swiveled my gaze to him as he stared Ransom down, eyes traversing his lean, rugged frame. Hazel eyes glinted back, full of fear.

“An hour, tops. You in a skulk?” Brook narrowed his gaze.

“Y-yeah. Timberline Ridge.” Ransom nodded shakily.

“See if anyone wants a god on their side. We could all use a little more worship.” Brook grinned wickedly, his teeth glinting sharp in the afternoon light. In his sharper moments, I couldsee beyond the human disguise he wore, to the ichthyic features beneath. His father had been a näcken, and the discordant features showed in his bloodlust.

“O-of course. Anything. We’re— We never really had an opportunity. Gods find us, you know.” He fumbled as I pushed my keys into his hands.

“Take the car to Mrs. Pemberlin. My mate is there. Tell him I’m on my way with Brook soon.” For good measure, I reached into my pocket and drew out my wallet. “Address is on my ID.”

Brook took the cue and rested a hand on my shoulder, fingers digging in. “Lead the way.”

Brook, as an aspect, had the element of his god, and River leaned toward his water and demise, destruction even. My element, of stone and death, shared with him. In the same way a landslide took the land, a flood could do worse. Water could drown and stone could crush, yet water could wash my element away if given enough time.

The magic didn’t work for me as well as it did Brook, who’d had hundreds of years to wear his skin and guise. And before that, even, he was an improbable creature.

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