Page 31 of Last Ride of the Umbra Fae

I sighed. “He never came to my window. I kept it unlocked just in case, but—” My mind reeled to what Raven had done for me last night, wondering if Pa knew.

“Men are too gods-damn complicated, Shadow. They’re not worth plucking any worry strings over.”

I smiled faintly, stepping into his space. I wanted him to reach out and hug me, show me some sort of emotion rather than stern advice. As the tears hung heavy under my eyes, threatening to release at any moment, I raised my brows, hoping the morning air would be cold enough to blot them away. I sucked in a deep breath. It came out as an unexpected whimper of a cry as my voice finally cracked. For some strange reason, I felt like we would never see this place again. Pa and I were saying goodbye to another piece of ourselves. I so desperately wanted to cling to him and never let him go. Why did this moment feel so gods-damn heavy? The back of my throat burned as I held my next breath, trying to rein in the raging storm swelling inside me. I missed who we had been back in Black Water Woods when it had been just the four of us. I missed fishing on the shores of The Nil Bend, talking with my sister all morning about what sweet pastry we would convince Ma to make to go along with our catch. She had been nearly two years younger than I. Maybe that was why I’d taken a liking to that boy downstairs. He reminded me of who I had been, and he still had his brother. I hoped he’d have an escape if things ever went south, because as I remembered the torrent of waves that had pulled me under, as I saw my sister’s lifeless body, I didn’t want him to ever feel that pain.

Now it was just the two of us, stuck in the past inside a world that seemed to want nothing to do with fae.

I stood before the only man who would ever be worthy of a tear. As one finally slipped free, I looked into his eyes. “I know, Pa,” was all I could manage to say without falling apart. I pattedhis hand, and he cupped his other over it. We stood in silence, thinking about that damn pie. “I know.”

Deep in thought,the tension set in my jaw was enough to remind me of my pulsating headache. I felt the need for release rising, the darkness coiling beneath my aching fingertips. It needed to go somewhere, an escape, one that could expel all the demons festering inside me. I walked down the stairs, past Ryder’s room, the door now open with two women cleaning it. As I stepped onto the dimly lit hallway of the first floor, I heard that familiar grating sound that had kept me up most of the night. The door was slightly cracked. I paused, tilting my head just enough to peek through the gap. That same man who had been in the streets yesterday had his wife cornered, yelling about stale bread. The fucking asshole should be lucky he even got any today.

“I’m…I’m sorry. I?—”

“You worthless bitch. You’re going to be real sorry when I’m through with you.” He stabbed a finger her way. She flinched in response. It was enough for me to grit my teeth. I couldn’t stand seeing a woman flinch. I knew all too well what that meant.

I summoned the power ofAno, and with a gentle breath of air, the door opened ever so slightly. The woman now had matching black eyes. The anger rolled through me. Before I could take my next breath, he was closing the distance between them.

Hell-the-fuck-no.

I dropped my bag and kicked the door open, breaking off one of the hinges in the process. Both of them jumped as their expressions went wide-eyed. The man scowled as he balled hisfists. He wanted to get physical with someone? Well, I was here for the taking. He charged me with a swinging fist, aiming for my face. With a palm out, I caught it. On contact, he felt the strength within my grip as I squeezed bones and muscle together. His eyes flashed with horror and anger as the information registered that I was far from human.

“That’s right, asshole.”

I reached for my revolver with the other hand. A silver flash of pure steel cleaved across his face, splattering blood onto the corner of his shirt. He flew back, stumbling into a table with a slit decorating the crest of his nose. I smirked, twirling the revolver around my trigger finger and slipping it back into its holster. It would have only taken a second to snap his neck from where I stood, but I was in the mood for a longer conversation.

“Is there a reason you made your wife flinch?” I sneered, grabbing his hand as I went straight for the saddle joint, pulling his thumb against the bend.

He wailed in response.

“I asked you a question.”

He stared up at me with bloodshot eyes and whiskey on his breath. “Fuck you, cunt.” He grimaced, crimson coating his teeth.

I smiled. “Wrong answer.”

I slammed his face into my knee, feeling his bones shatter beneath the skin as I tossed him back.

“Say it!”

He was choking on his own blood. “Because I…I hit her.” His voice was low, the sound barely coming out because his inner shame was rising.

“I want you to say itlouder.”

“Because I hit her!”

“I bet that makes you feel real good, doesn’t it?” With the tip of my boot, I stepped onto his crotch slowly as I pulled harderon his thumb. Panic rolled through him as he writhed beneath my foot. The body had its limits. How easily things could change the moment our livelihood was at stake. And I had a thing for pushing those limits.

“No, no, no!” He shook his head again.

I bared my teeth as I felt every cord and muscle rip from his thumb until it snapped. Subtle, save for his screams.

I grabbed him by his shirt and hauled him up, tossing him across the room.

In a blind, manic rage, and as a final attempt, he came for me. I pulled out my revolver and shot him straight in the face. Blood and brain matter littered the wall and the expanse of the room behind him. The woman in the corner tensed, pushing herself against it.

I tossed her a sack of nara coins. She was no longer tied to this sorry excuse of a man, and that bag was enough to get her to her next saving grace if she chose to have one. Light brown hair clung to her fear-stricken face as her eyes bounced between me and her now-dead husband. Relief flashed in her eyes as she exhaled and loosened her shoulders.

“Andthat’show you leave a man,” I said, turning to go, but the woman cried out.

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