Page 94 of A Hunter for Luna

Movement in the underbrush set me on edge. I reached for my sword, not relaxing when a familiar figure stepped out of the shadows. Giordano de Manfredi, last seen when we dined with the emperor.

No point in attacking him; I could see the plans through him. Someone had paid a lot of money for a gate for him to pass through to be partially here.

If they’d actually sent him through completely, I would have skewered him without compunction.

His presence proved we’d been monitored at a distance magically. He would only have a short time to talk before the gate whisked him back to his original location.

"Good to see you, d'Alvarez," he said with a placid smile that made my skin crawl.

"What do you want?" I asked warily.

He rubbed a small silver disk between his fingers like a worry bead as he spoke, glancing in Luna’s direction. "Just a word of warning. Your wife, Luna. You do realize her father is part of Vivaldo's faction, yes? And she's been approached to kill you."

I scoffed, shaking my head. "And yet I'm still standing. She's had plenty of chances at my naked back already."

Giordano chuckled, a sound devoid of mirth. "Maybe. But you should be careful. It would be a shame if your trust in her was misplaced."

The silver disc in his hand had gained a copper sheen. He’d been stalling.

“What is that?” I snapped.

He laughed, and faded as the gate retrieved him, frustrating my grab for his hand. It had been some kind of detection device, but I had no idea what he’d been looking for. He was trying to manipulate me, I knew that much. But to what actions? And what if he was right?

The doubts that had been festering since my dream rolled over me like a tide.

This was a hell of a lot of money paid just to mess with me. With so much riding on who inherited, how far was my mother willing to go?

“Well, that was interesting,” Luna said drily, surprising a snort from me.

“Yes. What do you make of it?”

“Your mother hates to lose, or even have it look like something she planned didn’t work. Or she likes to manipulate people just for the entertainment value. And she has a lot of money at her disposal. So, no idea.”

There were days I wished my mother would just vanish like morning mist. What was she up to?

Was she plotting to saddle me with a new wife for me if I ended up on the throne? The thought made my stomach turn.

“I’ll take first watch.” I wasn’t going to sleep quickly anyway.

Luna nodded and rolled up in her bed roll, her breathing evening quickly.

Just in case, I set up a basic ward around the camp, using the starlight energy to avert the eyes of any who might approach. It tired me, but the extra security would keep us both safer.

After moonrise, a low growl rumbled through the trees, deep and guttural, like the forest itself was breathing. It yanked me from my spiraling thoughts, my heart slamming against my ribs.

The underbrush exploded. A massive shape hurtled toward me—black fur, gleaming fangs, and eyes that burned like embers in the night. A hellhound.

Void rot me, of all beasts, why was there one that ate magic in our camp?

It radiated heat like a fire, scorching the ground. Hotter now, since it had consumed my ward.

Crashing and screaming from the horses created cacophony as Biter and Dawn tried to get loose.

I barely had time to react as it hit my chest. Claws scraped against my chest as the beast lunged, knocking me off balance. I twisted, just managing to dodge its snapping jaws, but pain flared sharp and hot as its fangs raked my leg.

"Ben!" Luna’s voice cut through the chaos. I barely heard her over the beast’s snarling.

The hellhound reared back, preparing to strike again, but Luna was already moving. She swung her fan in a silver arc and boiling blood flew, hissing as it hit the dirt.

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