Page 17 of Hunting the Warlord's Daughter

She turned her eyes to the heavens.Forgive me, Sabra.Then she plucked one of the outfits off the drying line and dropped it over her head. It took fistfuls of fabric to hike the hem high enough to keep it from wrapping around her ankles. She’d barely lifted the hood over her head when footsteps thumped behind her.

“Hello, miss.”

She found herself face to face with an emaciated refugee. He reeked of sweat and dust, like almost everyone there—and probably her too. Heavy tattooing covered one side of his face, and on his forearm, half-hidden by his rolled-up sleeve, was a Drakken eagle worn by former Imperial soldiers.

He bent forward and smiled rakishly. “I’ve had my eye on you.”

“Bless you. Go in peace.” She slipped past, tugging the hood lower.

The aroma of food reminded her of her hunger, and she felt faint. Over the past few days, she’d eaten almost as little as she’d slept. She followed the aroma to a mess tent, in front of which snaked a long line of refugees waiting for a meal. Keeping her eyes down as piously as possible, she took a spot at the end of the line. Immediately others beckoned her forward.

“You first, sister.”

“But—”

“Please, sister, go on ahead.”

Propelled to the front of the line, she was given a tray; as she proceeded down the line, items were plopped on her plate until full. She took the meal and searched for shade.

Boots crunched behind her. The ex-soldier was back. “We were on the same ship, but you probably don’t remember me. They crammed so many of us in the under decks, you couldn’t hardly breathe.” He leaned closer. “You got aboard at that fancy all-female school planet. Funny, you weren’t wearing the robes then.”

He was on the ship from Barokk? She tugged on her hood. “You’re mistaken.”

“Come for a walk—out by the water tanks. That’s where couples go. You haven’t taken your vows yet, right? Nothing wrong with a bit o’ fun before you’ve got to give up men for good.” White teeth gleamed. His right canine was missing. A Drakken eagle tattoo graced the center of his pointed tongue, which he wiggled at her suggestively.

She fought the instinct to swat him away. He was as repulsive and annoying as a backwater sting-fly. “Ihavetaken vows.” A vow to find a treasure. “Good day.”

The robe tangled with her boots. She hoisted the hem with one hand and juggled the tray, drawing a lot of looks. She couldn’t afford to attract attention, yet that seemed all she was able to do. She hoped those officials were nowhere nearby.

“Where are you going so fast, little miss? We haven’t finished our conversation. Someone your size won’t last long. Show me a good time now and again. In exchange, I’ll make sure you don’t get hurt. It’s the way things work here.”

She kept walking. Her skull pounded. She clenched her teeth.

He reached for her shoulder, spinning her around, and gave her breast a playful squeeze. “Your lady parts will thank me—”

Wren shoved the tray in his face.

CHAPTERELEVEN

Sputtering,the soldier wiped cooked vegetables from his eyes. “Freepin’ bitch. You just made a big mistake.” He lunged at Wren.

She drove her knee upward. His strangled cry barely registered before she rammed his chin with the heel of her palm. He hit the ground hard and rolled onto his stomach, growling as he pulled his knees under him. She raised the tray above her head, consumed by a primitive, bloodthirsty urge to finish him off.

“That’s the way, sister!” someone bellowed.

“You show ’em!” someone else roared.

“A warrior-priestess, she is. Like in ancient times.”

Cheering, the crowd had moved back, as if forming an arena for the fight. The noise was drawing even more people.

She’d started to sneak away when the soldier got back up and charged her.Dimwit.She smacked him across the head. The impact traveled up her arms and made her teeth clap together. He went down again—got up—and then passed out.

Pushing back her dusty glasses, she gulped a lungful of air. Shame squeezed her chest while exhilaration pounded through her—two warring emotions. She hadn’t meant to hit him so hard, but he’d groped her. Then kept threatening her. What was she supposed to have done?

At least you stopped short of killing him.

A cheery voice broke through her thoughts. “Good day to you, priestess.” A small child accompanied the man, thin and hollow-eyed. “Sister, please bless my daughter. She’s been ill. The camp medics have given her nano… nano…”

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