Page 83 of What Lurks Between the Fates

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Estrella

The air blew through the valley at the front of Tar Mesa, whipping along the eternal salt field that led to the rolling hills. Malachi nudged me forward, forcing me to take another step. One of Mab’s guards tossed me a bow and a quiver of arrows, leaving me little choice but to catch them. I fumbled to get a grip, slinging the quiver over my shoulder and grasping the bow.

I’d never held one before and knew I would be absolutely useless with it. Hunting had been forbidden in Mistfell. Only those with permits were allowed to kill the animals in the woods surrounding the village.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” I grumbled, approaching the rest of the crowd.

Every God was there, knives and swords and bows and arrows strapped to them. The God of Twilight approached a table covered in weapons, pursing his lips as he selected from what remained. He chose a long dagger with a silver handle. The metal curved and knitted together like writhing snakes. At the top of the hilt was a crescent moon, the points of it sharp enough to bleed if I swung it wrong.

He approached, kneeling at my feet as stunned silence reached my ears. The only sound came from behind me, the deep growl of a voice I would recognize anywhere, as Soren raised his hands and wrapped the straps of the sheath around my thigh, pulling the buckle tight enough that the dagger wouldn’t slip.His pale silver eyes held mine as he fed the end of the leather strap through the loop, securing it finally.

“Take your hands off my mate, cousin,” Caldris barked, stepping up behind me.

Soren’s hands left my thigh suddenly, and the male pushed to his feet, turning his back on us as he approached the table once more.

“Do you know how to use a sword?” he asked me, ignoring my mate’s possessive irritation.

“Better than I know how to use a bow,” I answered, my lips quirking up at the corners. His playfulness with his cousin didn’t feel slimy; it didn’t feel like he actually had any interest in me—only in rattling my mate.

Caldris snatched the sword and sheath from Soren’s grip as he approached, wrapping it around my waist. His fingers brushed over the waistband of the leather trousers Nila had dressed me in. The faint scales of armor at my sides and over my chest and arms jangled as he touched me.

They were so much heavier than I’d ever imagined them being, so much more weighted than Caldris made them seem. A circlet hung over my forehead, peeking out from beneath the smokey gray hood that concealed most of my hair.

“Why do I need all these weapons, exactly?” I asked.

Malachi brushed that hood back, and I went rigid beneath his touch, hating the feeling of his skin on mine. His fingers wound into my hair, removing the collar from my neck. I drew in a deep breath, spinning to look at him.

Weapons and magic at my disposal. It seemed like I would not particularly enjoy any of the festivities for the day.

Mab stepped to the front, her eyes on me as she spoke. “Welcome to the Hunt,” she said.

The other Gods nodded their heads. From the Goddess of the Harvest to the God of the Sun, all were present as they readied themselves for the hunt.

But what were we hunting?

“One by one, you will be brought to a remote corner of the Pillars,” Mab said, her voice dropping low. The others knew the place she spoke of, were clearly familiar with the Pillars in a way I could never be. “There, you must hunt down something that has escaped from Tartarus and bring its head so we can return them to where they belong and appease the prison.”

I swallowed, leaning into Caldris. I didn’t like the thought of being separated from him—of fighting some horrific monster that was terrifying even to the Fae. He wrapped an arm around my waist, holding me close as if Mab would take pity on me and allow me to be partnered with my mate.

Aderyn, The Goddess of the Harvest and Queen of the Autumn Court, stepped up to one of Mab’s elite guards, the ones who never spoke and always lingered at the edges of her space. The male raised his hand, summoning the shadows to do his bidding. Taking her arm, he guided her into the shadow realm, and they disappeared as we watched.

“How will I know if something has escaped Tartarus or if it’s just another creature of Faerie?” I asked, staring at Mab as her lips spread into a joyful grin.

“The creatures have made the Pillars into their home. It is their safe haven, their hunting grounds. If you find somethingalive, the odds are likely that it has escaped from Tartarus,” she explained, holding out a hand for me. I didn’t leave Caldris’s side, remaining with him and ignoring that extended hand. “Come, Estrella. Consider this your chance to prove yourself.”

“I would have thought I’d already done that with the Minotaur,” I snapped. I stepped away from Caldris’s side, anyway, holding my chin high as I prepared for certain death.

“All you proved with the Minotaur is that you and Caldris have a solid bond and his magic flows through you. I wonder how much of yours is in his veins?” I turned to look back at Caldris, watching as his lips parted ever so slightly.

He glanced down at my hands, at the fingers I used to touch the threads before his gaze drifted to his own.

It was the last thing I saw before Mab brought me into the shadows.

***

The bow in my hand felt strange, harsh, and unforgiving. There was something brutal about killing my prey before they could ever reach me to engage in battle—about taking away their fighting chance.

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