Page 126 of Centaur Bolt

I continued onward, slipping around the cabin to see what appeared to be a hefty male figure swinging an axe. The man—or whatever he was—didn’t see me until I was almost right on top of him.

“Hello,” I said.

He spun to face me, holding the axe and regarding my approach with something between curiosity and fear. If he lived off the land, he’d done a good job of it—he was as wide as he was tall.

I held my hands out to my sides. “I’m sorry to trouble you…” Too late, I realized the chances of him understanding me were slim to none.

To my shock, he said, “Who are you?” The words had an odd inflection but were clearly English. Or maybe English was the human equivalent of this? It wasn’t exactly the same, but understandable.

He tapped the axe handle up and down in one hand as I stopped. He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. I noticed that his ears had a series of small points running along the outside edge, and his skin had spots along the temples. Definitely not human.

“What’s a pretty little thing like you doing way out here?” he asked.

Hmm. Not promising. But unless he sprouted four legs instead of two, I’d have no problem outrunning him. I rolled up on the balls of my feet, ready to go just in case, and said, “I am looking for the Witch.”

An unhelpful breeze drifted past me, toward him. I saw his head lift and his nostrils flare. His eyes narrowed even more, and his lips twitched into a sneer. “You don’t need the Witch now that you’ve found me. And you smell rather delicious.”

Whether he meant delicious as in sexy or delicious as in he’d like to eat me, I didn’t get the chance to ask for clarification. Because his gaze abruptly shot above and behind me, and the natural ruddy tone of his skin noticeably paled.

“She asked you a question,” Marcus stated in a deceptively calm voice. “I suggest you answer it.”

It was accompanied by a low Dragonian growl. I sighed. Should have known they wouldn’t let me handle this.

Their effect on my new friend was immediate. He clutched his axe to his chest and backed away.

I planted my hands on my hips and glared at my two would-be rescuers, before turning back to Mr. Axe. “We just need to know about the Witch. Is she really a Witch?”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Does she heal?” Marcus asked.

His eyes traced the bruising clearly evident on Marcus’s shoulder, and he relaxed, marginally. “Broke my leg three years ago. She appeared out of nowhere and healed me. So yeah, she’s a Witch, and she can heal.”

“Did she heal you right away?” Marcus asked. “Or put your leg in a splint?”

“Oh, right away.” The man shook his head. “Burned like mad, but I wouldn’t have survived if she hadn’t. Was the middle of winter.”

Marcus glanced at me and nodded. Which I took to mean that the Witch and Watcher were one and the same.

“Is there a gate nearby?” Marcus asked.

“What? Why would there be a gate around here? The closest one is in Yema. Hansit doesn’t have one.” When we looked at him blankly, he added, “Three days' walk from here.”

Not good news. Kinda upped the ante on me getting my jumping mojo back online. Unless the Witch was a Watcher, and she could create us one.

“Where is the Witch?” Havoc demanded, in an I-will-eat-you-if-you-don’t-tell-me tone.

The man stiffened, and I hurried to add, “If you tell us what we need to know, we’ll leave you in peace.”

He looked from me to my companions, and back. Then he swallowed, and said, “She’s about half a day’s march from here. Use that path.” He pointed to the far side of the clearing. “It leads to a creek. Follow it. It will take you straight to her. But she doesn’t welcome just anyone,” he warned. “And if she doesn’t want to see you, you won’t find her.”

I remembered how Cara’s place in the human realm was hidden by a confusion spell. While Havoc glowered and Marcus glared, I stated, “Thank you for your help. We appreciate it.”

I led the way to the path. Once we were safely out of sight, I rounded on them.

“I could have handled that without you,” I said.

Havoc’s brows lowered. “Nope.”

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