Page 46 of Hunted
Richard made a choking sound, probably trying to hold in his laughter.
Sanka grinned.“Still holding that grudge about the squirrel, huh?”
“You turned it inside out and blamed me.”
“Itwasyou.Being within a hundred yards of your nasty-ass aura fucks up my magic.”
They stared at each other.Then hugged like enemies who were secretly looking for a good place to stick a knife in each other’s backs.
Rags ignored the rest of us and turned to wave an arm at a chubby, non-descript man who sat on a bench at a rough-hewn log table.“There’s your man.Hand over the goods and take him.He’s stinking the place up.”
I really doubtedhewas the one who stank.But what did I know?
The poor guy looked like he was willing to do anything to get the hell out of this “swampy anus” of a hiding place—Sanka’s words to describe the bog witch hideout on our trip here had been...colorful, to say the least.
The curse breaker pushed up his glasses and stood, a backpack slung over one arm.“The dragon shifter said she’d make it worth my while if I helped you lot,” he said, clearly unimpressed.“She’d better deliver, because I left a tropical island for this.”
His eyes landed on me, and he paused, assessing.“You...”he said, voice trailing off.
My breath caught.
“I know what you want,” he said with a shake of his head.“But it will cost you, kid.”
“I don’t care,” I said flatly.
“Oh, I’m sure you think that now,” he replied in a tired voice that said he’d heard it all before.“We’ll see about that when the time comes.”
I swallowed.
“Let me see it,” he said, gesturing at me to come closer.
I hesitated.“See what?”
“The bond, obviously.I take it you don’t want to wait until we get back to Detroit to address your little issue?”
He wanted me topurposefullyconnect to Acacia?I glanced at Sanka.The big sorcerer clapped a hand on my shoulder and squeezed.“I’m right here bud.And you’ve got a bunch of powerful witch crazies and a curse breaker with you.She can’t hurt anyone here.”
Forcing myself to unclench my fists, I rolled my shoulders back and took a deep breath.Right.Let Acacia in.Voluntarily.That sounded like a splendid idea.
But I did it.I eased up on the rough, barely effective mental blocks Sanka had been teaching me.Not all the way.Just enough to catch Acacia’s nauseating attention.
The curse breaker reeled back a step.“Ah.There she is.Still greedy as ever.Still a black hole where her soul should be.Thought for sure someone would have beat you at your own nasty games by now, Queenie.”
Curse breaker,I heard her hiss in my mind.She was trying to speak through me, but distance, the temporary but powerful spells Sanka had layered over me, and the oppressive presence of the bog witches seemed to prevent her from fully taking over.Good,she hissed.I’ve always wanted a curse breaker of my own.How nice of you to bring him to me.
The curse breaker stepped closer.His hands moved in odd gestures, not quite like a sorcerer’s spells, not quite like any magical signs I’d seen before.Then he touched my chest, just once.My stomach lurched.
“Your will and your identity are unraveling,” he told me flatly.“But not completely lost.Not yet.”
“Can you sever the bond?”I managed between closed teeth, as I tried to shove Acacia back out of my mind.
“Yes.”
My heart stuttered.Acacia laughed inside my head.I’d like to see him try.He’ll fail of course.But his humiliation and your soul-crushing loss of hope should be delicious to witness, my stupid little pet.
“I can,” the curse breaker continued, unaware of my inner dialogue.“But I won’t.”
My fangs ached and my fists clenched at my side.“What—”
