Page 36 of To Hunt a Demon King

“Will you be staying for the festivities tomorrow, my Lord?” Lyle shouted after us. “It’s going to be a May Day to remember!”

“Perhaps,” Hunt shouted back.

“My Lord?” I asked, looking up at him in surprise.

“I told you I was fabulously wealthy and important,” he replied, giving me a dark look as he narrowed his eyes at me.

“I thought you were joking,” I said, as he opened the door to the small building and guided me inside.

“Ah, the room’s all ready, my Lord,” said a plump woman as we entered. “Third door on the right.”

“Thanks, Molly,” Hunt said, turning and propelling me toward a rickety little staircase. Akela growled at the woman, and Hunt put a reassuring hand on his head, hissing “be polite.”

“He really doesn’t like people,” I said, frowning at the wolf, who was so tolerant of me.

“He does not,” Hunt agreed, still guiding me forward. “He only likes his pack.”

“And these people know you,” I said, climbing the stairs in front of Hunt as he nudged me from behind. “Is this where you’re from?”

“No,” he said. I waited for him to elaborate, but no elaboration came. I rolled my eyes.

“You owe me a truth,” I said, turning to glance back at him.

“You must think me a fool, Red,” he said, giving me another little nudge, “if you think I’ll be playing any more of your games.”

I sighed, frustrated that my trick had ruined the easy banter between us. It was going to be a long trek to find the Demon King.

Chapter 14

Hunt guided me to a small but cozily furnished room on the second floor of the little building. This must be an inn, or a bed and breakfast, because there were several rooms that shared our hallway.

There was a small fireplace that crackled merrily, a plush looking four poster bed, and another door at the back of the room that must lead to a bathing chamber.

“So, you’re a lord?” I asked, plopping down on the plush bed and practically groaning at its softness. Hunt may be angry with me, but I would fight him for this bed. I flopped back, enjoying the feeling of something other than forest floor or prickly straw beneath me.

“Again, I don’t owe you any more truth,” Hunt said angrily, all patience and kindness he had shown the local people gone. “I’m not the one who lied about practically everything since we met.” He perched against the fireplace, arms crossed angrily as he glared at me.

“I didn’t lie about everything,” I said defensively, propping myself up on my elbows. “I told you I had to run for my life.”

“You didn’t tell me why,” Hunt growled, biting the words off as if they had offended him.

“Can you really blame me?” I asked, my own anger rising as he projected his. “You were a complete stranger to me. You still are! How could I trust you?”

“Really?” he snapped. “I’m still a stranger?” I took a breath, trying to calm my pounding heart. Fighting with him would not help my case, and I didn’t want to spend however long it would take to reach the Demon King at odds. Hunt had helped me multiple times and had proven he would uphold his end of the bargain.

“I’m sorry,” I said, sitting up and scooting to the edge of the bed closest to him. “I truly am. I know it wasn’t fair of me. But I don’t even know your real name, so yes, we are still strangers.”

With a growl, Hunt threw down his bow and dagger and stormed toward the door.

“Stay,” he said to Akela, who had started to follow him. The wolf made a noise that sounded almost like an irritable sigh, as if lamenting that his humans were fighting, but he curled up obediently on the floor by the door.

“Where are you going now?” I asked exasperatedly.

“Out,” Hunt shouted. “And don’t you dare leave this room.”

He slammed the door and I heard the lock click into place. Had the bastard locked me in? I scrambled over the bed to the door and shook the handle. He had. I cursed. If I had my chalk and a mirror, and a few other items, I could unlock the damn thing. I felt utterly powerless without my craft.

“Bastard,” I snarled, glaring at the door as if it and Hunt were in cahoots. Akela whined, and I reached down to scratch his head. “Sorry.”

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