Page 3 of The Last Hunt

“Because,” Trell says, his tone slipping into fake condescension as though he knows she’s being difficult on purpose. “Maeve Bladesbearer doesn’t let people get away with shit like that. There’s no way you haven’t been plotting your revenge on Daik these past few months.”

Maeve shrugs and slings her black go-bag onto her shoulder. She always has it packed with the essentials in case she needs to get off planet quick.

“Trell, at the risk of giving you too much credit, I think you’re overthinking things. It took me this long to get Pen into lock-up. And as you can see, I’m about to leave,” she says.

Maeve finds it almost eerie how easily Trell was able to guess the truth. She does have Daik’s location. She’s been keeping an eye on him since the incident on the starbase. She’d managed to sneak a stealth tracker onto his ship before the gunfight as a little bit of insurance, and now her diligence and patience are about to pay off in a big way.

“Sure,” Trell murmurs, his eyes fixed on her face. “Makes complete sense.”

“It’s cute how you think you know me though,” Maeve says as she brushes past Trell and gestures for him to get out of her rooms so she can lock her door. He steps out. “I’ll see you out there,” Maeve says over her shoulder as she strides down the hall.

Chapter 2

Rules

Aethon

Aethon Trell watches Maeve Bladesbearer stalk down the hallway, that damn wine-red braid swishing temptingly behind her back. She should wear it differently. One of these days some asshole is going to grab it and then she’ll be in real trouble.

“Not your business,” he mutters to himself. He turns and heads to his own quarters to grab his bag. He’s not positive that Bladesbearer has a lead on Daik Montrose, but regardless, he has to get going if he wants to have any chance at beating her. He needs this bounty.

Aethon sighs when he sees Hera Laurent leaning against the wall outside his quarters. The elected leader of the Guild of Two Roses is unassuming. She has dark skin, short hair, and usually wears dark gray clothes - making her blend in with the gray of the halls in the building. She’s one of the older hunters and has earned the respect of the members of the guild through her tenaciousness. Once Hera latches onto something - be it a bounty, an idea, or a grudge - she won’t stop until she gets what she wants. She’s relentless. And unfortunately for Aethon, she’s been relentlessly pursuing him for his late guild dues for a while now.

“Hera - just the woman I’ve been hoping to see,” he says. He gives her a flashing grin and winks.

“It’s not like I’m hard to find, Aethon,” she replies dryly. “If you’ve been hoping to see me you could have -” She shrugs. “- oh, I don’t know - messaged me?”

“And take away the beautiful mystery of our relationship?” he says. Hera rolls her eyes and Aethon grimaces internally. He’s not used to having to sweet talk the guild leader - he’s never been this behind on his dues before. And she’s always been immune to his charms anyway. His chest starts to itch with nerves and he slides his hand under his bandolier and rubs lightly.

Hera nods to the door, indicating that she wants to continue this talk inside. Aethon blows out a breath and unlocks his door. He gestures for Hera to go in first. She walks just inside and stops in his living room. He follows.

Aethon can’t help but compare his quarters to Bladesbearer’s - who’s he had just seen for the first time. Maeve Bladesbearer’s quarters are spartan. She has no art on the walls, and her furniture is utilitarian. He hadn’t gotten a look in her bedroom, but he imagines that it’s the same in there. Just the necessities. By comparison, his quarters are practically opulent. He has a large couch and a squashy armchair, a bar cart in the corner, and a decent sized entertainment screen on the far wall. He has several pieces of art from locals on his home planet of Freehail - all depicting the natural scenery. Mountain ranges, dense forests, and the black sand beach near his home town.

Aethon’s quarters feel more like home than anywhere else, but there’s a aura of disuse that permeates the rooms. He spends most of his time on his ship - the Menace. And nowhere fills Aethon’s soul with comfortable content quite like Freehail did. He hasn’t been back to his home planet since he joined Two Roses, despite his parents asking him to visit every time they speak over subspace. But he’s not ready to go home. Not yet.

“Drink?” he asks Hera. He walks to the small kitchen and opens the fridge gesturing at the variety of beverages there. “Water? Beer?” He closes the fridge and nods his head toward the bar cart. “Or something more interesting?”

She huffs and crosses her arms. “Aethon, you know why I’m here -”

He holds up his hands and she pauses. “I know. Just give me a few weeks and I’ll have your credits.”

Hera sighs and rubs her thumb and index finger over her forehead. “I can’t keep giving you breaks. People are starting to talk.”

“Who’s starting to talk?” Aethon asks. “Because if it’s Adder -”

“It’s no one specific,” Hera interrupts. “There’ve just been a few passing comments. But it’s about more than the credits. I can’t allow Two Roses to weaken, Aethon. And if I have a hunter repeatedly failing to bring in bounties -”

Aethon feels his neck heat with embarrassment and he clears his throat and paces behind the couch. Hera doesn’t need to tell him he’s been fucking up these past few months. He already knows.

“I know you’re a fantastic hunter,” Hera says, her voice a little softer now. “And believe me, I don’t want to lose you. But our crest must be respected. You know that.”

“I’ll have the credits soon,” he repeats. “Just give me a little more time.”

She stares at him, her dark eyes flicking over him like she’s assessing his value. Aethon hates it when people look at him like that. It used to happen all the time after he left Freehail. People always underestimated him. Is Aethon Trell anything more than a boy from a backwater planet? Unlikely. Who’s this Aethon Trell that he thinks he can run with the big boys in the Guild of Two Roses? A nobody. No name - no connections - no credits - no influence. He has spent the last fifteen years proving them wrong. Trying to prove that he’s worth something - to them, and himself. Showing that he can bring in the big bounties - serial killers, murderers - the more violent the better. He clawed his way up and earned his place in the guild. And made the sector - and his “backwater” planet - safer for it. But no matter how many bounties he pulls in, it never seems like it’s enough. Aethon hopes that someday he’ll feel like he’s actually made a difference. Like he’s not just treading water.

Finally, Hera sighs. “Aethon. You’ve always been one of the best hunters for Two Roses.” She gestures around at his quarters. “Can you sell some of this stuff to help pay your back dues?”

He rubs a hand across his face and tries not to roll his eyes. “An entertainment screen and a couch aren’t going to make up for what I owe.” He walks forward and leans against the back of his couch. “But Hera - I have a solid link on Daik Montrose. I’ll bring him in. You can count on it.” Aethon stares at her, his jaw set.

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