Page 40 of Hunter's Mission

“Oh, I get it. Trust me. I’ve been in plenty of situations where things are trying to kill me. But what I don’t get is what the fuck you’re doing here?”

I blinked at him.

He glared at me.

“It’s . . . it’s top secret.”

He burst out laughing. “Top secret! Oh, that’s brilliant. Topfuckingsecret?”

“Yes. Top secret. I can’t tell you.”

“Fucking hell, Layla. This isn’t a game.”

“Believe me, I know it’s not a game.”

Groaning, he shoved off from the tree root and as he stomped away, he pulled the GPS from his vest. I expected him to stop but he didn’t. He vanished into the bushes and kept on going. Pulling my knees to my chest, I brushed another bruise on the side of my leg and winced. I would hate to see how many bruises and scratches I had from that fall. And from Na-lynied’s attack. That already felt like days ago.

A bird broke into song somewhere nearby, and its soulful tune was beautiful and captivating. Like she was singing for a long-lost mate. Maybe that was what I should do for Hunter, whistle or sing, so he could find his way back to me.

No need. He had his GPS. He would be back.

Which was why I was not chasing after him.

Holding onto the tree root, I lifted my butt and brushed away rough gravel and bits of bark beneath me. I sat again, but it was still as lumpy as all hell. Sighing, I stood and searched for Hunter, but the stubborn bastard had taken a hike. Literally.

As darkness descended, I shifted my search from Hunter to edible plants. I hadn’t eaten since Na-lynied fed Cody and me scraps of dried meat that was probably monkey or wild pig this morning. The tree I’d been leaning against had some amazing medicinal properties, but unless we ended up with dysentery, it wasn’t helpful.

I searched upward first, silently praying I’d see a papaya tree or maybe grapefruit or oranges. No such luck.

Stomping boots and crushing twigs announced Hunter’s return. Even his footsteps sounded angry. He charged through the bushes like a marauding bull. His clamped jaw and clenched fists demonstrated his anger had notched up a few levels in the time he’d been gone.

I had to bite back my instant thought to ask him if he was okay.

“What’re you doing?” he asked.

“Looking for food.”

“Don’t worry about that. I found the river, come on.” He grabbed my hand, giving me no choice but to go with him.

A light mist dampened the air. The ground became more slippery. The plants were slick with water and the slope changed, leading us down toward the river.

Hunter cried out and vanished before my eyes.

“Hunter!” I scrambled forward and came to a sharp stop.

As I stood at the edge of a precipice, Hunter crashed through bushes like a wrecking ball as he tumbled down a very steep slope.

CHAPTER 9

LAYLA

Panic grippedme as I peered over the edge where Hunter had fallen and searched through the bushes. I could just see him. He lay motionless at the bottom of the cliff, with his body splayed at an unnatural angle.

“Shit. Shit. Shit!” Hanging onto bushes, I sat on my ass and slid down the steep, unstable slope.

Rocks and dead leaves shifted beneath me. One wrong move and I could tumble down with him. My mind screamed at me to hurry, but taking a deep breath, I forced myself to keep my cool. Descending slowly and carefully, using tree roots and rocks as handholds, I shoved my bottom along the ground.

“Hunter. Please! Are you okay?” I could barely see him, but I saw enough to know he wasn’t good.

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