Steal the Sun (Thieves #4)(54)

“I have no intention of sacrificing you. You can’t believe I brought a human female along with me on this venture as a partner. I always intended to use you as bait. You see, the ogre isn’t smart but it is an instinctive creature. If he thinks a great hunter is in the woods, he will hide rather than show himself. This is why the bean si said only you can stop the war. You will attract the ogre and then keep silent about the fact that he was here.”

The Hunter hauled me back into the clearing. The dogs panted at my feet as I forced the bastard to drag me the whole way. I did not go quietly. I kicked. I screamed. I cussed like I was starring in a Martin Scorsese film.

“Very good, Your Grace,” the Hunter said approvingly. He looked around as though he expected the creature to show up at any moment. “This racket will definitely bring the ogre out, though I don’t think he understands our language so you don’t have to curse.”

I closed my mouth. He was right. I was going to have every predator in the woods curious about me if I kept the current volume set on maximum. He pulled me back toward a tree with a nicely rounded trunk. “Oh, I’m cursing, you can count on that. I’ll just be quiet about it. You just try to stop me. You know what else I’m doing? I’m calling you an oath breaker, Herne the Hunter. I call for the Wild Hunt. It’s my right as Her Grace, the wife to the High Priest of all Faery. I demand you call them and hold court.”

He released the restraints on my hands but kept one locked firmly in his grip. I took the opportunity to slap him upside the head as hard as I could. His head snapped back satisfyingly, but he wouldn’t let my other hand go. I tried again but he ducked this time, ready for the move. He pulled me until my back was against the tree trunk and caught my other hand easily. “There’s no need for violence. It won’t help us in attracting the creature. Your screams are good enough. I don’t wish to exhaust you. After I kill the creature, we still have to walk back to the palace. You should save your strength.”

I rolled my eyes and tried not to scream as the Hunter successfully managed to retie my hands behind my back. I made as big a fist as I could while he tied me and pulled my hands as far apart as my strength would allow. “I wasn’t trying to attract the creature, you bastard. I was trying to hurt you and get away from you because you’re a psychotic idiot.”

He seemed happy with his work and walked around to face me. “How does running away help our cause? I thought you wanted to aid me in killing the creature so we can stop the inevitable war that will occur when Queen Miria discovers someone from the Unseelie has unleashed the ogre on them.”

“That was when I thought you wanted my hunting skills.” He snorted as though the idea was insane. I continued my tirade. “I wanted to help you before I was cast as the goat from Jurassic Park. Just so you know, that damn goat dies!”

“You aren’t going to die, Your Grace, and I won’t be bringing any dead goats in, though I’m not sure what they have to do with anything. They would distract the ogre and he would eat them quickly. I need live bait.” He pulled more rope out of his pack and started laying it out.

“Where is my hunt?” I asked, stubbornly pulling on my bindings. The ropes were hot against my skin.

“I’m not going to call a Wild Hunt on myself when I’ve broken no oaths,” he replied, working diligently. The dogs came up and sat down beside my well-restrained body. “I promised you I had no intention to cause you harm. I firmly intend to defend you. I need a reason for the ogre to ignore the fact that I’m in these woods. As I said before, the ogre is not intelligent, but he has an excellent sense of self-preservation. The only way to get around that is to overwhelm his senses with very vulnerable prey. You are human and female and pregnant. I can’t think of anything the ogre will like more. He’ll be so attracted to you that he’ll forget about the danger I pose.”

“Good to know I have my uses.” I hated him in that moment. He was using my child to attract a dangerous predator who would probably kill me despite the Hunter’s best intentions. I’d come out here to save Devinshea only to lose my own life and that of our child. “You understand my husband is going to kill you.”

“Devinshea will understand,” the Hunter said. “We’re doing this to save him. It’s likely that the ogre is the one who would kill him. It makes sense. It would inevitably start a war between our people. You’re doing exactly what the bean si said you would do. You’re the only one who can stop the conflict.”

I didn’t mention the fact that the banshee had said following the path of the Blood Stone would lead to me stopping the war. “I wasn’t talking about Dev. I was talking about my vampire. He won’t understand and no explanation will make sense to him. He isn’t going to like the fact that you tied me up and offered me to an ogre.”

Of course, he’d also probably be pretty angry with me.

The Hunter seemed to think about this for a moment as he covered the ropes with leaves he found on the forest floor. “Perhaps. But here is the way I see the situation. If we persevere then you won’t wish to tell your vampire of the adventure since he’ll be angry that you traipsed through the forest with a strange man after lying to him about where you intended to spend the evening. If we perish, then it won’t matter.”

“What happens if I die and you manage to kill the monster and live?” That was the most likely outcome of our current endeavor.