The Great Hunt (Eurona Duology, #1)(47)

“But the beast has moved north,” Volgan argued, pointing closer to the ridgelands.

“That’s the last place it attacked,” Harrison said. “But the beast has attacked many places with no rhyme or reason. Always along the waterways.”

“Then you can stay down there by the creeks, and we’ll follow the beast north along Eurona River,” Volgan argued, chest puffed.

“It’s a swift swimmer, and it knows it’s being hunted,” Lord Alvi told them. “I say each group takes one of the major waterway veins—North Creek, South Creek, Eurona River, even up around the bay. My men and I will take midriver. We’ll be too spread out to help one another, but if we have no luck, we’ll go back to grouping closer again tomorrow night. Agreed?”

Paxton gritted his teeth in annoyance. He knew Lief was trying to appease his men, but Paxton wanted to stick to a plan where he felt their odds of killing the beast were much better. He was sick of wasting time and lives for the sake of stroking the pride of a few.



After another silent night of hunting, the Zandalee were irritable on their return to royal lands at daybreak. They kept snapping at one another in Zorfinan, and the men moved further away, steering clear. Samuel suggested cutting through the nearby town to get them back quicker.

Families filtered out of their homes, women sweeping their steps, men off to work. The Zandalee watched the women with interest. The few children approached with caution, curious, watched closely by their mothers.

“How goes the hunt?” one woman called, a hand on her hip.

Harrison shook his head. “No sign of it last night. We’ll get it, though, miss. Soon.”

The woman, probably his mother’s age, stepped into the street and kissed Harrison’s cheek. She beamed grateful smiles at the other Lochlan men, and then stared openly at the huntresses.

“These are the Zandalee,” Tiern explained. “They’ve joined the hunt.”

The Lochlan woman’s mouth dropped open. A crowd began to form around them.

“You mean . . . ? The real Zandalee?”

Tiern nodded. Whispers about the foreign huntresses spread all around them, faces lighting up with excitement, people shuffling and standing on their tiptoes to see. The Zandalee took it all in stride, looking around at the pale faces, but not smiling. One brave Lochlan woman stepped forward and took the hand of Zandora, who stood in front. She patted her hand, beaming.

“Thank you!”

Zandora stared down at her, and Tiern laughed nervously, stepping up. “They only speak Zorfinan.

A toddler scrambled down from his mother’s arms and went to Zandora’s legs, touching the strange material.

“Grayson, no!” The mother rushed forward, stopping when she saw Zandora give the child a smile, her earlier irritation seeming to vanish. His mother relaxed, but remained close.

When Zandora patted his head, the town’s few children rushed at the Zandalee, wanting to touch their clothes. The presence of the children seemed to cheer the huntresses, who were glad to squat down and let the little ones touch them. After a few minutes Harrison called out to the people.

“Thank you for your kindness, but we must be getting back.”

The Zandalee were in far better moods after that. They all were, until they reached the commons. A set of military men was leaving, their faces grim. The Ascomannians and Zorfinans stood in separate groups, talking, but they came together when they saw the Lochlans and Zandalee approach.

Lief spoke. “The beast attacked the Kalorians. They were all found dead.”

“Curses.” Samuel rubbed his face.

Paxton’s jaw flexed as he ground his teeth in anger. Having fought the beast alongside those men, it made him furious to know they hadn’t had backup. He wanted to keep his composure, but his jaw was so tense he could only speak through gritted teeth. “This was avoidable. We should have hunted closer together.”

Volgan’s lip rose in a sneer. Paxton turned on his heels for the tents, afraid of what he’d do and say if he remained a moment longer.

He collapsed onto his cot in the small tent, pressing his fingers to his temples. Tiern came in behind him, but knew not to bother him when he got like this.

After a few minutes, Tiern mumbled, “Bloody seas,” and fell asleep.



A steady rain began. As the day went on, the rain progressed into a thundering storm, which settled into more rain. The land turned to mud. Accounts of flooding waterways came to them from castle messengers in high boots. Even the path outside the commons area had been covered over by a stream of mud. With regret, they decided to call off the hunt for that night.

Since water had seeped under the tents, the High Hall of the castle was turned into the hunters’ quarters. The men sat around, playing cards and drinking tankards of ale. The Zandalee had been allowed guest quarters of their own. They had looked exhausted when Paxton saw them trudge away.

Paxton knew he should take the opportunity to relax, but he was too frustrated about the prior night’s losses and tonight’s hunt being called off for weather. He turned his back to the others and lay on his cot in silence, wondering how close Aerity’s chambers were to the hall. Wondering what she was thinking and doing within those same walls that very moment.











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