The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins
Aerity had never been face-to-face with a killer. This woman, in her bright red dress, seemed like some harmless, exotic jewel. But it was she who was at the center of the kingdom’s sorrow. At the heart of the evil they’d endured. The people of the land had feared and suffered—the king, Wyneth, Aerity herself . . . all because of this person . . . and this beast she and her father had created, with its strange matted hair and rows of scales. It didn’t seem possible. But then Aerity recalled the room of animal carcasses, what seemed like dark experiments, of beasts being cut apart and pieced together with the wrong parts to make something bigger, stronger, unnatural. Oceans deep . . . it was disturbing.
The woman glowered on her knees, as the gigantic creature gave a loud huff. And then the Rocato woman opened her mouth to whisper.
“There are more, you know—”
As promised, Aerity let the arrow fly, filled with anger.
The woman howled in pain and fury as the arrow skimmed her upper arm, tearing through the fabric and gouging her with a deep cut. An injuring shot, dark blood staining her dress, just as Aerity had intended.
Vixie crawled into the room, weakened. She crouched next to the guard, grabbing the bunch of arrows from his quiver and thrusting them toward Aerity. She gave Vixie a grateful glance as she nocked the next arrow, pulling tightly on the bow. Her sister sat back on her haunches, keeping the injured limb straight in front of her.
The woman’s words suddenly hit Aerity. More? More of these monsters? She must have meant the ones in the other room. Aerity swallowed hard, trying to think straight.
The Rocato woman . . . Rozaria . . . surveyed the wound on her arm, her face taut. She let out a wail of anger and the beast stirred, whimpering.
“Shut up,” Aerity growled.
Aerity and Vixie both watched the beast with bated breath, but it didn’t rise or show any aggression. Its massive head lay on its paws. It was hard to believe how much destruction this sleepy creature had caused.
Aerity had so many questions, but she was afraid to allow Rozaria to speak, afraid she’d make that clicking sound again.
They sat in silence, Aerity’s muscles twitching from holding her position, Rozaria staring, her mind obviously plotting.
The sounds of legs splashing through shallow waters drifted into the room. Aerity tensed and the woman’s eyes grew large.
“The hunters!” Vixie exclaimed. This word made something click inside Rozaria. She looked around wildly, panicked, then let out another guttural sound of pain.
“Quiet!” Aerity shouted, but the woman continued crying out in garbled mutterings. The beast raised its head. Kalorian. Aerity realized Rozaria was speaking in Kalorian through her cries. She couldn’t make them out.
“I said shut up!”
But the woman cried out again as Aerity’s face went pale. “Rise and go!”
“Enough!” Aerity yelled, just as the woman shouted again, louder now. “Aliment!” she said.
Feed.
The woman dived to the floor as the beast reared up, stretching. Vixie screamed, and Aerity moved quickly in front of her sister, changing her aim from the woman to the beast. But it had no interest in her. It simply turned and trotted from the room on heavy paws, its nails scraping the floor, heading toward the far side of the building, away from the sounds of the hunters.
Aerity turned to the woman, who had scuttled behind an old table. “Where is it going?” she shrieked, pointing the arrow at her. The woman exhaled an exuberant laugh, grinning. “Tell me!” Aerity screamed, panic coursing through her.
The woman laughed louder, her eyes twinkling like gems.
The stomp of footsteps against dirt rang out. Vixie leaned out the door, waving her arms. “Over here!”
Moments later, Paxton, Lord Alvi, and Tiern came to a halt in the doorway, soaking wet, shirtless, breathing hard. Their eyes darted from the guard’s body to Vixie’s leg to the rest of the room, landing on the partially hidden woman.
“She’s Lashed,” Aerity warned, heart pounding. “The granddaughter of Rocato. She’s the one. . . . She created the beast.”
Their eyes filled with confusion until realization and horror set in.
“Great seas,” Tiern muttered. He crouched next to Vixie, and whispered, “I’ll be okay.”
“Created it?” Lord Alvi asked, his forehead creased in disbelief.
“Where is it?” Paxton asked, urgent, eyeing Aerity.
“It’s gone, and you don’t have your bows, Pax,” Aerity reminded him.
He moved forward and grasped Aerity’s shoulder. “Where is the beast? Do you know?”
Vixie pointed. “He ran that way! The lady told him to feed!”
“Vix!” Aerity yelled.
The three men ran out to chase the beast, bare feet pounding the ground. The younger princess shrank away from her sister’s glare. “They might be able to catch it—”
“And do what? They’ve no weapons!”
“Pax has knives,” Vixie said lamely, her eyebrows lowered in regret.
Aerity’s heart rate was out of control, her nerves on edge. She thought of how easily soothed the beast had been in the women’s company, of the triple-click sound Rozaria had used to control it. Her idea was a long shot, but she had to try.
“Vix, can you get on your knees?” Her sister moved herself upward, nodding, face strained.
She quickly handed her surprised sister the bow. “Aim at her the entire time.”
“You’re leaving me?”
“You can do this, Vix. Listen. Do not be afraid to shoot her if she so much as moves a notch or opens her mouth. I let her cry out, and that was a mistake. Kill her if you must—do not hesitate. Wyneth will arrive at land soon and soldiers will be here to help. Do you understand?”
Vixie swallowed tensely, angling her body toward the woman and stretching the bow tight. “But where will you go?”
Aerity wet her lips. “To kill the great beast, once and for all.”
The mad mocking laughter of Rozaria Rocato followed her as she ran from the building as fast as she could go, praying all the while that help would reach her sister before she passed out again. Or worse.
Chapter
37
Vixie’s arms were shaking. The harder she focused, the more the room seemed to blur. She’d never been hurt like this before, never felt so weak.
She didn’t care for the way the woman stared at her with a deep, wicked hatred—as if she could soar across the room and kill her with her hands at any moment—as if Vixie wasn’t in control of the situation, weapon or not. Even with the blood running down Rozaria’s shiny dress, the bruise swelling at her collar, the woman had the nerve to smile cruelly at Vixie.
The young princess wanted to shout at her to stop smiling, but she was too frightened to utter a word. That sharp gaze made Vixie feel weak, when all she wanted to be was strong and brave, the way Aerity had been.
“What took you so long?” the woman murmured, never taking her cold eyes from Vixie. “I thought you’d be out fishing forever, missing all the excitement.”
“What are you talking about?” Vixie asked, and then shook her head. “Just be quiet! You’re not to speak.” The woman was mad.
A quiet shuffle sounded from the doorway behind Vixie, and she realized Rozaria hadn’t been talking to her at all. She swung her head around and found herself looking up at a young, dark-haired woman holding a wooden board above her head, a fierce expression in her eyes, a jagged scar running down her cheek. Vixie gasped in shock and made to move, but it was too late. The length of wood came soaring down on her with a hard whoosh. Vixie felt a blunt impact against the side of her head, which sent her toppling to the floor in a dark fog. Vixie recognized the language of Kalor from her intense studies.
“My apologies, Rozaria,” said the new, softer voice. “I had to wait for the hunters to leave.”
“Your patience is unmatched, my friend,” Rozaria said in delight as the young princess’
Chapter
38
Paxton swam, his arms on fire, his brother and Lief at his side. He never took his eyes from the beast swimming ahead of them, nearing the shore. As they chased the creature, faint splashing sounded from behind them. Paxton gave a quick glance backward and could not believe what he saw. A petite form with slick, strawberry hair was cutting through the water at rapid speed. His heart bobbed in his throat with a great bang. What the curses was she thinking?
“Aerity, go back!” he shouted.
“Why is she following?” Tiern muttered, his breathing labored.
“No bloody clue.” Paxton kept swimming, determined not to lose the beast this time. He would kill the thing this very day. He had to.
The sight of the mutilated guard resounded in his mind. He couldn’t fathom what had happened in that warehouse room, but he’d felt the static charge of Lashed power even before he’d seen the beautiful woman crouched on the floor, menace in her eyes.
“I mean it, go back!” he shouted loudly. This only made her swim faster.
The closer she got, the more he panicked. He didn’t want her anywhere near the beast.
Paxton cursed and moved ahead of his brother and Lief as the beast waded onto the rocky shore. It stopped in the gritty surf and shook its body, beads of water flying wide around it. The creature turned and sniffed the air with a snuffled grunt. It snorted loudly, stamping the ground with one front paw. It made no move to flee, only watched them, waiting.
They were on the far side of the tip of the bay, a good ways around the curve of the land where they’d originally set out. From here, they could not see the bay or the marina on the other side. If this is where the beast set out to feed each night, it was the perfect spot, too rocky and rough for boats or swimming.
Paxton slowed and let his lower body sink, finding his feet could touch bottom now. Slick seaweed tangled with his toes.
“Exactly how in Eurona do we plan to stop this thing?” Tiern asked, breathing hard as he stopped behind his brother. Worry filled his voice.
Lord Alvi also halted, weaving his hands back and forth through the ebb and flow of the moving water as he stared at the beast. “You and I will have to hinder it somehow, Tiern. Distract it. Your brother was smart enough to bring his daggers; he should go for the kill.” Lief eyed Paxton, whose pounding heart sent vibrations through him. He locked eyes with the Ascomannian lord. Was Lief simply going to give Paxton the kill? The urgent understanding in his gaze gave him the answer he needed. Paxton nodded just as the beast let out a raging snarl, stomping in the surf.
Tiern gave a nervous laugh. “Hinder it. All right, then. Will do. Somehow . . .”
Small, even splashes came from behind them, reminding Paxton that the princess was hot on their trail. He gritted his teeth as she neared.
Lord Alvi grinned tightly. “What brings you out on this fine day, Princess?”
She managed to speak through heavy breaths as she swam. “I . . . can help.”
Paxton shook his head in disbelief. If the beast wanted, it could charge into the water now and devour them. He couldn’t believe Aerity would take such a foolish risk. She finally reached them and tried to stand, but the water was over her head. She went under and pushed back up with a gasp, batting her hair and water from her eyes. Paxton grabbed her around the waist to lift her.
“Go back,” he whispered with urgency. “I’m begging you.”
She put her hands on his shoulders to raise herself to his eye level. Her voice shook from the strain, from the cold water chilling her skin. She spoke urgently. “It won’t attack women.”
The men stared at her and then glanced at the beast that merely stood ashore, watching intently.
“The woman, its maker, she told us. It was created to hunt and kill and feed on men. She’s trained it.” Aerity gasped for breath. “It was completely harmless toward us in the warehouse. Gentle, even.”
Deep seas . . . Paxton looked at Tiern and Lief, whose minds seemed to reel with this information as quickly as his did.
“I’ll go ashore and calm it—” Aerity began.
“No, you won’t.” Paxton shook his head, remembering how the beast could slash a body open with a single swipe of its paw. He couldn’t stand to think of Aerity that close to the beast, no matter what she said. “Be reasonable.”
“You be reasonable,” she shot back. “The beast has never attacked a woman or child. Think about it!”
“It killed one of the Zandalee, didn’t it?” Lief asked.
Paxton’s jaw set with a tangle of emotion as he realized what Aerity said was true. “The beast swatted the Zandalee when she shot him. I saw it. He went after the man behind her instead.”
“By the tides,” Tiern whispered. “All those times in the towns . . . it only killed the men!”
“Even so, you must still be careful, Princess,” said Lord Alvi, never taking his gaze from the beast. “It knows it’s being hunted by us. It will react badly if it feels threatened, female or not.”
“I will be careful,” Aerity promised.
Under the water, Paxton felt her hands skim across his chest, and fought the urge to savor the sensation. Her fingers stopped when they reached his weapons. He let her unsheathe the small dagger and slip it in the waist of her leathers. His eyes bore into hers, and she stared back just as firmly. He would let her have the knife, for what small protection it might bring, but he had no intention of allowing the beast access to her. His hands tightened around her waist.
“We will all approach it,” he said to her. “Together.”
She bit her lip and exhaled through her nose. “All right, fine. Then we’ll spread out a bit. But don’t even think of trying to push me aside when we get close.”
Paxton gave no response. He thought of Aerity standing in the warehouse, her arrow pointed at that woman. The deadly, capable look on her face had resonated deep inside him. “You should know,” he told her, “the beast’s weakness is the patch of skin at its neck.”
Aerity spared him a look of surprise at his forthrightness before staring at the beast closely. “It has no neck.”
“Exactly,” Tiern whispered. “Damn near impossible to kill.”
“It’s there,” Paxton assured her. “Under its mouth, but it tucks its head.”
Lord Alvi nodded, looking from the beast to their group. He touched the four fingertips of his right hand to his forehead before raising them to the skies. “May the stars be with you.”
“And the seas with you,” Aerity said.
The four of them slowly moved forward through the rocky water. The beast prowled back and forth over the shore, watching and waiting. Paxton had never known the beast to behave this way. Almost thoughtful. He’d also never seen it in the light of the sun, which was now setting. This watchful version of the beast made him even more nervous than the animalistic one he’d encountered before.
They were hip deep in the water, a mere twenty steps from the feared creature.
“Lief and Tiern, take the sides,” Paxton said.
“Surround it,” Lord Alvi agreed.
Tiern’s eyes were wild as he nodded. They silently moved wide to either side, the beast swinging his head toward each of them, snorting.
Aerity moved forward, garnering the beast’s attention again. Paxton grabbed her arm, and the beast let out a ferocious growl that split the air. It forged forward, splashing one paw into the water. Aerity raised her palm toward it and let out a series of three clear clicks with her tongue, causing the beast to stop abruptly.
The massive creature watched her with loud breaths, and then it sat down.
All three men stared, astonished. Paxton even dropped the princess’s arm in surprise.
“It worked,” Aerity whispered.
Paxton’s heart, which had nearly stopped, was now hammering. He couldn’t believe it was possible that anyone could control the beast, much less the soft and gentle female by his side
“Slowly, Aerity,” he whispered.
She had locked eyes with the creature, and gave a slight nod.
“Keep the knife poised in your hand,” Paxton told the princess. He watched as her hand clutched the handle of the small, sharp blade.
Slowly, so slowly, with movements barely discernible, the four of them began to form a circle around the beast. Time stretched on. The skies dimmed. The beast remained sitting, tense, its hackles of neck fur shooting upward, watching Aerity as she spoke to it in low, firm tones. Paxton tried to make out the soothing words, but he was certain they were a different language.
He had never been so ill at ease. Aerity was far too close to the beast now, and too far from Paxton, whose gut filled with fear. Though Aerity never shrank away, a mere seven paces from the beast now, he could see the sheer terror in her bracing stance. One of her palms was stretched out toward the monster, while the other was at her side, clutching the dagger.
The beast seemed agitated, turning its head slightly to the left and right, as if trying to catch sight of where the hunters had gone. Only Aerity’s voice and commands seemed to be keeping it from turning to attack. Aerity took two small steps forward. The beast seemed to relax the closer she got, so she moved again toward it. She was nearly close enough to touch it now. He could see her chest rise and fall faster. Paxton held his breath and readied his body to sprint forward as she closed the distance and allowed the beast to snort against the palm of her hand.
Her voice shook and thickened, as if she might cry. Paxton’s chest seized, overwhelmed by his lack of power. He could see Lief at the other end of the shore, and Tiern near the tree line behind the beast, both ready to charge forward at a moment’s notice. He could only pray to the seas that it wouldn’t be too late.
Aerity’s trembling hand moved up, trailing the wiry jawline, past the giant tusks, to scratch near the beast’s ear. She murmured under her breath, and her other arm seemed to tense. As she scratched harder, the beast raised its paunchy chin just a touch. An expression of dismay and sadness seemed to cross Aerity’s face.