Bounty Hunter (The Black Tulip Chronicles #1)

30. Ikar

Chapter 30

Ikar

“ E nough of these games. I don’t care what secrets you do or don’t share, but you will give me a child, or she dies.” The devastatingly beautiful woman who wears Vera’s face before me hisses.

I clench my jaw and work to tamp down the concern that she knows what, or rather who , I am. I can only hope Vera doesn’t bring this up again later.

The woman smells like flowers, heady and strong, and I assume that’s supposed to draw men to her. But I am immune, apparently because I can only be drawn toward a Tulip, and the mate bond is supposed to help with situations like this, but, according to the everwisp, I didn’t need it in the first place. What normally would have been a benefit in this forest has also almost given away my identity. I need to end this. My hands are bloodless and limp, my wrists throbbing. It feels like they are being forcibly separated from my arms at the joint.

“All I want is one , and then the two of you can live your life as you like.” She eyes Vera with disgust. She drags her gaze back to mine and once again grabs my belt. “ If you keep your end of the bargain.”

Even if I were a regular citizen, there would be no child making between myself and this crazy wisp. But I’m a king, and it’s even more important that I not spread seed around the five kingdoms and have long-lost children coming to challenge my future heir for the throne. Vera unexpectedly throws her sword toward the woman, but the everwisp stands too far and too easily turns to wisp. The sword only runs through her dress and scratches a thigh before she flickers away and is back again. She stares at Vera with hatred and darkness, and I hear Vera begin to struggle to breathe as the vines forcefully tighten under the everwisp’s gaze.

I dive to the ground, toward the knife I left lying there, to slice through the vines. Like Vera’s vines, they seem to grow more appendages from the cut parts, entangling my knees now that I’ve touched the ground, but I free one hand, and that’s enough. I awkwardly turn and throw the knife, watching as it pierces her back. Vera’s body and face seem to melt away from her as she weakens, and gratefully, so do the vines. Her beauty and color seeps from her body, and she crumples with a flash.

And then we’re left in almost complete darkness, and I hear Vera sucking in deep breaths. I stand before my eyes have completely adjusted, ripping the lifeless vines away from me and grabbing my enchanted sword from where it’s fallen onto the mossy ground, free of the vines that held it fast. I make my way quickly to Vera. I find her on the ground, bracing herself on her hands while still kneeling and breathing too heavily. I lower to a knee beside her and place a hand on her back and rub in slow circles until she’s calm. When she finally sits back on her heels, I gingerly pick up her left arm, the one where the vine cut. I’m surprised she lets me. I move the fabric to see it better and frown at the deep cut.

“It’s not that bad.” She pulls it away. “How do we get out of here?”

“It needs to be bandaged, at least.” I watch as blood still drips from her hand.

With effort, she stands, then takes a moment to stop swaying once she’s there. She holds out her arm. “Just bind it. I want to leave this creepy place.”

I carefully, but firmly tie a bandage around it, hoping it’ll be enough for now.

The filtered water light casts odd, moving shadows around us. It’s disconcerting that we are still surrounded by white, slightly glowing flowers. The silence is thick and broken only by our own movements. The white flowers continue to provide just enough light as we make our way deeper into the cave, and I find myself hoping there actually is an end. There is no map for this, and I’ve never found myself caught in an everwisp trap.

“It appears you don’t like the pushy types.” Vera attempts a teasing tone, but she looks too tired and pained for it to ring true. That, and I saw the way her eyes lit with anger when the woman came close and made her demand.

I give her a dry look. Obviously, I don’t want to be with a murderous everwisp. “You did good back there.” And I mean it. I saw the throat punch and the quick stab, even being injured.

“It pains me to say that your lessons may have helped,” she says wryly.

“You’re welcome.”

“I never said thank you.” She narrows her eyes a bit.

I simply toss her a knowing grin that I know drives her nuts and continue forward.