Fear chased the chills down my spine. I swallowed heavily, trying to ease the sudden dryness in my throat, and croaked, "What do you mean?"
"You know full well what I mean," she replied, still in that same emotionless tone. "I'm sick not only of your manner and attitude, but of the delays when it comes to the keys. I had hoped my actions with the Jorõgumo would convince you of the need to take me seriously, but it appears that is not the case."
The Jorõgumo had been a spider spirit stupid enough to kill Hunter's lover. She'd tasked us with tracking it down and, when we had, she'd proceeded to kill it – by consuming it. Flesh, blood, and soul.
It had been a horrifying demonstration of just what Hunter was capable of – and how far she would go to get what she wanted.
"For fuck's sake," I all but exploded, despite the fact I knew anger wasn't the best option right now, "you're not the only one after the keys, and the others are not only not of this world, but they can do a hell of a lot more damage —"
"Perhaps," she cut in coldly, "but I am the one who lives in this world, and I am the one in close proximity to all that you love. Only there is now one less to love."
And with that, she was gone.
Leaving me to suddenly wonder who the hell she'd killed.
Chapter 5
"What's wrong?" Tao said. "You're as white as a ghost."
"Hunter has killed someone," I said. "Do you want to ring Ilianna, and make sure both she and Mirri are okay?"
He swore vehemently. "I was just talking to her five minutes ago. Surely she couldn't —"
"This is Hunter, so anything is possible." My voice was harsher than necessary. God, what else could go wrong? "If Ilianna is still at the Brindle with Mirri, tell her to stay there until further notice."
Surely even Hunter wasn't crazy enough commit murder inside the ancestral home of the witches.
"I would not be too sure of that," Azriel murmured.