Page 81 of The Iron Hex

Hugo looked back to Eira watching him, waiting for his guidance. He’d grown and guarded Eira’s family in a time of peace and so Hugo had never fought beside a witch, only against them. Together they were beyond powerful, and he suddenly wondered what it would have been like at the beginning of the Iron Empire if they’d worked with witches instead of damning them.

“I don’t want to have to kill you both,” Hugo said, pointing his sword at the increasingly frozen man’s neck.

“We’ll talk!” he yelled.

“Let him out, Eira,” Hugo said, looking to her. Eira’s auburn hair was wild and windblown, her chest heaving and breath steaming, leaving visible puffs of air around her. She was the most beautiful creature he’d ever laid his eyes on, powerful and ethereal... and he’d gratefully spend forever trying to deserve even just a shred of her light.

She lowered her hands, stepping up toward Hugo, and he puthis arm out, motioning for her to stand just behind him in case the hunters attacked again. Hugo watched the hard snow begin to soften and break as the man beat at it with the hilt of his sword; what had been futile while Eira was casting her magic was made possible simply by her stopping.

“We don’t really wish to die,” the short one said.

“What are your names?” Eira asked, looking between the two.

They looked at each other, an anxious exchange.

“I’m Sylvie,” the short one said.

“I’m Sanders,” the tall one said.

“I’m—” Eira started and Hugo whipped his head around and shot her a look, stopping her from telling them her name.

“Why shouldn’t I kill you?” Hugo said, turning back to them. “You’ve been following us and reporting back to the Iron Empire. We’d be safer if you died.”

“We’re not unwilling to make a deal, as long as you’re willing to give something up too,” Sanders said, stepping out of the final bits of snow he’d broken off and rubbing his foot. “You witch, you almost froze my legs off.”

“You almost killed Hugo,” Eira said, shrugging. Hugo could tell she was trying to be nonchalant. He watched them, waiting to see what they said.

“Thatthingover in Lichton,” Sylvie finally spoke, watching Sanders out of the corner of her eye. “Something didn’t feel right about it.” So they’d seen the Soulless Knight, too.

“I agree,” Eira said, stepping forward with interest.

“So what?” Hugo snapped. “What does that have to do with me not killing you?”

“We’re not going to abandon the Iron Empire but... wecouldsay that we lost you. We could report on the witch, say that you got lost and that we took her instead,” Sanders said, sneering at Eira. Hugo stiffened. He didn’t like the way he looked at her, the flat gleam of malice in his eyes. “We’re not unwilling to protect our lives if we can make some sort of trade.”

Fury bubbled up and almost snuffed out what little good will Hugo had within him. They wanted to take Eira, take Eira and kill her. He could tell by the look on Sanders’s face that she’d never make it back to Astrad alive. There was no way, in any world, that Hugo would let them take her.

“We know you left the empire because you had some differences with the lord general... I’m just saying that we agree that every leader has their flaws—and so do their trackers,” Sylvie said. “Sanders isn’t speaking for both of us here. The witch isn’t your only option.”

So, the two trackers weren’t aligned with each other. Interesting.

“Not you, though, Venton,” Sanders said. “You’re a legend, hunting down these evil little harpies.” He gestured to Eira, and Hugo fought the urge to run him through here and now and be done with it.

“This isn’t about me,” Hugo growled.

“Agreed.” Sylvie put her hands up placatingly. “We’re just saying that in exchange for our lives we’ll say we lost you in Lichton.”

“What was the last thing you sent?” Hugo said, biding his time as he tried to figure out how to kill them both quickly and keep Eira safe.

“We heard you say you were going to Luwha back at that roadside tavern. You and the other girl were arguing as you left in the early morning,” Sanders answered.

“And nothing else?” Hugo said, lifting his sword to the man’s chest.

“I swear it,” Sanders answered.

“I’ll write in our communication that we lost you... and maybe if we have to find you again we’ll—” Sylvie looked to Sanders, something in her eyes. “We’ll discuss what you’d like the lord general to know.”

I didn’t report on the witch, she’d said. If she wrote the communications for both herself and Sanders back to the lord generalthen Eira’s identity was still unknown to the Iron Empire... but Hugo wasn’t sure what to believe. Sanders wanted Hugo to turn on Eira, but what did the woman want? She hadn’t said it plainly yet, just that there were other options. No one in this world did something for nothing.