Return of the Hunters (The DeathSpeaker Codex Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page A

“It is the gealdht ,” he said. “Your promise made manifest. The pain will pass.”
    What promise ? I almost screamed. But all at once, I remembered.
    Goddamn it. I had made her a promise.
    The Duchenes and I hadn’t started out on the same side. In fact, the first time I met them, they’d beaten the shit out of me, six on one. Tried to shake me down for something I didn’t even have and wouldn’t have given them if I did. But not long after, we’d joined forces to fight a common enemy—Milus Dei. And during the fight, Denei and Zoba had saved everyone’s lives when they found out the building we were in was rigged to explode, and got us out before the bombs went off.
    Denei had cornered me after the escape and demanded that I repay her for it. Nothing exact. She’d just made me promise to do her a favor sometime. I agreed, mostly because I had more important things on my mind at the time. Like surviving.
    Back then, I had no idea how serious promises were to the Fae. Now I knew that I had to keep it.
    Or die trying.
    I was so furious, I could barely speak. “Probably something simple. A little blood, a lock of hair,” I ground out. “That’s what you said to me, when I asked what favor you wanted. You said, ‘We’d never ask for anything you couldn’t give us.’ Remember? Because I damned well do.” I forced myself to sit up, gripping the edge of the bunk as a buzzing swell of dizziness washed through me. “You just handed me a death sentence.”
    Denei shivered. “Gideon, wait. Let me explain—”
    “You could’ve just asked for my help!” The effort of shouting pounded dully through my head. “I would have done it, or at least tried to, whatever it is,” I rasped. “Without drugging me. Without a promise that’s going to kill me if anything goes wrong. For Christ’s sake, Reun, at least you should’ve known that much!”
    He opened his mouth, closed it. At last he said, “You do not understand.”
    “You know what? Right now, I don’t want to understand.” My jaw clenched, and I stared at the floor. If I looked at any of them, I’d be sick all over again. “Get the hell away from me,” I said. “All of you.”
    I was too pissed off to be grateful that everyone left without another word.

    It was damn near an hour before I could calm down enough to think straight.
    By then I was feeling physically better, at least. I got up and made my way to the little bathroom, pausing every time the train lurched and sent my guts spinning again. Once I got a few small cups of water down me and made sure they wouldn’t come back up, I returned to the room and sat at the table, trying to take stock.
    I still didn’t know where we were going. They’d hauled me out with no warning—I didn’t have my phone, my wallet, my keys, any of my weapons, or even a change of clothes. I was saving Zoba’s life, but I had no idea from what. Let alone how to ‘free’ them.
    So I guessed I’d have to talk to them after all. But when this was over, I was done.
    If I lived through it.
    I wasn’t sure how long I’d been sitting there when the door to the room opened. “Fuck off,” I said without looking up.
    “Not this time, handsome. We need to talk, and you need to listen.”
    I let out a frustrated breath and watched Denei come in. Zoba shuffled carefully behind her, and Reun followed with a hand pressed to the base of his spine—as if he’d snap in half without the support. When they reached the table, Zoba slid onto the bench next to me.
    That, I didn’t mind. He was the only one in the room I didn’t want to strangle.
    Denei and Reun sat across from us, and I glared at both of them. “You want to talk? Start by telling me where you’re taking me.”
    “New Orleans,” Denei said. “And if you shut up and listen, I’ll answer all your questions before you ask them.”
    “I doubt that. But fine. I’m listening.”
    She squared her shoulders and drew a breath. “The one we serve, our