One of the fixers stepped forward. In one hand, she had a rusted iron chain. She had dark, red hair and stood quite a bit shorter than me. And yet, the way she looked at me, she seemed to tower over me. She and Char were alike in that way, I guess.

“Hunter Jonas Dreadstone,” she said, “you are to cooperate with us. Come along quietly.”

Barkley stepped forward and started to say something, but Red shoved him back.

“This is official Guild business,” she growled. Barkley’s guards all tensed up and the other three Hunters stepped forward.

Barkley gritted his teeth and nodded.

“Very well.”

He turned and spat at me, muttering curses under his breath, and walked away. His guards backed away a bit but didn’t leave. The four Hunters stepped forward again.

I sighed. It always my enemies getting reinforcements. I never got any reinforcements or, hell, even a lucky break.

Then, they charged at me. I managed to dodge three of them, but Red tackled me and we went tumbling. Her hands wrapped around my throat, but I slammed my fist into her wrist. I heard a crack and her grip loosened enough that I could breathe. I kicked her off of me and struggled to my feet.

I was immediately slammed into the wall by another Hunter. Her expression was completely neutral as she pinned me and I tried to struggle out. I strained my muscles, but she kept my arms pinned against the wall.

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Another Hunter came from behind her and swung at my head. I barely dodged out of the way and managed to twist one hand free from the Hunter pinning me. I slammed my elbow into her stomach and grabbed her other arm, which was still holding me in place.

I pulled on it and threw her over my shoulder. Another Hunter tackled me and again, we were sent tumbling. I managed to throw myself free and barely got a step away before another Hunter jumped on me.

I punched her in the nose and saw a spurt of blood, but there was no expression of pain or even recognition in her eyes. Gods above, that freaked me out.

I punched her again, but she kept a hold of me. I heard another Hunter run up behind me and I ducked just as she threw a punch, which collided with the Hunter stuck on my back. She fell off of me and I rolled out from between them.

I pulled out a knife but Red came from behind and kicked it out of my hand. I wheeled around and barely dodged her fist as it cut through the air right next to my ear.

I caught her other fist and twisted her arm until I heard something snap. She didn’t scream or even blink, she just tried to choke me with her other arm. I ripped her hand off my throat and crushed her fingers, feeling bones crack under my grip.

As I was grabbing her, Red slammed into me, knocking me off balance. Another Hunter grabbed me from behind while a third got a bag over my head. I tried to fight back, but one kicked my legs out from under me. My head hit the ground, hard, and I got to my knees, my ears ringing.

Someone slammed their fist into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. Before I could catch my breath, another punched me in the jaw. I fell to the ground again and tried to get up, but a Hunter was already pinning me.

Thankfully, I passed out before they’d beaten me too hard.

I dreamt of smoke. No fire—it wasn’t hot—but there was still smoke. So much smoke it filled the air, choking my lungs and stinging my eyes.

I stumbled around for a few seconds until I bumped into something. Feeling it, it was a jagged stone cliff face. I grabbed onto it, the rocks cutting my hands, and began to climb.

My lungs burned and I was coughing blood and ash, but I managed to climb to a small ledge where the smoke wasn’t as thick. I collapsed there, heaving, and threw up.

Blood flowed from my mouth like a river, chunks of bile and organs mixed in it. I tried to scream, but it just kept flowing.