“Well, this is just incredibly disappointing.”

The low, crisp sound of a man’s voice drew me out of the deep sleep that had crept into the core of my very bones during the night. A kind of sleep that I always yearned for, but constantly eluded me while I had traveled the continent. Returning home had relaxed me enough to find restful, dreamless sleep again. Leaving me vulnerable. And now I would suffer because of my own damned exhaustion. Never leave your guard down. I knew better. Yet here I was, startled and unprepared.

It only took my body a brief second after hearing the man speak before it was in motion. I quickly shot upright while reaching for the two daggers strapped to my chest. But being that I was still under the heavy fog of sleep, instead of scooting back to get upright, I shot straight up and slammed my head into the unforgiving rock above me. Several colorful curses streamed from my mouth as I managed to scoot backwards through the dark splotches that blotted my vision. Laughter bellowed from someone amongst chuckles that seemed to come from several other people — a lot of other people.

Blinking madly, I finally got myself onto my feet, daggers in hand. I found myself surrounded by soldiers who were clad in immaculately polished armor that shone fiercely in the rays of the early morning sun. The crests adorning their chest plates, banners and shields told me what I needed to know about these men. They were from the capital. From the king’s own legion. Royal soldiers of Vespen, a week's ride to the south. Which meant I was being tracked. Hunted. By the king.

Panic bloomed in my chest at the realization. Gather all the information you can. Sweat coated all of their faces. It was still early in the morning, the sun just beginning to crest the trees. The air was warm, but not stifling hot yet. Humidity lingered. They must have traveled through the night, or hardly slept. All of the soldiers were on horseback. A small squad, around a dozen or so total, plus the man who had one leg up on the old log I used for a seat around the fire. His forearms rested lazily against his armored knee, hands limp as he gazed at me. It took several more seconds for his laughter to die down. What a shiny prick.

There was sweat dripping down his neck, and his hair was either dark brown or wet with perspiration. A handsome sword hung from his waist. It was an odd shape, curved towards the end of the blade. The hilt was ornately carved out of a dark metal that made me long to brush my fingers along the intricate design. My focus snapped back into reality as the single dismounted man began speaking again, one eyebrow peaked in curiosity.

“We finally track down the Viper of Vespen, only to find her drooling on her bedroll. I’m a bit embarrassed to have brought an entire squad along with me. Although, with that look in your eyes and the way you’re holding those awfully expensive looking daggers … It may have been unwise to startle the sly snake from slumber.”

My attention flicked to his face to find a cocky grin formed there. I was taken aback by how incredibly … noble he looked. From sweat and the rising humidity, his hair began to curl around his forehead and ears. Bright green eyes were framed by smooth, unstubbled skin. He was tanned by the sun, not a scar in sight. He was either untested and blindly promoted due to his social status, or a powerful soldier who cut his enemies down before they got a chance to get near him. The only response I offered was narrowing my eyes and remaining in a fighting stance. I would not be foolish enough to let my guard down twice.

“Woman of few words, hmm? Considering I thought it would take much longer, and be much harder to find you, it would seem we have a few moments to spare.”

If they wanted me dead, or if I was being arrested, they were certainly taking their time with it. The whole situation felt like an elaborate distraction to catch me off guard and strike just as I started to entertain them by choosing to converse. I wanted to keep them bated for as long as I could, to have some advantage, some upper hand. So I continued to stand relatively still, passing my weight back and forth between my legs and knees, daggers drawn, tips pointed behind me. Patience.

“Well. Since you’re obviously not feeling very chatty, as could be expected by our sudden confrontation, allow me to explain why we are all here.” After gesturing to the mounted soldiers around him, he pushed off from the log and folded his arms behind his back, taking a few steps towards me before he stopped. Chest out, head held high. Official. Proud.

“I am Brennan Lavely, captain of the king’s guard.” I wasn’t sure if I successfully managed to stop the reflexive need to roll my eyes as he offered me a bow, one gloved hand on his chest while the other remained behind his back. My fingers twitched with surging urgency to take advantage of his momentary vulnerability. I could quickly sprint forward and knock him off balance, then have a clear shot at launching myself onto Bear’s back.

Riding bareback without reins would undoubtedly render me too slow. Not to mention that it would be nearly impossible to maneuver Bear’s bulky body through the thick woods without his tack. Oh, and there were also a dozen guards on nimble steeds ready to corral me quickly. Instead of acting, I gritted my teeth, attempting to still my eager hands and keeping my stance wide, poised to seize any opportunity that presented itself for a successful escape. It was difficult not to consider the sheer joy I would feel knocking the pompous, self righteous prick on his heavily armored ass.

He seemed to be smiling wider as he brought his head up from his bow, replacing his hand behind his back.

“I was dispatched by the king to track you down and escort you back to the capital. He has a proposition to offer you, and wishes to speak with you in person. You see, Viper, you’ve made quite the name for yourself across the continent. Moving deftly from place to place protecting those who cannot protect themselves. A noble cause, really. And to do it so carefully, without killing or maiming the criminals. Rather scaring them so terribly that they wouldn’t dare to be a repeat offender. It’s truly astounding how you manage to scare heathens so thoroughly. It helps that you’re so elusive, as your aptly acquired nickname suggests. Moving about like a snake in the grass, keeping everyone guessing where you’ll appear next. Not to mention that you make good on your promise to deliver these criminals to the authorities if they do in fact continue to commit crimes, striking swiftly to bring an end to their terrorizing of the public. You are so elusive, in fact, that I found it necessary to hire a proven tracker to get us to you quickly. And Zindel’s fee is no light sum. Isn’t that right, Zindel?”

A man clad in practical, minimalistic armor strode forward from the throng of mounted soldiers. If Bear were to have a human equal, this man would’ve been it. I struggled to process the sheer bulk of the man who was now standing beside Brennan. Suddenly any chance of escaping or bamboozling these men disappeared entirely. Each massive limb was covered in dark brown leather armor. Light and serviceable, just like my own. Except his was etched with intricate depictions of forest scenery. Mighty stags, howling wolves, phases of the moon and sun. The absence of weapons on his body sent my heart slamming into my ribs. This man, his size, his stature, the unrelenting power that seemed to flow from his very core …

My suspicions were confirmed when I dragged my eyes from his stunning armor up to his face. Long raven black hair. Brutal scars covering his face at odd angles. Bright green eyes framed spectacularly by the deep tan of his skin, the opposite of my own light complexion. I nearly dropped my daggers as the pieces fell into place in my mind. He was, he was —

“You see, Zindel is Preyborn. He is able to hunt and track as well as any predatory animal. His specialty is remaining unseen thanks to his ... gift. He has an innate ability to understand and analyze the minds and actions of prey, animal or human. Built to hunt and destroy, and in his flesh and bones, he knows prey better than they know themselves.”

Born with one purpose — a perfectly balanced tracker. I had never met, never even come close to crossing paths with another person who was made. Could he sense it? Did he know? I hoped and prayed to whatever gods held my fate in their grasp that he could only sense those who were born made. I prayed that he would mistake my thundering heartbeat and peaking anxiety as products of the situation, and not see right through to their true cause. Keep it hidden. Wrap yourself around it, force it to blend in with who you are. Focus on your humanness.

Zindel didn’t approach Brennan’s side. Instead, he opted to lean against the pine where Bear stood tethered a few feet behind the regal captain. Bear greedily accepted the scratches Zindel placed on his forehead, and pressed his muzzle into his other outstretched hand. That damned traitor. Preyborn. He was Preyborn. As far as Bear was concerned, Zindel was another horse. His natural musk, his very scent adapted to the creatures and people that were around him. No wonder the horse hadn’t alerted me to the presence of the men approaching. Cutting green eyes slid to me as Zindel caught me staring.

I offered him a scowl before shifting my gaze back to Brennan. The captain’s head moved between us, silently noting our grim demeanors and unspoken exchange. I could’ve sworn he fought to keep his features relatively neutral as he focused his attention back on me. There was a hint of a smirk playing at his lips as he spoke again.

“It seems you two share a fondness of silence and staring daggers into people. While it’s mildly amusing, we’ve spent enough time chatting and need to start — ”

“What if I refuse?” My own voice sounded foreign to my ears, raspy and hoarse after so many hours of disuse. All the ale I had drank last night combined with just having woken up … I needed water. Badly.

Brennan stood up straighter, if that was possible, his chest out and chin held high. As nauseating as all his properness and duty bound pride was, I respected him for it. For doing his job and doing it well. Well, at least putting on a show to make it seem like he was doing it well. It tugged at the small fraction of hope I now barely maintained that not everyone was a criminal or motivated by their own selfish desires. His posture indicated that his response would probably not bode well for me.

“Refusal, Viper, is unwise. While it is an option to you, it may not prove to be the best option. You see, it is only a matter of time before the crime lords catch on to your antics. With their thieves and thugs, they can organize against you. And while you have been doing a considerable amount of work in the swaths of land outside of the capital on your own, the king wishes to make you an offer. That means for the next week, while we escort you to the city, you have our protection. Not that you should need it, but protection nonetheless.”

I had evaded being tracked for years up until this very moment. And they had to use a Preyborn to find me. My gut instinct was to refuse. Refuse, ignore any further pleading or persuasion from the royal puppet of the king, and be on my way. It was an instinct that surged against every fiber of my being. I could even feel my shadows roiling around inside of me in agreement. But my brain … My brain knew better. It remembered all too recent close calls. It remembered all of the threats and dark words spoken against me. It knew I needed the protection. At the very least, I needed a break. A chance to reorganize. To plan next steps.

There was also the beat of my own heart thrumming loudly in my ears to consider. How it had swelled with hope as the word “protection” had left Brennan’s lips couldn’t be ignored. Loneliness carved out more of my insides every day. Of course I had Bear, and the few strangers who offered me their thanks or just polite conversation during my journeys. But being otherwise completely alone, left to my own devices … My past was never too far behind me, lying in wait to send my mind and feelings hurtling for despair.

Between the dozen or so pairs of eyes plastered onto me, the rhythmic throbbing in my temples from too many ales combined with the pulsating lump on the top of my head from smashing my head into a rock just moments ago, I could not make a crucial, life altering choice right this second. While his mentioning of the crime lords had been to scare me into a quick agreement so he could be on his way, I knew I held some negotiating power in my hands. The question was, how much?

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I stilled my legs from their constant shifting back and forth. Gathering myself up to my full height, I let my hands rest at my sides, still clutching both daggers with their blades pointed behind me. I knew I didn’t look like much. I never did. Thick layers of muscle existed underneath my armor, which to most just covered up a womanly frame that they’d like to see in action in other ways. That’s why I never grew tired of watching grown men nearly piss their pants when I pulled a blade in the blink of an eye and had it pressed to their throats. They trembled with shock. Always.

“Due to the sudden nature of this important and rather surprising request, I’m going to need time to process my options and make a decision. I’ll need until tomorrow to decide.”

“You will decide today. We have found you, and there is already a messenger on his way back to the capital to deliver this news as we speak. We will not delay our return any longer than necessary.”

My jaw clenched as he spoke. Dealing with a person of high rank within the king’s employ who had an entourage of twelve guards and a Preyborn in their company eliminated my most reliable negotiation tactic: threaten. I was outnumbered, out-powered, distractingly dehydrated, and my head was pulsing horribly. The only ally I had left was time — and I wasn’t even able to threaten him into giving me more of it. I’d have to rely on my greatest weakness to get as much time as I could to think this through. I’d have to rely on … speaking.

“I’ll at least need until tomorrow to — ”

“We leave before sundown today. That’s simply too much time to spend — ”

“Three hours.”

“15 minutes should be more than enough time to— ”

“An hour. An hour or I’ll refuse you on the spot without thinking at all. Wouldn’t want to go back empty handed after this whole effort of yours, hm?”

“An hour. We’ll be at the creek watering our horses. The Preyborn will stay up here to monitor you. If you try anything, like fleeing or any other funny business, you’ll be in too much pain to be able to regret it.”

With no more than an almost imperceptible nod, Brennan Lavely, captain of the king’s guard, had his men moved in an orderly fashion down my worn path to the creek. None of the other men bothered with so much as a glance in my direction. Judging by the sweat on their faces, I’m sure they were looking forward to the cool water of the creek as much as their steeds were. As the final horse’s tail swished out of sight and the men’s murmurs were lost to the sounds of nature and the gentle flowing of the creek, I slowly released my body from my fighter's stance.

I slammed my daggers back into the sheaths on the worn torso of my armor and strode with heavy footsteps over to my sitting stump, which Brennan had so carelessly used as a footrest. With a few harsh wipes of my hand, I sat down with a defeated thud, enough to even hurt my own ass a little, and let a heaving sigh out of my dry lips. I bent forward, resting my elbows on my knees, and rubbed my temples fiercely with my coarse, calloused fingertips. Options. What were my options?

Fleeing? Out of the question. Bear was too slow, the Preyborn too deadly, the guards too many. The choice I used and relied on the most was no more than a fantasy at this point. I gritted my teeth, causing my jaw to clench against the surge of anger coated frustration. Next option.

Refusing? My life would still be left in the immaculately gloved hands of the loyal captain Brennan. From the few moments we had interacted, I gleaned that he wouldn’t have a problem with leading me to the capital tied to the back of a horse at knife point. Being delivered to the king under duress was probably the expectation. No one would expect the Viper of Vespen to stride into the capital, chin held high, ready to be received by the king and hear out his request.

Another sigh mixed with a dust coated wheeze escaped my lips as my mind settled on the option that ensured my life, at least for now, would remain in my own hands. The option that narrowed the odds of being beaten and bullied around by these armored men and the Preyborn. Vipers were known for their ability to move about stealthily, remaining unseen until they decided it was the right time to strike. If a viper is what the king wanted and expected, a viper he would get.

I attempted to take another deep, cleansing breath to try ease the throbbing in my head, but instead ended up doubled over in a bout of coughing and wheezing. My throat was nearly raw from dehydration. With Brennan and his horde of guards down at the creek watering their horses, I wasn’t inclined to slap a smile on my face and deal with their stares or comments.

A hand appeared before my eyes as I stared angrily down at the dirt, eyes watering from the painful dry coughing. My teeth gritted together as I glared down at the heavily calloused and dirty hand that held the water skin with unwavering stillness.

“That’s obnoxious,” I managed between lingering coughs.

“So is listening to you wheeze and moan. ”

As a Preyborn prick, he could sense the needs and emotions of the prey that surrounded him. Myself being a scrappy, albeit effective, fighter with no formal training — I was easy prey for him. That meant that my current mood, my emotions, even my most basic bodily functions were laid out in front of him like a hand of cards. With a slight huff and more force than necessary, I grabbed the water from his hand.

After having made a show of wiping off the opening with the cuff of my sleeve, I greedily gulped down every last drop of water from the nearly full skin. I heard a distinct snort come from the Preyborn as I finally pulled the water away from my lips with a refreshed sigh and a few heavy breaths.

I fixed him with a thoroughly annoyed glare. “Something amusing to you?”

“As a matter of fact, yes. The fact that you’re currently trying to make a critical decision, and yet my germs are at the forefront of your mind is quite amusing to me. And thanks for saving me a drop. How considerate.”

Without thinking, I quickly wound up and chucked the skin in his general direction. I watched in annoyed awe as he snagged it from the air as it sailed several feet away from his head. He reattached it to his belt without taking his eyes off of me.

“I think I liked you better when you were dehydrated and nearly choking. You’re welcome, by the way.”

After giving him a heartfelt scowl and a vulgar gesture with one of my hands, I returned to my original position with my forearms resting on my knees, my head bent forward to gaze at the dirt where no answers were magically scrawled. His deep, ancient-sounding voice broke through my thoughts again, and I wondered how socially inept he must be.

“You’ve made up your mind, then.”

I wished I had more things to throw at him. Blades were far too risky — for all I knew he wouldn’t hesitate to throw them right back with deadly accuracy. After all, he was only here because he was being paid, no doubt handsomely, to find me. And now that I was found, his end of the bargain was fulfilled. My life mattered nothing to him. It didn’t really matter to Brennan or his henchmen either. Except Brennan’s duty to the king was not yet fulfilled. I still had to be delivered. After that thought, I was tempted to throw a dagger as hard as I could at him. To see if he would retaliate. Maybe he wouldn’t mortally wound me, but make me bleed just enough to teach me a lesson about the hierarchy of predator and prey.

“Maybe a nagging injury that would be painful to heal on a week-long journey would give you some perspective.”

I clenched my hands around one and another as I fought back against the rising wave of anger swelling in my gut. Thought reading prick.

“Your part of the bargain is done. Your skills have been bought and they’ve been used. Collect your money and get the hell out of here.”

Silence. Maybe that was all it took to shut him up. Then again, he could have already moved behind me, silent as the air around us, to slit my throat. I tilted my head ever so slightly to try and catch a glimpse of him. He was still leaning against a towering pine tree only a handful of feet away from me. His stance was casual, almost lazy as he leaned against the ancient tree, but his gaze was piercing. His eyes bore into my bent over body, something moving in them that I didn’t understand. It sent waves of terror rippling through me.

When he spoke again, his voice was tighter. Strained almost. Each syllable seemed to carve out the air like the tip of a knife. Gone was the casual and almost bored tone he had used with me only moments ago.

“My contract is none of your concern, just like your decision is none of my concern. As I’m sure you’ve already gathered as you’ve sat hunched on your stump, you’ll be delivered to the king no matter what choice you think you’re making. Whether you are delivered uninjured or not is of no concern to me. If riding horseback for a week with a festering wound doesn’t bother you, by all means, throw a dagger. It makes no difference to me.”

My legs were moving before I could take a second to check my anger. First being rudely awoken and slamming my skull into rock. Then realizing I had in fact been careless, and had successfully been tracked. Then discovering that I had been found by the king’s guard and a Preyborn. The thin layer of restraint I had been painstakingly exercising this morning had vanished. I quickly strode up to him and stopped sharply only a few inches from his face. That unnerving, piercing glare remained in his eyes. Not a single muscle on his body moved. Not even so much of a flinch as my breath rolled from my lungs in short, anger laced bursts.

I let it go. The flimsy control I exercised over the shadows that constantly whirled around inside of me released, and I knew my eyes began to swim with inky black swirls. My eyes were open as wide as my sockets would allow as my body shook with the power that came along with unleashing my shadows. The shadows. After all, they weren’t mine. They lived inside of me, tainting each and every one of my thoughts and waking moments. All because of trust and love.

The choice to let go was easy. He would either kill me on the spot, oust me to Brennan, or do nothing. My secret would be with him no matter what he decided to do. Did I trust him with it? No. Did it put my fate in someone else’s hands besides my own, incapable hands? Yes. Relief washed through me and mingled with my anger as the burden of my curse was slightly lifted from my aching back.

His gaze remained locked onto my own as his pupils dilated and his eyes opened wider. I watched as he traced the movement of the swirling shadows with his own eyes. With each second that passed, the rage inside of me slowly began to subside. The shaking lessened to tremors, and my breathing started to become more even. All he did was gaze back at me. His piercing, fear-inducing gaze shifted into something softer. A mixture of wonder and puzzlement crossed his features. I could feel my eyes returning to normal — the shadows were fading as my body relaxed.

We stood there, face to face under the massive pine tree, in silence. The only sounds were Bear rooting his nose through the grass, the soft breeze in the tops of the trees, and the distant murmurings of conversations from the guards down by the creek. Neither of us moved. Fatigue and soreness ached in every joint and muscle of my body. I didn’t have anything else to say.

His words broke the silence as he spoke in a calm, soft tone that bordered on reassuring. Different from his bored joking or sharp agitation from before. For a man born to hunt and destroy, he certainly seemed to have a wide range of masks that he wore. That made him all the more interesting — and dangerous.

“Shall I inform the captain that you’ve decided to go to the capital, and are ready to leave?”

I took a small step backwards, putting some space in between our bodies and finally letting my gaze drop to the ground as I blinked slowly in bewilderment. I nodded slowly in agreement and lifted my eyes back up to where he stood. The ancient and marred tree trunk was the only thing staring back at me. I saw Zindel’s tall figure and broad back heading down the narrow, worn path to the creek as I turned my head to the right.

His reaction was unexpected. He was impossible to read, and the ever-shifting aura of a Preyborn was meant to leave prey feeling confused and unsure. I was left feeling more exhausted than I had been before, but part of me felt lighter. My mind felt more at ease with the situation, with my predicament. Maybe it was because Zindel knew my secret. He now knew that maybe I was dangerous, that I shouldn’t be left unchecked out on my own, being an unofficial enforcer of the law. Or maybe it was because he understood my burden, because it was similar to that of his own.

I was left to wonder if he knew that my power was unlike his own — could he sense that I was not born? Could he tell that I was made? Was it something he had experienced before? I managed to quell the questions that were flooding my mind and started to regain my composure. I clenched my jaw, straightened my spine, and walked calmly over to Bear. I focused intensely on every strap of his saddle, on every clasp of his bridle as I equipped his tack. I focused on what I knew, on what was familiar. On what made me feel whole and somewhat at peace, because in only a matter of minutes, I would be headed down an unknown path, into unknown territory, with a man who frightened and intrigued me.

The only items to gather from my camp were my worn bedroll and a couple of small armor and weapon maintenance items I had kept stowed away in my hidden cache. My journal remained tucked away in one of my saddlebags, along with a silver plated hairbrush, the only bauble that remained of my former life from all those years ago. One foot in misery and despair — always. I grasped the worn leather reins of Bear’s bridle in one hand, and rested the other on his thick, muscular neck. He twitched in response, shifting his feet eagerly from side to side. A Preyborn. An unstable Shadowmade. A troop of guards led by the king’s captain. A horde of disgruntled crime lord kingpins undoubtedly scheming to hunt me down. A deep sigh escaped my lips before I clicked my tongue and gave the reins a few quick tugs to start Bear down the path to the creek. What could possibly go wrong?