Karse Dragonsbane.

The Golden Senate had sent him to track us down when Alessa had run away from them and we’d fought to a standstill that had almost resulted in my cousin not getting the medication that she needed to cure her of a poison that she’d been infected with during an earlier fight. He had also been the one to bring Alessa back to the capital after we had been captured. I’d thought we’d seen the last of him, but it seemed like he had unfinished business with us.

“Sectum Irongut!” Karse shook his mane as he gave an exaggerated bow. “Or should I say Prince Malus?” He tried to look into the buggy. “Is your whiny wife in there with you?”

“Sir, if you would please…” Our guide jumped off of the buggy, but neither he nor the driver had a weapon. I knew that Dwarves could be tough, but between the sword at his hip, his poisonous tail, and fire breath, all that mattered was that none of us were armed.

“My business is with the prince, not you.” Smoke wafted out of the corners of his mouth as he interrupted the Dwarf.

“What do you want, Karse?” I stepped out of the buggy. “There’s no way the Golden Senate could pay even if there was still an open bounty out for my capture.”

“I’m not here about the bounty.” The manticore flexed his leathery wings. “It’s personal this time.”

Starna’s spells wouldn’t be as strong without a focus, but between her magic and my Sineater ability, we wouldn’t be easy to take down.

“You left us chained up in a barn the last time we saw each other. How are you getting a personal vendetta out of that?” I flexed my fingers. I would have to close the distance fast and hope that I could dump whatever wound he gave me back into him before he killed me since it didn’t seem like he wanted to bring me in alive.

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“You kidnapped a princess and it was a job.” The Manticore narrowed his eyes like he was reading what I was about to try.

“I didn’t kidnap my cousin!” I started to position myself so I could charge the moment he made his move.

The Manticore sighed and reached into his jacket and pulled out a piece of folded paper. I caught it on instinct when he threw it at me.

“I know that now.” The winged feline pointed at the paper. “Which is why I’m giving you this.”

I unfolded the paper and swallowed.

WANTED!

1,000 Dragon gold coins alive

OR

800 Dragon gold coins dead

Upon delivery of both Sectum Malus and Starna Shellock.

They are wanted for the assassination of Lagrev Gratten and Vetal Lestal

A thousand Dragon gold coins was a ridiculous amount of money. Most laborers made about 3 Dragon gold coins a year. The average powerless Elf had a lifespan of around two hundred years, which meant this was more money than they’d make their entire life.

It didn’t say who had taken out the bounty, but given how the Agate Senate had been harassing us, I had a feeling they were behind it. I didn’t know if the Topaz Senate was involved or not, considering their ambassador had died after almost killing Starna, but it wouldn’t surprise me if I learned that they were.

“What?” I held up the piece of paper. “Is this your way of justifying why you’re going to try to bring us in?”

Karse raised an eyebrow as he began beating his wings. “No. This is my way of saying we’re even.”

I watched him take to the air and fly off. I wasn’t sure how that changed my opinion of the bounty hunter, but it did make something very clear.

We weren’t leaving without our weapons again.