Chapter 13

The riders were, as I’d expected, two of Grayson’s men. A quick glance showed me they were the two weakest members of his little hunting party, and if I had to guess, that was part of the reason why they’d been sent to be the messenger boys. Even still, as they spoke, I couldn’t help but feel my fingers itch. I know you weren’t supposed to shoot the messenger… but stupidity had to be an exception.

“You’re telling me,” Clint said in a slow, steady drawl, his eyes fixed on the two gunslingers. “That he’s expecting everyone to just accept he’s delaying our travels for a little hunting trip?” The two messengers shared uneasy glances. They may not know who he was, but they could tell, even without being able to see his core, that he was dangerous.

“Well,” the first said, looking past Clit, towards Emma. He took his hat off his head and held it against his chest, at least appearing apologetic, “the herd was spotted in the way of our path. And Mr. Grayson is offering to split some of the value from the sales to the caravan. Even more so to those who decided to help with the hunt as well.”

I snorted at his use of the word hunt. Shooting a herd of docile bison in the middle of the road wasn’t what I’d call a hunt. It was as far from a hunt as I would consider it actually. What I was on, my quest to take down those fools who’d killed Randal and crossed me. That’s what a hunt was. A foe that was dangerous, could fight back.

“Course if you’ve not the strength to take down a bison,” the second man said, his eyes looking at me. Guess he didn’t appreciate my snort. “Then you could still help by cutting out the tongues and helping skin the ones we do kill. Plenty of ways someone without power can help, and Mr. Grayson would still cut you some of the profits.”

Emma held up a hand before I could say anything and shot me a look. I took a deep breath and did my best to keep the flames that flickered across my palms in check. Getting angry right now, letting these fools rile me up, was not worth my time. Nor was it worth letting my focus waver from my current task at hand. Ascending to Copper was much more important than teaching the idiot just how wrong he was.

“While offering to share the spoils is a kind gesture,” Emma said in a measured voice, “allow me to voice my displeasure with him deciding to delay the travels of our entire wagon train purely for his own amusement.”

“If you was listening,” the second speaker, the one who’d insulted me, began, “you would know it’s not for—”

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“—I’d like to think you’re not implying my employer, Miss Parker, has a listening problem, Mister,” Clint trailed off as his eyes bore into the speaker. The man swallowed hard under the gaze.

“Chuck,” he said, swallowing again. “And I meant no offense to Miss Parker. Merely pointing out that Mr. Grayson ain’t just doing this for himself. It’s to benefit everyone here, and surely you can see that—”

“I’d like to speak with Mr. Grayson on this manner myself, if that’s alright?” Emma cut the man off, smiling down at him in a way that I knew all too well. She was planning something, and this poor man had just become a pawn in her game. “If everyone must wait regardless, I feel I’m at least allowed the explanation from Mr. Grayson himself, if I am to consent happily to his plans.”

She smiled as the man paled, and I could tell he wasn’t used to being addressed in such a way. Or, probably, not used to being spoken to in such a way by a woman. I’d have bet money that Mr. Grayson merely thought Emma was a pretty face, and so too did likely all the men in his employ. If they knew who she truly was, and even more so, who her uncle was, I was sure they’d be treating her in a much different manner.

“Er,” the second man stammered. Luckily for him, his companion came to his rescue.

“You’re more than welcome to ride to the front of the train and speak to him yourself,” the man said, nodding slightly towards Emma, while avoiding Clint’s gaze. “If’in that’s what you feel you need to do. Though, I cannot say Mr. Grayson will take too kindly to you then being a reason for delay for his hunt, and therefore, the continuation of our travels.”

The man smirked as if he’d said something witty. If he’d known Emma at all, if he’d been able to read the look in her eyes, or seen the way her lips twitched slightly upwards, the man wouldn’t be smiling.

“It is what I feel is necessary.” Emma said sweetly. “And don’t you worry,” she looked at me, amusement and unspoken planning evident in her eyes, “I’m sure my actions won’t cause any more delay than Mr. Grayson’s selfish nature has, and if anything, I’m certain it will speed things along.”

Emma paid the two lackeys no further mind and turned her attention towards Clint, even as the two shared confused looks, the one’s face going red at Emma’s comment regarding their employer.

“Mr. Miller, would you mind fetching mine and Mr. Smith’s horses?” At that, my attention jerked fully towards Emma. “And Mr. Smith,” she said, her eyes locked on mine, “would you be so kind as to accompany me on this task.”

I didn’t know what she was planning, but I knew better than to question Emma. I reached up and tipped the front of my hat in her direction, while my mind tried to puzzle out what it was she was planning. “It’d be my pleasure, Miss Parker.” I took another breath, feeling the raw mana enter my body, my willpower already pushing it into my slowly growing bundle of raw mana. I held off on pushing out my older mana for the moment though. I didn’t know what Emma had planned, but for the moment, I figured it would be better if I had as much easy to use mana at my disposal, as possible, just in case.