The Hunt: A Custodes Noctis Book

by Muffy Morrigan

  “Rob's Custodes Noctis as well as a scholar, Hugh.”

  “I know, Galen, but this isn't the kind of thing he could have gotten to, so he shouldn't feel bad.”

  “Where have you been researching?” Galen asked suspiciously

  “Never mind, but you owe me one a big one, because I need to figure out how to use all this without bringing up my sources.”

  “I'll do my best.”

  “Galen, you know how much trouble I've had with this whole Custodes Noctis thing and accepting what that actually means, I still sometimes find it hard to believe.”

  “But?”

  “The Fae are involved in all of this, I followed them back from Petronius to the writings of Theodoris Valerius. He was was pretty clear on that, he believed the Fae were involved. And if that's true, well, I think Petronius was one of them.”

  “The Fae?”

  “Yes. Galen, there's more.”

  “What?”

  “I found something that now that I know what I'm for I think relates to the Hunt.”

  “Yeah?

  “A later ritual, they claimed they were following tradition, and the Fae were involved.”

  “Yes?”

  “Someone was sacrificed by the Fae during the ritual.” Hugh paused. “Galen, the person they sacrificed...”

  “Yeah?”

  “It was the king's brother.”

  Galen glanced over at the table, Rob sensed the look and met his eyes. “I was kind of expecting that, Hugh,” Galen said softly.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Galen

  The sun was bright as they drove back towards the motel, the fog was hanging over the Pacific, a threatening cloud, but still too far away to touch the land. It was quiet, only light traffic moved through the nearly deserted town. When he'd stopped at the pharmacy to get some burn cream, the clerk had looked surprised—like she didn't expect to see anyone. In fact, there was a hush over the town that was more than just the emptiness of a tourist destination in winter. There was something going on, the few cars they passed were headed south, out of town.

  Galen stole a glance at his brother, Rob was watching him with a frown on his face. Worry bubbled through the bond, but Galen was doing his best to ignore it as he sorted through everything Hugh had found. The sense of unease that had started when they first met the each uisge was growing. He was beginning to suspect there was more going on than the simple appearance of the feorhbealu. Yes, they were coming, and the Veil was getting thinner, he could see the shimmer covering the landscape, even without the boost from Rob's Sight. There was more activity of all the dark creatures, things like they'd faced in the park as well as the more mundane, and the Hunt had been calling him, the call slowly consuming him, but there was something else going on. He could feel it in his bones.

  Galen was starting to think that Blake was poison. From what Hugh told him about the trial and what had happened shortly after, he was sure the Fae had more to do with the Hunt changing than anyone suspected. Blake was involved somehow, and Galen sure of that and now, after last night's encounter with the king's champion and Flash's comment about the coincidence of the creatures' appearance, Galen was starting to fume. He had the distinct feeling they were being played, coupled with a sense of impending doom.

  “Galen?” Flash's voice startled him out of his musings.

  “What?” he snapped.

  “Uh,” Flash stammered.

  “Sorry, what is it?”

  “I was just wondering, can we stop at the grocery store?”

  “You couldn't get what you needed at the drug store?”

  “They didn't have the right kind of potato chips and their toothpaste was, like, four bucks.”

  “Toothpaste?” Rob asked. “The motel has some, I'm sure.”

  “Yeah, like I'd take anything they brought me anymore. And yes, toothpaste, I might've left Tacoma without mine.”

  “Um, ew,” Rob said with a smile. “You have to stop, Galen.”

  “Have to,” Flash added, “my teeth are getting furry.”

  “I really didn't need to know that, Flash.” Galen chuckled and pulled into the parking lot at the store. They were the only car there. The lights in the store were on and Galen could see someone behind a check stand, but other than that it was empty. Flash got out of the back and headed in, Galen lost sight of him as he headed to the back of the store. It made him nervous, so he got out and walked to the door so he could see into the building.

  A raven croaked from the roof of the store, Galen looked up at the bird gazing down at him, its head cocked. “Yeah, not in the mood to talk to you right now,” Galen said to it.

  “Are you talking to the birds?” Rob asked mildly, coming to stand beside him.

  “Why not, you did.”

  “What did Hugh say, Galen?”

  “Rob,” Galen began then stopped when the raven shifted, for all the world looking like it was listening. “When we get back to the motel, not here.”

  “Okay, can you last that long?”

  “What do you mean?” He turned to Rob, looking away from the raven, it laughed at him.

  Rob poked a finger in the air, like a child bursting a bubble floating on a breeze. “You're burbling with anger, something pretty close to rage, actually. It's making these little sparking bubbles around you.”

  “Oh?”

  “I've never seen you like this,” Rob said quietly, concern in his voice and buzzing along the link.

  Galen rolled his shoulders, trying to relax. “You ever get that feeling? That something's missing and that piece is huge?”

  “Yes.” Rob sighed. “Yes, I have.”

  “What are you two doing here?” Flash said, walking up to them, two large bags in his hands.

  “That looks like more than potato chips and toothpaste,” Rob said.

  “It is,” Flash admitted. “I figured we might need supplies.”

  “Oh gods,” Galen groaned as they got in the car. “That's all we need, Flash supplies.”

  “Hey, I got potato chips, beer, dip, salami for me, this weird tofu shit for you, some pop and chocolate.”

  “Please tell me you got an antacid, too,” Rob added with a laugh.

  “Always.”

  Galen listened to the two of them, letting their conversation distract him as he headed towards the motel. When he reached the traffic light that would take them to the chapel, he turned and drove by the building. The doors were open, candles burning in the foyer. He slowed down to get a better look. A surge of emotion lashed over him, he nearly swerved and looked at Rob, his brother was paper-white. “Rob?”

  “Keep going, Galen, don't stop.”

  “Why not?” Flash demanded.

  “Go, gods, go.” The urgency in Rob's voice and the fear buzzing through the link were all Galen needed. He drove past quickly, then made the first turn that would lead them back to the highway.

  “Fuck, what happened?” Flash whispered. Galen wondered the same thing. The house closest to the corner—and the chapel—was black, as if it had been engulfed in fire, the roof melted.

  “The feorhbealu,” Rob offered.

  “Are you sure?” Galen asked as he drove past the ruined house.

  “Yes.”

  “They do that?” Flash asked. “They melt things?”

  “Melt, devour, change,” Rob said softly. “It—gods—there's a break in the Veil there, the people who lived there, they're gone.” He swallowed. Galen could feel the reflected horror from his brother. What had happened there was more than just “they're gone”, it had been terrible, whatever it was.

  “And there are more of those things? They're coming?” Flash asked.

  “Yes,” Galen answered.

  “They could, I mean that could be the end of everything if they do that!”

  “Yeah, Flash, it's why we need the Hunt.”

  “I know, you... I just didn't think... Holy fuck.”

  “That sums it up pretty well,”
Rob said sourly.

  They were quiet on the rest of the drive. Rob was thinking hard, the emotion flowing off of him in a wave, the song of the Hunt present as a backdrop to the hum of the bond. Galen tried to block that out as he considered their options. There was no way he could stop Rob from joining the Hunt, as he'd told Flash, his brother would die; and Galen would join with him, no matter what that meant. He remembered the call, remembered those moments from seven years before with a joyful longing. It wouldn't be bad to lose himself there, he could ride and hunt and serve his king. The thought was pervasive, and he knew it was only partly his own. Now that his first ride was approaching, he could hear the call more clearly again.

  Thoughts bounced around in his head as he drove. Would the Hunt even exist once the feorhbealu came en masse? It had been formed to hunt them, but things were different now, and Galen was sure that at least part of the Hunt was in league somehow with those creatures, the burn mark on his face was proof of that. If they were working with the feorhbealu what did that mean? And was it all the Hunt, or just part of it? The king's champion hadn't liked Galen from the moment they'd first laid eyes on each other, he was definitely a problem, one that Galen was sure he'd have to deal with when he joined the Hunt. Of course, that was assuming he could join the Hunt.

  Someone had tried to kill him and Flash. Who? The champion had been at the motel the night before, along with something that came through the Veil, and when he and Flash had managed to deal with that thing, one of the feorhbealu had appeared. The two events might be linked, and the champion's followers had tried to remove him from the equation before Rob's first ride. Or had that been an act of the Fae? Blake was deeply involved in all this, and there were others of his kind there, Galen had felt the brush of their presence.

  He had the feeling it would all start coming to a head very soon, and he had no idea what that meant. They had to stay in control, it was their only hope. If they lost themselves in the Hunt, there would be no one to bring the riders back to what they had been, no one to lead the riders on the hunt for the feorhbealu. Everything would be lost. He pulled into their parking spot, still lost in thought, got out of the car, aware his anger was getting to a point he hadn't been in years.

  “Galen,” Rob warned softly.

  He looked up, Stephen Blake was standing at the foot of the stairs. Galen launched himself towards the priest, bracing himself against the potentially fatal touch of one of the Fae. He grabbed Blake and threw him against the wall, blocking the lash of power as well as the blow Blake aimed at his head at the same time. Galen slammed him against the wall again, letting his Gift flow, using the power to pin the other motionless against the building. All his frustrations were channeled into that moment. Something tugged on his arm, he focused the light and whatever it was dropped away. “You son of a bitch!” Galen growled.

  “Galen,” a whisper hissed at the edge of his awareness.

  “You're going to tell us what's going on,” Galen said to Blake. The priest didn't answer, he had a look of surprise on his face that was almost comical. Galen felt a jolt, a small shock pushing against him. He narrowed his eyes. “After you're done I think I'll kill you.”

  “Galen.” The whisper was insistent.

  He ignored it and bounced Blake off the wall, smiling in satisfaction when he heard the dull thud of his head hitting the wall. “Talk,” Galen demanded. He felt another jolt, larger this time, but brushed away the sting. He realized the priest was turning an odd color, but he ignored that, too.

  “Galen!” An arm looped around his neck. “Let him go!” The arm tightened, and its owner started exerting pressure to tear him away. “Don't make me put you down!”

  Galen pulled against the encircling arm, focusing the Gift to get rid of his attacker. A hand came against the back of his head, he felt the flow of warmth from the contact. It was enough to bring him back to his senses. He dropped his hands from Blake and took a deep breath, leaning back to rest against Rob.

  “You with me?” Rob's concern washed over him.

  “Yeah. I think so.” Galen patted his brother's arm and Rob let him go.

  “Fucker,” Flash grumbled. Galen looked over, Flash was on the ground, leaning against the wall.

  “What happened?”

  “Flash tried to stop you,” Rob explained.

  “Gods, sorry.” Galen offered his hand to Flash, and after eyeing it warily, he held his out and let Galen haul him to his feet. “You okay?”

  “Uh, yeah, no, holy shit, Galen.” Flash blinked at him, then smiled. “Why the hell didn't you do that a couple of weeks ago when those jerks from that pathetic grunge band jumped us? I wouldn't have gotten a black eye.”

  “Do what?” Galen asked. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Blake trying to edge away. “Don't move,” he snapped.

  “We should head upstairs,” Rob said quietly. “We're being watched.” A raven croaked. “And not just by them.”

  “Okay.” Galen took another breath, his hands were shaking. “I'll be right there.”

  “Galen?”

  “I need a minute, Rob.”

  “I'm not sure if that's a good idea.”

  “Rob,” Galen snarled.

  His brother stepped back, hands raised. “Deep breath, Galen. Okay. Make sure you stay in sight, though.”

  Galen watched them walk up the steps, trying to still the trembling of his hands. It was a reaction to the use of the Gift. He'd only used it that way once before, and that had been unintended, the need to get to his brother had outweighed all else. This was different. Not only had he been able to hold a member of the Fae in place, he'd easily brushed off Flash—and more importantly—the attacks Blake had leveled at him. He walked over to the car and opened the back, grabbing the weapons. He leaned against the Jeep for a minute, searching his heart. The power was part of him, part of his Gift, there was no pulse of darkness in it, the scar the Old One had left wasn't reacting at all. Knowing he could draw on power like that was a little terrifying. He'd inadvertently hurt Flash, just as years before he'd knocked his father down. The fact that Rob took it all in stride was annoying at times.

  “I can see it, Galen, so it's always there for me.”

  “Listening in?”

  “No. I knew it would be worrying you.”

  Galen chuckled, that was annoying, too. Pushing himself off the car, he headed up the stairs. Flash's angry voice was audible outside the door. He opened it and walked in. Blake was sitting at the table, a supercilious smile on his face, Rob was leaning against the wall by the fireplace, tension flowing off him, and Flash was pacing back and forth in front of them both. All three looked up when Galen walked in, the smile fell off Blake's face and Rob straightened.

  “You know what he said?” Flash demanded, waving his hands.

  “It's not your business,” Blake said.

  “Fuck you,” Flash said to Blake. “Galen? He said something about your blood! Some shit about the sacrifice for Rob.” Flash glanced at the priest. “And he's lying about something, I can tell.”

  “Flash, I told you...” Rob began.