Trickster’s Hunt

by Kel Carpenter

  “No, but according to the information I’ve picked out from her social media, she lives in a suburb southwest of Manchester. She shouldn’t be too difficult to find.”

  I nodded and shifted my shoulders.

  “Is it terribly painful?”

  I shook my head. “No, but it seems to be growing more intense the longer we are apart. We were always nearby before. If distance is the issue, the four-hour distance will be immensely entertaining for me.”

  “Then you go. Catch the train.”

  I shook my head. “No. If she sees me, she is unlikely to cooperate. I will be fine. Just…apologise to her for me, please.”

  He nodded once and turned away.

  “Any messages for her, or shall I just tell her you’re sulking, Silas?”

  “If you tell her a damn thing, I’ll cut out your tongue.”

  The last I heard was a chuckle from Amos.

  He would find her. He would bring her back to safety. To us.

  30

  Amos

  The station was understandably busy.

  Lost in my thoughts, I picked my way through the crowds, heading for the correct platform. I was concerned. More for Rhett than Silas, admittedly. He deserved all he got speaking to her the way he had, but still. She’d bonded to them, somehow, and the effect it was having was not good.

  I was also concerned about the involvement of that slimy little prick, Nicky. For a human to be used as a pawn against her, against us, was designed to put us at a disadvantage. We would be reluctant to harm them. They would be fearful of their master, and she would be stuck not knowing which course to follow.

  Her instinct was not to save herself. That much was clear by the way she’d approached Sobek. In the way she’d dismissed us after being given proof that we could, and would, protect her.

  I had to find her, and I had to talk her round. She would listen to sense when she’d had a few days to cool down. I just had to hope I could track her down before anyone else did.

  A crowd had gathered not far ahead, and I groaned. I had three minutes to get on that train and whatever was happening was blocking my path. There were too many people around for me to risk using magic, and I was painfully aware of the fact that I may have someone following me.

  A whistle blew, and I looked up to see the train pulling away from the platform.

  Two minutes early.

  Nothing ever left that station early, which suggested foul play. So as not to draw attention to myself, I turned and headed back to the coffee shop down the platform. I was in no hurry. Whoever had interfered with the train would be watching, and I intended to make them wait.

  Four hours later, I left the coffee shop. There hadn’t been any sign of someone watching me, except for the waitress. She’d been very sympathetic when I said I’d missed my train, but that had dissipated when I hadn’t caught the next one.

  Outside, I kept walking, leaving the station entirely and heading into the centre of the city. To use my abilities to travel would mean not being seen leaving, so I sought out a secluded alley and used that for cover.

  I arrived in the suburb Maia’s social media information had told me she lived. I was on a quayside, facing some impressive office buildings, and the area was relatively quiet. Admittedly, I had expected a small town, but it was what it was.

  With little idea how or where to begin my search for her, I sat down on a nearby bench and considered my options. In London, we’d had the cat. He’d done the searching. That was what I needed. But it seemed help was not forthcoming.

  I pulled a mobile phone from my pocket and resumed my social media search for her. The photographs she shared would help me pinpoint her location, as well as places she’d checked in. It didn’t take long. She had mentioned she owned a dog, and on one of the pictures of him, I saw a street sign. It wasn’t guaranteed to lead me to her home, but it was a start.

  Hands in my pockets, I headed in the direction of the street in question. She wasn’t far away. It gave me comfort, but then I thought of Rhett. She was hundreds of miles from him and his pain had been increasing. Silas wouldn’t admit it, but I knew he was suffering, too.

  I’d find her for their sake, if not my own.

  31

  Silas

  Everything was gone.

  No bed. No furnishings. Nothing. I sat on the floor in the centre of my room in darkness.

  She had sent me away and I’d been bound to comply with her wish. The most infuriating part of it was that she had fully understood what she was doing. I’d been submitting to her every whim for days. She knew how it worked. She had put herself in danger to prove a point to me.

  Stupid, stupid girl.

  I had to tell them about the sceptre. I should have done it earlier, but there hadn’t been time. She was who the gods had claimed her to be.

  I thought she’d have to be in Duat for her power to manifest, but even though we weren’t, it manifested nonetheless. If she could create the symbol of their power, she was obviously one of them. Only a god could summon a was sceptre.

  At least that’s what I thought it was.

  She was who we’d been searching for, even if we hadn’t been aware of it. Our missing link. There was still a lot of information missing, I was certain. Horus hadn’t provided many answers, and the cat was reserved in what he shared. He always seemed like a prick by choice, but his silence was evidently on orders.

  How Amos expected to find someone who had made it clear she didn’t want to see him was beyond me, but let him fucking try. If he brought her back, I’d owe him.

  I needed to see her, to know she was safe, to keep her from harm.

  To take her back to my bed.

  I needed her.

  We all needed her.

  She was ours to protect. Ours to keep safe. Our Goddess.

  To be continued…

  If you loved the book please consider leaving a review. Interest from readers is how we determine what series to prioritize. Please remember this is written in British English and that words such as foetal, centre, and humour are actually correct. Thank you!

  Also By Carrie Whitethorne

  The Riftkeepers Series:

  Prime (Book One)

  Pursuit (Book Two)

  Reckoning (Book Three)

  Elder Mother (Book Four)

  Fused (Book Five)

  Ensnared (Book Six)

  Fight for Humanity (Book Seven)

  Also By Kel Carpenter

  The Daizlei Academy Series:

  Heir of Shadows (Book One)

  Trial by Heist (Novella)

  Scion of Midnight (Book Two)

  Queen of Lies (Book Three)

  Untitled (Coming Soon)

  Queen of the Damned Series:

  Lucifer’s Daughter (Book One)

  Wicked Games (Book Two)

  Infernal Desires (Book Three)

  Brimstone Nightmares (Coming Soon)

  Destiny’s Ashes (Coming Soon)

  About the Author

  Kel Carpenter is a USA Today Bestselling Author and writer of all things fantasy. She loves reading, watching Netflix original shows, and subjecting her favorite co-author and editor to crazy, harebrained book ideas. Kel currently resides in Atlanta, GA with her boyfriend and three fur-children. When she is not writing or working on completing her senior year of college, she is spending time with her dog, Harley, or teasing her two cats with a laser pointer.

  Join Kel’s Readers Group!

  About the Author

  Carrie is a mum. An author. A creator of worlds. A dreamer. A friend.

  At her childhood home in Yorkshire, Carrie was encouraged to utilize her imagination, to see things for what they could be, and to ask the question “what if?” Her mum introduced her to worlds filled with magic: Barrie, Lewis, Tolkien, Blyton. That magic evolved and continued to inspire her when she discovered Rowling and Sanderson. They all asked the question and explored the possibilities, opening doors to new adventur
es that would forever change generations to come.

  Even as a child, Carrie preferred creative outlets and writing. But as an adult, Carrie had not yet had that moment of inspiration to begin writing a novel of her own. That all changed one normal morning, on a normal walk to school, when a small boy slipped from the pavement and on to the road. There was no accident. No horror. Just a near miss that later formulated into one question: what if he was able to save himself? Fueled by this question and Carrie’s love of fantasy, European folklore, and mythological creatures, The Riftkeepers emerged. This world answered her question. The series gave birth to characters that took on a life of their own, many telling continued stories in novellas and spinoffs.

  When Carrie isn’t writing and annoying her editor with endless typos, she barely sleeps, thinks about her characters, indulges in an unhealthy Facebook addiction, exploring the beauty of the Lake District as her backyard, and contemplating which she loves more: pizza or wine. Definitely wine. Considered to be one of the most boring people she knows, writing her own biography was a definite weakness. Her first draft was rubbish and was picked apart by friends who insisted she was funnier and far more interesting than she gives herself credit. She was no longer allowed to write her own biography, so she provided input.

  Carrie now resides in West Cumbria with her husband and two children. They are her inspiration. Her world.

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  Acknowledgments

  We thank each other for the laughs. We thank Analisa for making sexy times sexy. And to you dear reader, we thank you most of all. Thank you for supporting us in our careers.

  Coming Soon

  August 2018