Page 118 of Lethal Souls
When Cerberus gnashes his teeth, I lift my gaze to Conan. It’s not like my wolf to growl while he’s with me…unless he senses a threat.
Conan puts on a wary smile as he eyes Cerberus, but it hardly reaches his eyes. His hands rub together as he shifts from foot to foot, like he’s waiting for something. Or growing impatient.
“You in a hurry?” I ask.
“No, ‘course not, but I am hoping to return before the Rippies get too rowdy. You know how they are.” Another laugh slips out of him. Cerberus barks now, and I can’t help frowning at the man in front of me.
“Conan?”
“Hmm?” he answers, cutting a glance at me.
“How long have you been in Blackwater waiting for me?”
“Oh, just a few hours. I figured you were busy so I grabbed a couple of drinks from your tavern and cleaned a few of the swords and shields again. I didn’t mind waiting.”
“That so?”
“Yes—although, I was hoping to get ahold of you a lot sooner. I saw some of your clan roaming the village, but everyone looked so busy. Didn’t want to bother much. Glad Killian caught me before it got any later though.”
I stare at him, saying nothing.
He licks his lips. Swallows. “So, the armor? Looks good? Shall I have this particular design continued? I can probably squeeze more in and have them sent on a fast train before that bloody war.”
I withdraw one of my guns and aim it as his forehead. With a gasp, he throws his hands in the air.
“Caz? W-what are you doing? Are you all right?”
“The question is are you all right, Conan? Or are you too busy betraying me to provide an answer?”
He falters over his next set of words but ends his sputtering when I press the barrel to the center of his head.
“Regals tell me there’s a traitor roaming in Blackwater. And this traitor has been touched by Selah. This traitor has invited her in, and I believe that is you.”
“Caz, please,” he pleads, hands shaking.
I narrow my eyes, refusing his pleas. “Walk toward the forest.”
He doesn’t hesitate as he turns, shuffling through the grass and away from the village.
“What did she promise you?” I ask, my gun pointed at the back of his head. Cerberus walks a few feet ahead of me, growling again as he glares at Conan, daring him to make a move.
“My wife,” Conan whispers. “My…daughter.” His voice trembles far too much for him to say more.
“Stop here.”
Conan stands a few steps away from where the forest begins.
“Turn around,” I command.
He turns slowly, hands still raised.
I press my thumb down on the hammer.
“She promised I’d see my wife and daughter again. They died…in a fire. This was long before Manx arrived.” He gulps. “I—I couldn’t save them. And I live with that guilt every day. The Rippies started that fire, raped some of our women and killed many of our men. It’s why we created the barrier, so that anyone who was a threat couldn’t infiltrate. I invited them to my territory to have the advantage.”
I frown. “Of what?”
“Destroying them,” Conan responds, peering over his shoulder. “They’re all dead, Caz. Selah helped me kill them all.”