Marked For Death: A Dark Urban Fantasy Novel by Becca Blake (english novels to improve english .txt) 📕

of everything I saw. But if we’re going to be partners and have each other’s back through wherever this mess takes us, we need to be honest with each other.”

“Why the sudden change of heart?” I asked. “This time yesterday, I’m pretty sure you hated me.”

“I didn’t hate you.” He turned his body to face me, and his hazel eyes met mine. For the first time, I found warmth in them instead of his usual disdain. “I blamed you for what happened that day. But you were right—that wasn’t fair of me. If you didn’t jump in, I’d be dead.”

“That sounded a lot like a thank you,” I said.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” he said, though a smirk played at his lips.

This softer side of him was new, and I hoped I would get to see more of it before leaving town.

Before abandoning him like Ayla abandoned me, I realized, and the knots in my stomach returned. Would they send him to hunt me down once I broke my oath? Would he be angry with me for stabbing him in the back after he finally opened up to me?

If he noticed my inner turmoil, he didn’t comment on it. He pulled back onto the road and we continued without another word for the rest of the trip, until we parked in the community lot next to Orion’s truck.

He was already waiting for us, and as we got out of the car, he waved us over. “You two should head home. Marcus wants me to meet with him right away, and it’s probably best if you aren’t present for that.”

“I agree.” I retrieved my gear from Jacob’s trunk and tossed him his bag. “I can throw together some lunch while you do that.”

In the meantime, I’d have to find a way to get Jacob out of the house so Orion and I could plan our escape. As relieving as it was to hear he would overlook the dark magic, leaving Haygrove was another thing entirely. He was still the son of a Council member. I’d done my best to work with him while we were stuck together, but I couldn’t let myself forget that this partnership was temporary.

“Actually, I think we should go in and give the report with Commander Orion.”

I stumbled as I closed the trunk and nearly dropped my duffel bag. “Sorry, what?”

Had he already changed his mind about telling Marcus what he saw?

“My dad will realize that something went wrong, if he doesn’t know already. We might as well go in there with the truth—or our version of it, at least. Things will go much more smoothly with him if he thinks we’re admitting everything up front.”

Orion frowned as he considered Jacob’s suggestion. “I suppose that makes sense. But let me do the talking, all right? We stick with the plan. I’ll tell Marcus the same thing I told Maki, that I brought you along as backup.”

Jacob nodded.

I tossed my bag back into the trunk. “All right. Let’s do this, then.”

After a short walk to the town hall, security escorted us upstairs to Marcus Thorne’s third floor office. His door was wide open, and I wondered if he’d been waiting for us.

He sat in the center of the spacious room behind an over-sized desk, with his back to a balcony that overlooked Market Street. The office smelled faintly of pine and lemon, like it had just been cleaned. He didn’t look up as Orion tapped his knuckles on the door, so we walked inside.

The only sound in the room was the scratching of Marcus’s pen. When he finished, he set the pen down and settled his cool gaze on Orion.

“Welcome home, Commander.” Marcus pressed his thin lips together in an unpleasant smile that made my skin crawl. “How did everything go?”

“Not well.” Orion crossed his arms. “Maki betrayed us. Just as I said he would.”

“I see.” Marcus’s chair creaked as he leaned back. “Why are these two with you?”

“We’re here to give our mission report. I brought them along in case I ran into any trouble with Maki.”

“You were instructed to go alone.”

“I did go alone,” Orion said.

“Alone with two extra hunters?”

“Respectfully, sir, you told me not to bring along any of the other commanding officers. You were insistent that I not involve any of them, and I complied with that order. You never said anything about the hunters I oversee. As far as I’m aware, I have the authority to command the activities of my own unit.”

“You do, Commander. Of course. Though, I must admit, a hunter who left her last partner to die and one who barely made it through his evaluation alive wouldn’t be my first choices.”

Jacob’s fist tightened around his sword, though his careful expression showed no reaction. How much practice must he have had to perfect such a neutral response to his father’s insults? If I hadn’t just learned Ayla was still alive, I doubted I would have been able to remain so calm.

Marcus studied us for a few more moments before turning his attention back to the paperwork on his desk. He shuffled pages around and scribbled a quick note. “Your mission is incomplete, then?”

“Maki betrayed us,” Orion repeated. He rested his hands on the desk and leaned forward. “He used the emerald for a ritual to grant himself demonic power.”

Marcus continued writing as though Orion weren’t inches away from his face. “Where is the artifact now?”

“Gone. Maki escaped with it.”

“I see.”

“Is that all, sir?” Orion asked.

Marcus signed the paper in front of him with a flourish of his arm and set it aside. “Effective immediately, you will be suspended without pay, pending an investigation into this mission. This is a failure of your leadership, Commander.”

Jacob moved up next to Orion, still gripping his sword. “It’s not his fault things went wrong.”

“Of course, the two hunters who accompanied you will receive suspensions as well.” Marcus met his son’s eyes as he continued. “If there were any other failures the Council should be