Chapter 49
Forty-Nine
Tobias
That poor woman had showed up at our suite, battered like she was, before I'd finished telling Callah everything.
I hadn't begrudged her that, because I'd seen the wounds as easily as my wife had.
However, when Callah said Zuriah would be sleeping on a mat in the nursery, I'd been more than willing to talk to Mr. Baird.
The man had answered the door in a rage. When I'd told him his wife was in poor shape, so she would be monitored by mine, he'd shoved into my face. Mine! The top of his head didn't even reach my chin, which had made it easy to shove him back.
And that was when the perfect line had fallen from my mouth.
"We don't have enough women for you to kill one with a childish tantrum!
" I'd snapped loudly enough everyone in the hall must've heard.
"So either you control your tantrums for the good of the community, or you allow your bloodline to die out! "
"How dare you!" Mr. Baird had shot back.
But I'd simply leaned in a little more. "God has put us to the test, and so far, we're failing.
Our numbers are the lowest they've ever been.
Our women have fewer children before succumbing to their frailty.
Their daughters are getting married younger, and when they run out?
What then? I have no interest in going without because you can't understand the difference between punishment and damage! "
"Oh." He'd stepped back, but I was pretty sure that had more to do with my size than my words.
So I was going to take the advantage while I had it. "Mrs. Baird will stay in my suite tonight while my wife stabilizes her. What a shameful day when the skill the Lord gave her has to be used for women instead of the good hunters who made it back."
"I was distraught, Mr. Warren," he mumbled. "It won't happen again."
"Good."
I'd left then, hoping I hadn't made things worse for the poor girl he'd married, but little did I know I'd made my point well enough. The next day, Callah had come bouncing into our suite with our weekly allotment of food, chattering about how the wives had heard about it.
Then she'd wrapped her arms around my back and hugged me.
In that moment, I realized what Ayla had been trying to tell me.
This was what she meant when she'd said I had to think like a woman.
The trick was to use the facts we knew, twist them to support the goal I wanted, and make it sound as pious as possible.
And if it made Callah hug me like this, then that was a reward all its own.
The day after, I'd finally returned to the hunter's lounge. Sylis was dead, as far as everyone else cared. That meant my squad would be getting a new leader. I was the most veteran of the group, but I wasn't sure I'd be promoted. I also really didn't want that to happen.
Yet as I scanned the posted lists of squads and teams, my name was at the top of one. Some of the men I knew - not well, but well enough to recognize them on sight. Too many were young; one was fresh out of sermon and not even twenty. One stood out, but I refused to worry about him yet.
"Congratulations, Tobias." The droll voice was one I knew: Gideon's.
I turned slowly to find him standing in the middle of the room, sizing me up. Like me, he seemed uninjured after our recent hunt. I also noticed little differences now. Things I never would've before getting married - such as the wrinkles in his shirt or that his hair was a bit too long.
"Attrition seems to be the best means of promotion," I pointed out. "I have no intention of dying to those beasts."
"Good." Gideon crossed his arms. "How's your wife?"
A laugh slipped out. Of course he'd ask that. "Obedient. Seems watching her childhood roommates be punished put the fear of God in her."
"You're welcome," Gideon said, since his wife was one of those roommates. "I suppose it's too early to ask if she's expecting."
"It is," I assured him. "I can't say I mind the trying, though."
That was what I was supposed to say. It was how most men talked about the act. And yet, knowing what had happened to Meri gave me the exact amount of smugness I needed to pull this off. I didn't stammer. I didn't blush. I simply met his eyes and waited for what he'd throw at me next.
Gideon thrust out his lower lip and nodded. "Well, just make sure you keep an eye on her. I'm convinced the Devil himself raised those three. Next thing you know, she'll sneak someone into her room while you're away."
"Which is why the only man allowed in my suite was the one I couldn't refuse - my squad leader. I also never left him alone with her." I shrugged with one shoulder. "But he's dead now, so no longer a threat."
"And yet plenty of women are known to frequent your room," Gideon pointed out.
"Isn't it strange how giving a woman a hobby that helps the community can keep her mollified and amiable?
" I hummed as if impressed with my own thought.
"Callah's healing skills stay sharp, the women she helps can then produce more children for their husbands, and my wife thinks I'm doing her a favor. "
And from one of the tables at the side, a man spoke up. "Not bad for a dumb guy, huh, Gideon?"
"Shut it, Elijah," Gideon shot back.
I looked back to see Ayla's brother sitting there with one arm draped over the back of his chair. The smugness on his face was impressive for a man who was only now healed enough to even consider returning to his duties.
But he did look healed, and whole. He also jerked his chin at me in greeting. "Squad leader," he said, acknowledging me.
"Mr. Ross," I replied.
"Thought you might enjoy having at least one reliable veteran on your squad," Gideon said. "Try not to die in the next hunt, Tobias. I'm tired of finding men who'll live long enough to lead one."
"My goal is to get another promotion, Gideon." I jerked my thumb back toward Elijah. "He might even help. I watched the Wyvern cut down Sylis Underhill. I've been attacked by one of those beasts. I have no intention of dying before I remove their evil from the world God promised to us."
"Seems you're more of a man than I realized," Gideon said, patting my bicep as he pushed past. "Training starts tomorrow. Make sure you know everyone on your team."
"Yes, Mr. Kobrick," I said, turning for the table where Elijah was sitting.
The man smiled as I approached. "So, you're the new squad lead, huh?"
"Looks like," I said.
He nodded. "You'll do. Never thought Sylis Underhill had it in him to lead. Apparently he didn't. But you?"
"I'm going to destroy the Wyvern," I growled.
"Good luck with that," Elijah told me. "Mr. Warren, he speaks English."
"I noticed. So you know, I was there when he brought you back."
"And..." He stopped, clenching his jaw hard enough to make a muscle on the side jump. "Well, I think he's stalking us. Heard he was at the last hunt."
"Mhm." I tried to keep my face calm, but I was watching this man, trying to figure out what he really thought about all of this. "How bad were your injuries? Or did the Wyvern carry you back to control you?"
"Got caught in a grenade blast," he said. "Numerous lacerations and a partial break in my lower leg. All healed now and cleared to go back."
"And you aren't scared of it happening again?" I asked.
"No, sir," he assured me. "I have a little revenge to hand out."
"Good. You just became my point man, Mr. Ross. I hope you survive the privilege." Then I turned and walked out, hoping he wouldn't ruin everything for me.
Because if Elijah thought Ayla and those Dragons deserved revenge for this, I was going to need a better plan. Running into the mess of them wouldn't work if these idiots followed. Sending them ahead wouldn't work to make myself stand out.
Somehow, I had to become the best hunter Gideon had ever seen.
I needed to be good enough to impress everyone in the compound, and find a way to claim enough kills for me to brag about feeding the Righteous single-handedly.
But more than all of that, I needed them to want to stay far, far away from me.
But this was a fine line I was walking. In order to protect the women, I had to remind everyone they should all be pregnant. In order to save my wife - and hopefully myself - I had to become dangerous. There was just one problem with all of this.
I wasn't a killer.
I couldn't do it! I'd tried. The first time had been when my first partner had been ready to kill Ayla. I'd done my best to shoot at him, but the dog had attacked him first. If it hadn't, would I still have missed? Probably.
The second had been when we'd attacked the wild men - no, Reapers.
They were farmers, and I needed to remember that.
A man had followed as I'd gotten close to the buildings.
He was the reason I'd assisted with the captured women.
I hadn't wanted to take them back. I would've released them if I could've, but with another hunter there, that was impossible.
My fear was that a few hunters had been told to keep an eye on me.
I'd survived enough hunts now - and often unscathed - so suspicions had to be rising.
I also knew Sylis and I hadn't hidden our friendship as well as we should've.
He'd called it respect, saying I was his only reliable hunter, but he'd smiled at me like a friend - or whatever he'd thought of me as. Often, when others were around.
As I headed back to my suite, I wondered how he was doing now. Had they killed him after I'd left? I didn't think Ayla would let the Dragons do that, but I knew nothing about the Reapers. Those people hadn't liked me - for good reason! But would Sylis pay for that?
Or was he finally free? Could the large Dragon convince him it was okay for him to find a man who wanted to kiss him back?
What else would he be able to do without elders restricting his every move?
Once, he'd said he wanted to paint images like the ones we'd been shown in sermon.
I didn't know if Dragons had that ability, but I hoped he'd get the chance to try.
Eventually, I made it back to my room and walked in without thinking.
Callah was there, twisting her hair into a bun.
I preferred it down. That was part of the reason I didn't mind her putting it up, though.
No one else needed to see how beautiful she looked with those pink-gold waves falling around her face.
Thinking about it made me smile just as she turned to check the door.
"What?" she asked, tying a cloth around the knot she'd made.
"Your hair is pretty," I said, crossing the room to be closer to her. "But I have bad news, Callah."
Her hands fell back to her sides. "What?"
"Gideon made me the new squad leader."
"But that's good news," she reminded me.
"And Elijah Ross is now on my squad."
"Oh." She pushed out a breath. "Does he hate the Dragons or something?"
"I honestly don't know," I admitted. "I would think he does. Why?"
She gave me one of those beautiful, sweet smiles she was so good at. "Because Ayla and the Wyvern saved his life, right?"
"The Wyvern did," I agreed. "Ayla only showed up to get him out, I think."
"And you said they're always together in those fights," Callah pointed out. "Tobias, don't you think that means she probably helped? The Wyvern listens to her! That's what you keep telling me, and her brother? How many hunters has that Dragon killed, but he saved her brother?"
"Oh." Okay, I hadn't thought about it like that.
She nodded. "This is how women think, Tobias. One thing is always tied to another. Nothing happens without a cause and an effect. And each of those makes another cause and another effect. But the real question? What if Elijah realizes his sister saved his life?"
"He'd be thankful?" I guessed.
"Or resentful," she said. "It's unlikely he wouldn't care, but whatever way he does care, those feelings will be strong."
I just nodded. "And I need to figure that out, right?"
"Yes, Mr. Warren," she said, grabbing my arm. "And you can do it while you take me to dinner. We need to be seen."
"And?" I asked, liking how it felt when she was hanging on me like this. "Because you sound like you have other reasons as well."
"I want to see how Zuriah is doing." She smiled up at me. "Sounds like my husband put the fear of God into hers."
I had to glance away because my fool face was growing warmer. "I'm supposed to be impressive." I crooked my arm, bringing her closer to my side as I turned for the door. "If something I say can spare these women some pain, then maybe it'll serve two purposes?"
"You," she said, "are a wonderful husband, Tobias. You make me proud to be your wife."
I swore I grew two more inches at those words. Never, in all my life, had any praise come even close to feeling that good.