Anachronistic: Endless Masquerade

6 | The Witching Hour

- 6 -

Pandora started planning before the injured men had even faded from sight. She needed to kill the barghest before Gregor could return, but what would that entail? She didn't even know how long she had. She pulled the watch from her pocket and flicked the lid aside.

        "Damn it."

        The watch was dead. Pandora studied the remaining hunters and debated who she dreaded talking to the least. After heavy consideration, she moved toward Fennel. At least she was easy to look at. The woman was crouched, holding a torch to the ground; its light shone off wet blood. Pandora tugged at the corner of Fennel's cloak pulling her attention from the tracks.

        "I found the trail, but we should maybe give the others a moment to prepare. Are you that anxious to move on?" Fennel stood, brushing dirt from her knees.

        "The sooner the better, but I was just asking for the time." Pandora dangled the watch loose by its chain. Stopped hands smiled at Fennel and she smiled back.

        "I thought you were the over-prepared type."

        Pandora's jaw clenched. She tried to be, but she had failed. A hunter lives and dies by preparation. Training, research, planning, weapon maintenance, and blood sourcing; all done days or years in advance, but tonight she couldn't even remember to wind a damn watch. It was embarrassing. It felt like she hadn't improved at all in the years since Renna died.

        "Hey don't look so serious about it. I didn't mean it like that." Fennel pulled out her own watch, a brilliant piece cased in gold. The church wasting its money on appearances once again. "Nine forty-seven," she cheerfully announced.

        Pandora adjusted her watch's hands and wound the spring before giving a flat, "Thanks."

        "You're welcome. So, do you have somewhere to be or something?"

        "Just trying to keep track of how long the others might be gone."

        "Awww, are you starting to warm up to them?" Fennel asked with a giggle. "It looked like you were fighting earlier."

        "Wanted to finish up before they get back. Should have told them to bring my payment with them."

        "Where do you get your confidence? I'd love to have some."

        As if Fennel wasn't the most collected hunter in her group. Pandora couldn't imagine the woman doubting herself for even a moment.

        "I'm going to check on the others," Fennel said.

        "You do that."

        Pandora turned her attention to her watch and went over the math. It's maybe four miles to town, at twenty minutes a mile... No, injured men couldn't move at full speed. Taking that into account, they could be in town in close to two hours, around midnight. So if Gregor walked back it gave her until after one. But she doubted he would walk. As a solo hunter, conserving stamina was something Pandora could afford to think about. After finishing a job she would need to wait for the client to wake up in the morning to get paid anyway. Finishing a job at eleven instead of four didn't hold many benefits. But Gregor would be worried about his companions; every minute that passed was one they could die. He would run back, likely with blood enhancement. She aimed to finish before midnight.