❛power isn't everything. it's the only thing.❜
[complete]
wattys 2018 winner ❧
Lin is a hunter, one of the magically enhanced witch slayers that roam a flooded world. Under the laws of four Kings and Greymark, who rules them all, Lin is unto...
"God has made man in his own image -- man has retaliated."
― Pascal
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The hall's mood had changed. Not that it was ever consistent, but the small clusters of hunters had developed into a larger, cohesive group. And they were deathly silent.
No bawdy chatter, no muttered jokes. Not even murmurs of complaint at the quiet.
They were waiting.
About three dozen hunters, armed to the teeth and solemn for once. Lin furrowed her brow and scanned them. Nobody looked up.
Julian stood to the side, smaller than all the others and strangely lonesome. His skin was still red and irritated from the new sigils. His dark head was bowed as he toyed with a Bowie knife's tip.
Lin watched as he slit his finger open and waited for it to heal. Blood welled and then disappeared beneath both their watch. Her stomach churned. She sighed and walked over, snatching the knife from him.
Immediately, he straightened and glared into her eyes.
He was at least three inches taller than she was, but not nearly as broad-shouldered. She raised her eyebrows, unimpressed.
"Give it back, bitch."
"Not until you tell me what everyone's doing here."
"Leave him alone, Lin," one of the hunters, Gerald the Ginger, said. "We've got intel about a witch colony out west."
"And we don't need you," Julian said.
None of the other hunters reacted much to that. Julian must have taken their silent as support, because he puffed up and stepped closer. "Now gimme my knife."
Lin snorted and took a step back, dangling the knife in front of him. "Take it."
Julian's face twisted as he realized what she was doing. His eyes darted around for help, but even Pierce stood aside and paid no heed to the taunting. The boy opened his mouth to say something else. Lin didn't really feel the need to let him.
The knife dropped out of Lin's grasp, and she caught it in her other hand, slashing a neat line down Julian's cheek.
The boy gasped and slapped his hands over the cut, reeling backwards into a tall hunter. The man sidestepped without so much as blinking, ignoring Julian completely.
Julian panted heavily, eyes burning. "I'm going to kill you."
She turned to Pierce, flipping the knife into a reverse grip. "Hey, you never taught this kid any manners?"
He stared at her balefully, then over to Julian. "Back away."
"But she -"
"You can't win this fight." He sounded almost bored.
