A Storm of Chaos (The Hunter Legacy #1)

Chapter Five

Kaya woke before her eyes opened, and it was pure instinct which had her remaining still even as her body became aware of her surroundings. She kept her eyes closed, remembering how she had lost consciousness, and yet she didn't find herself lying on cold ground.

Deigning to move her feet, Kaya checked for any bindings but found both her ankles and wrists were free, and eased her hand beneath her back to where her dagger was sheathed.

Then her eyes open, and Kaya jolted upright with her dagger slashing through the air.

But she was alone.

Lowering her dagger, Kaya swept the room with her gaze and decided it was likely the room of an inn. It was neat but sparsely furnished, with generic chest of drawers, mirror and desk. There was a window closed by sliding panels of wood and sheer material that let in soft sunlight; a little small to make it an easy escape route but better than nothing, and then she regarded herself.

She felt the tightness of bandages around her thigh, and although she was still wearing her pants she saw through the tear that the injury she had received after falling had been tended to. The idea that someone had removed her pants in order to do it bothered Kaya for only a moment – modesty was a luxury she had disposed of some time ago.

Swinging her feet off the bed, Kaya stood and tested the injury. She felt only a dull ache as the muscles in her thigh shifted around the injury, but she suspected that running would still be difficult. Her thoughts went to the young man who had helped her evade the Shields, and Kaya could help but wonder if his altruistic actions had merely been pretence. If he intended to kidnap her, though, he was doing a poor job at it.

Leaving her armed was his first mistake, and leaving her unguarded was the second.

With that in mind, Kaya turned to the door. She reached for the handle just as the muffled sounds of voices caught her ear, and instinctively she pressed her ear to the door to listen; footsteps accompanied the voices, and though she couldn't make out their words the voices, she realised, were approaching her door.

Her eyes snapped to the window, but it wouldn't be enough time. So Kaya threw herself to the side, flattening her body to the wall just as the door opened and concealed her in the small alcove near its hinges. The first person entered the room, taking a wide enough step inside that he was clear of the doorway and the door itself, his hand lingering on the handle. It was the same young man from earlier, Noah.

Kaya knew a second person waited in the hall – but her chances were better one-on-one.

So Kaya slammed her heel into the door, kicking it shut with a startling bang, and grabbed Noah by the front of the shirt at the same time to throw him against the door, effectively forcing it to stay shut. Her dagger was up again, pointed at Noah's throat, and when her eyes went to his face she found no surprise in his expression, nor any hint at fear.

'You have an interesting way of greeting people,' Noah decided.

'Only those I don't trust,' she replied.

Noah's brow quirked. 'Which, I suspect, is everyone.'

A thunderous banging erupted from the other side of the door. 'Noah! Noah, are you all right?'

'I'm all right,' Noah called back, his eyes not leaving Kaya's. To her he said, 'I'm not here to hurt you.'

'Just to kidnap me?'

As he did in the laneway, Noah raised his hands to placate her. 'You know, I'm much better at conversations when there isn't a dagger to my throat.'