“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” a deep, raspy voice asked.

“Just a traveler with nothing of interest to you. I suggest you keep moving along,” Ka’ya retorted, warily eyeing the man.

Her fingers tightened on the grip of her sword but she didn’t pull it out – yet. She and the alpha were hunting for dinner while Alexandru set up camp. He had wanted to argue that he should be the one hunting for their meal, but Ka’ya had pointed out that as she was more familiar with the area and the types of plants, berries, and birds that were edible, it made more sense that she went. He had grudgingly agreed with her. She couldn’t contain her laughter when she overheard him grumbling about how losing one’s memory sucked and how was he supposed to impress her when he couldn’t even take care of her properly. As far as she was concerned, he knew very well how to take care of her properly. Her body was still in meltdown after the night before.

If she hadn’t been so distracted, she would have noticed the unusual quiet that had settled around her. Even the beetles had silenced their music. The alpha had gone off several minutes before to follow a scent trail while she fell further behind. Now, she cursed the fact that she had been distracted. She knew better than to allow that to happen.

She gazed back at the five men in front of her. Each ran an appreciative eye over her but thankfully kept their distance. Ka’ya carefully assessed which one was likely to attack first.

“It’s getting dark, Dirt. Legend said we had to be back by dark,” a man behind Dirt muttered.

“Legend?” Ka’ya asked, tightening her grip. “Where is he?”

She had heard of Legend. He was the leader of one of one of the largest groups of raiders – and the man she was traveling to speak to. If anyone could guarantee passage for her mother and brother, it was this man.

Dirt spit on the ground before he shifted uneasily. “At our camp near the river,” he replied.

“I need to speak with him,” she demanded. “Take me to him.”

“Dirt…,” the man behind him started to say but clamped his mouth shut when Dirt raised his hand.

“Where is the rest of your group?” Dirt demanded.

Ka’ya lifted her chin and stared back at the man. “I travel alone,” she said.

Dirt’s lips curved upward. At first, Ka’ya thought it was in a sneer before the man broke into laughter. Soon, the other men joined in. She warily watched Dirt spit again. He grinned at her.

“Well, my lady, then travel alone no longer. We will take you to our fair leader and he will decide if you are to have a proper escort,” Dirt announced with a low bow before he glanced up to where her hand was still on her sword. “You may take your hand off your sword, Huntress. I have no desire to die today.”

“Huntress!” the men around him exclaimed.

“The others aren’t as bright as I am, my lady. I’ve heard tales of the Huntress with the blue in her hair and the bow and sword at her side. Where are your wolfhounds?” Dirt asked, straightening.

Ka’ya’s looked at him in surprise. “Why?” she asked suspiciously.

“As I said, I have no desire to die tonight and would just as soon not be eaten alive either,” Dirt replied.

“Take me to Legend and I will prevent both from happening,” Ka’ya promised.

“As you wish, my lady,” Dirt agreed before he jerked his head to the others. “Move out.”

Ka’ya glanced at the other men as they passed her. Each one glanced at her with curiosity, but they didn’t say anything. Once they moved to the front, she fell into step beside Dirt on the trail.

“Why do you call me ‘my lady’? I am not high born,” Ka’ya asked, curious.

Dirt flashed an easy smile at her before his expression grew serious. “But you are, my lady. You are the Huntress. You slayed the raiders that attacked your village and protect those who cannot protect themselves,” he explained.

Ka’ya frowned. “Yet, you are a raider. Do you not fear I will kill you and your leader?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Dirt shook his head. “Legend lets the rumor spread that we are raiders, but we aren’t. We are just very organized merchants,” he explained with a wink.

They stepped out of the woods and along a narrow band of sand running along the river. Dozens of tents and half a dozen fires burned in small groups. Men and women were busy still setting up the camp. Beasts were tied up to wagons further down the shore. Ka’ya could see where a new bridge had been built and the trail opened up to make a road wide enough for the caravan.

A frown creased her brow when she saw three men near one of the fires. One of the men stood with his back to her. There was something eerily familiar about him. It wasn’t until he turned that her eyes widened in recognition and shock.

“I swear the world has gone crazy all of a sudden,” Ka’ya murmured.

“You may well be right. May I present Legend, King of Perth,” Dirt introduced.

The man silently gazed back at Ka’ya. She returned his steady gaze, her eyes sweeping over his face. There were new lines that she didn’t remember etched around his eyes and mouth. The dark brown hair at his temple was now mixed with the gray.

“Ka’ya.”

She heard his voice and shook her head in denial. He didn’t stop his approach until he was less than a foot from her. She blinked, trying to understand what kind of magic could create such a realistic dream.

“You’re dead,” she whispered.

“No,” Legend replied.

“You were banished. I searched for you and found the remains of your shredded clothing and blood everywhere,” she insisted.

“Jorge sent a group of raiders to kill me,” he said with a shake of his head. “It was necessary for him to believe I was dead.”

“Why?” she asked, growing angry. “Why?!”

Legend gazed down at Ka’ya with regret. “He holds my family captive. Have you never wondered why Mayli never left the compound? Jorge has given his soul to the darkness. It is why he stays in his hut and away from the light. He cast a spell, binding your mother and brother to the village. If they attempt to leave, they will die,” he explained.

Tears burned Ka’ya’s eyes and she furiously shook her head in denial. “I plan to free them. If he cast such a spell, why can I leave the village?” she demanded.

“He used you in the hopes that if I survived, you would kill me. He needs you. You were the only one strong enough to kill me – until now. You are touched by the Goddess, Ka’ya. You are part of her light. Jorge wanted to steal it before it awoke in you. He was too late.”

“None of this makes sense to me. You live, yet you abandoned your family to his rule for ten years?” she demanded in a soft, angry voice. “You ran like a coward while we are held prisoner at his mercy.”

Legend shook his head and stepped forward. Ka’ya saw the other men quietly step away to give them privacy. She didn’t care if they heard her. Her father had been alive all this time and had done nothing to save his family.

“No!” Legend stated sharply. “No, I didn’t run. I discovered who I really am and built an army to stop him.”

“What do you mean discovered who you are? You are my father,” she said in disgust, turning to spit on the ground. “You are a coward.”

“I’m not from this world, Ka’ya. Neither is Jorge,” Legend replied.

“I am done!” she snapped with a wave of her hand. “You go back to whatever world you think you belong. I will find a way to save mother and Dru.”

Ka’ya started to turn away. She was forced to stop when Legend reached out and grabbed her arm. She glared at him. Her lips parted on a demand that he release her but the words never came. Before they could, Legend’s hand was pulled from her arm.

She stared in disbelief when her father ended up nearly six feet from her. Alexandru held her father. His left hand was wrapped around her father’s throat while his right held the arm that had gripped her.

The three wolfhounds charged through the camp, snapping and snarling at anyone in their way. They immediately surrounded her, turning outward to face the men and women who came to Legend’s defense.

“Stand down,” Legend ordered in a strained voice.

“Alexandru!” Ka’ya called out. “Leave him be.”

“I meant no harm to my daughter, Vampire,” Legend quietly said.

“Your daughter?” Alexandru repeated.

“Yes. He is…. Legend is my father,” Ka’ya said, brushing past the wolfhounds to where Alexandru still held her father. “Please, release him.”