Chapter 54

Fifty-Four

We stop the wagon we borrowed from the cirque right next to Diamond's Dodge. I climb out, searching the horizon for my girl and Freedom.

When she didn't come back from Hilda's, I went to find her and quickly realized the truth—she went after Roger. I would have done the same. We all would have.

He hurt one of us, and she's blaming herself.

She shouldn't be alone. She should know by now that we go where she goes.

"Stay here," Diamond orders Heart in the passenger seat. He's pale and holding his side, but he's up and moving, refusing to be left behind. Doc gave him some sort of drug concoction at his request that will keep him alive and moving while we find our girl, but he'll need to rest after. For now, we have to find our queen.

Kneeling, I inspect the pawprints alongside footsteps. "They went that way." I point off into the grass, and the others converge on me, even Heart. "Looks like we're on foot."

"Fun." Heart groans, but he sets off in the direction I indicated, not one to be held back when it comes to her. We all know he would do anything for her, and we also know better than to argue with him. We walk by his side silently. The wind rustles the long grass around us as we move away from the cars and the place where Roger ambushed us.

Luckily, we don't have to go too far, shadows moving around the fire we come across. Crouching to hide, we watch our girl, knowing we can't stop her.

Nor do we want to.

My mouth drops open in surprise and desire as she takes down all three men. There's a cruel, almost manic air about her as she tortures one, and it makes me hard. When Freedom helps her, I can't help but grin.

My two favorite girls spilling blood? There's nothing better.

Heart sighs dreamily. "She's torturing and killing for me. How romantic."

"You know what? I would say you're screwed, but you're right." I nod, watching as she kills the last man and then stands. With Freedom at her side, she takes off, moving deeper into the wilderness, leaving the bodies and blood behind. We wait until she won't turn and notice us before we head to the campsite, making sure they are truly dead.

"She knows where he is," I murmur as I watch her in the distance. "She's going after him."

"It's her hunt," Club says.

"He's right. It is." Diamond tosses one of the bodies into the fire and wipes his hands. "Burn the other two. Leave no trace that she was here. We'll follow her and only help her if she needs us to. If not, this is her night. We are simply here just in case."

Picking up one of the other bodies, I toss it into the fire as Club gets the last corpse. We watch them burn before our eyes turn to our girl.

"Let's go," I say, and we silently move after her, stalking her silhouette through the wilderness.

We walk for at least another hour, tracking her until she finally stops before a farmhouse, the lights blazing inside.

The house is very similar to the one we saw the first night we met our queen, and the irony doesn't escape me.

Thunder rumbles in the turbulent sky, as if brought on by her rage, and we watch as she slides her mask down and walks toward the house, seeking her revenge.