Chapter 28: Something Is Coming
The Guildmaster led, her expression unreadable, while the three remaining A-rank Hunters formed a protective diamond around her. One carried the still-unconscious Juliana.
Fin trailed slightly behind, the raw power he'd absorbed from Scarlet still thrumming beneath his skin, a confusing mix of exhilaration and unease. The silence stretched, broken only by the shifting rubble underfoot and distant, inhuman moans.
The Guildmaster glanced back, her sharp eyes fixing on Fin. "Carver."
He straightened up. "Yeah?"
"You were supposed to be with the deployment team this morning. But you were not at the guild. Why?" Her tone wasn't accusatory, just factual, demanding an answer.
The A-ranks subtly shifted, their attention focused on him. Fin felt their suspicion, their wariness of the F-rank who'd shown up late and suddenly displayed disproportionate power.
He rubbed the back of his neck, "Ah, yeah. About that..." He hesitated, thinking of Meg, "I had something important to take care of. Personal business."
One of the A-rank Hunters, the woman scoffed. "Personal business? More important than a Guild directive? More important than backing up your team?"
Fin bristled. The power rush hadn't entirely faded, leaving him feeling bolder, maybe stupider, than usual. "Look, I handled it. Then I came straight here. Besides, I didn't even know I was supposed to be in the team until I arrived at the guild. And seems like you guys needed the help anyway, didn't it?" He gestured vaguely at the bodies of Rhan and Tony. "Good thing I showed up when I did."
The air went cold.
Lena stopped dead. Her eyes, previously just wary, now blazed with fury. The other two A-ranks tensed, hands tightening on their weapons.