The Year of the Tiger (Book 3 of The Almair Series) (Completed)

Chapter 67

I wasn't kidding when I said that I would be locked and loaded when I left the safety of my house that morning.

I had four daggers on me, one on either side of my legs, as well as two at my side. I had a knife in my pocket, and a gun strapped around my waist. On my back, I had a sword, the same sword that I had killed Li Pike with, and the bag over it.

I was not in the mood to play around with any Dark Forces, and if one decided to cross my path, then all hell would break loose.

I silently cursed Ryan while I made my way through the forest to get to the dojo, wondering what was so important that he had to have me out and about when all I wanted to do was go to bed.

A flicker of movement to my left had me grab a dagger and throw it near the person.

Thunk, the dagger landed the tree beside Ryan with an inch to spare.

Ryan let out a small sigh of relief and tried to brush it off. "Really?" he asked and raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

I shrugged. "It's because I felt like it," I replied. "I am also mad at you." I scowled and narrowed my eyes, and he shrugged. "What's so important that you had to have me here at three in the morning?" I asked and raised an eyebrow.

Ryan sighed and moved a hand through his hair. He grew serious and was about to take the dagger out of the tree but hissed instead and clutched his hand closer to his chest.

I furrowed my brows in confusion and walked over to him. Worry flickered through my eyes for this Snakeston while I watched him back away from the dagger. "Ryan?" I asked, and he grunted in response. "What happened?"

"That dagger," he hissed. "It hurt me." He hissed again, and I could tell that he was in pain. "Sssssstupid magic."

I blinked, and I blinked again. Confusion filled me while I walked over to him. "What do you mean?" I asked. I grabbed the dagger and stuffed it in the open sheath before I held out my hand. "Hand," I ordered.

Ryan hissed but complied and handed me his hand. "It burnt me," he replied, and I could tell that it had.

There was a huge nasty welt on his hand, and it looked bad. Skin slowly started to peel away to show that it looked worse than it had.

Guilt gnawed at the pit of my stomach, and I silently cursed myself for being so stupid. "Come on, we need to get that cleaned," I said, not looking at him, "or else it could get infected."

"It'sssss not your fault, Martha," Ryan said when I let go of his hand and started to walk toward the dojo with Ryan following me. "It'ssss mine. I ssssshould have known that you had come acrossssss a magic ussssssser." His voice grew softer at the end, and I knew that he knew about Wisters.

I nodded. "Come on," I said. "Let's go to the dojo so that I can get you healed." I paused. "Can I use what I have to heal on you, or do I need to find something for you that I can use?"

Ryan gestured for me to walk toward the dojo, and I did. "I think you would be able to usssssse it on me," he said, and I nodded, relieved. "The dagger hassssss something on it that makessssss it hard for me to pick up."

I stayed silent and nodded again. "I think I am going to need to hold your hand," I said when we reached the border. I could feel the tension in the air, and I did not want him to get hurt.

"Awwwww, you do care about me," Ryan teased, and I rolled my eyes at him. He placed his hand in mine, and the feeling instantly went away.

"Very funny," I said dryly and started to walk the rest of the way to the dojo. "I respect Shuman and care about her. I am still mad at you."