Empire of Shadows (Raiders of the Arcana, #1)

by Jacquelyn Benson

She had all the training and education required for the job. That she was excluded from the field purely on the basis of her gender was the rankest injustice.

He turned to go… just as a quick, feminine scream sounded from beyond the wooden barrier. There was really only one reasonable way to respond to that. Adam dropped his boots, whipped the machete neatly from his belt, and kicked through the door.

“Princess?” Ellie hissed. He shrugged. “If the slipper fits…”

Nothing was ever that easy for a woman trying to blaze her own path in the world.

“Swear it,” Ellie shot back. “On that which is most sacred to you.” Bates set his hand to his chest. His face went solemn—except for the glint of mischief in his eyes. “I swear it,” he echoed. “On the bottle of very good rum I have hidden under the deck boards.”

“You know, what’d really help with that hangover is taking the last couple swallows of the rum,” he suggested. “If you bring that bottle near me, I will beat you with it,” Ellie calmly replied.

between me and the bullets as though somehow your person is expendable whereas mine has to be cherished and coddled like a… a prize Pomeranian!” “You’re nothing like a Pomeranian,” Adam countered. “Oh? Then what precious, oh-so-vulnerable creature that is completely incapable of taking care of itself do I resemble?” Ellie demanded with a hiss. “How about a wolverine?” he

“Stay perfectly still, Mr. Bates.” “I’ve had my tongue in your ear,” Adam cheerfully reminded her. “Pretty sure we can drop the ‘mister.’”

“Have I ever given you any reason to think I am the type to react irrationally?” she demanded. “You jumped off a balcony with your hands tied,” Adam replied. “I was taking the most direct route away from a pursuer,” Ellie retorted. “You were planning to blow up a boat to get me to listen to you.” “But I didn’t!” “And you tried to set Mendez’s pants on fire,”

“This is a priceless piece of Mesoamerican history!” “It’s trying to kill us, Princess!”

“I don’t care what he calls me as long as he brings me more tortillas,” she returned. “That’s my girl.”