Free Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

you?”
    “One takes one’s life in one’s hands to try,” Cory said, pushing the bronze doors shut.
    “Hi,” Phil said, and stuck out her hand toward my roommate. “Philippa Llewelyn, reporting for unicorn hunting duty.” No attempt whatsoever to keep a straight face.
    Cory looked blank. “Another Llewelyn?”
    You’d think she’d be happy about the idea. “Phil’s my cousin,” I said.
    Cory shook her head. “I know who she is. Nineteen. A volleyball player at Pomona.”
    “Been stalking me?” asked Phil with a laugh.
    “It’s just that your mother made no mention of other eligible hunters in your family,” Cory said, as if she hadn’t heard. “I just assumed…”
    “That doesn’t surprise me,” Phil said, “knowing Aunt Lilith. It was like pulling teeth to get her to give up the goods on where you’d scurried off to, Asterisk. And then, as soon as I heard, how could I resist? Free trip to Rome? Count me in! So, where do we go to get reimbursed?”
    “Here, I suppose,” said a male voice, and I instinctively grabbed hold of Bonegrinder’s collar. We turned to see Neil standing in the doorway to his rooms with a distinguished-looking gentleman with white hair and pale blue eyes in an immaculate gray three-piece suit. “Good catch, Astrid.”
    “Who’s the hottie?” Phil whispered. I hoped she meant Neil.
    “Very impressive, indeed,” said Neil’s companion. He had a slight accent, but I couldn’t identify its origin. “And two Llewelyns. Intriguing.” He stepped forward, hand extended, and Bonegrinder began to snarl. “My name is Marten Jaeger. It’s a pleasure to meet you both.” He came close enough to touch us, but when Bonegrinder lowered her horn, he backed off and ran a hand through his straight white hair, clearly uncomfortable in such close proximity to a man-eating beast. I was surprised that any nonhunter other than Neil was allowed inside.
    Neil, armed with the ring, shook Phil’s hand and introduced himself, adding, “Mr. Jaeger is sponsoring the renovations and upkeep to the Cloisters.”
    “And its inhabitants,” Cory added under her breath. She tugged Bonegrinder’s chain from my hands. “I’ll just take care of this.”
    “So this isn’t being run by the Church?” I asked.
    “We’re working in cooperation with the Church. Donors, if you will,” Marten Jaeger explained. “I’m the CEO of Gordian Pharmaceuticals, and we have a vested interest in seeing the lost knowledge of your Order restored.”
    Of course. The Remedy. I brightened. “So there is a scientific wing to this outfit.”
    “Naturally, Miss Llewelyn. This is the twenty-first century, after all. My staff biologists are fascinated by the return of these marvelous creatures and eager to see if the historical claims are actually fact. So far, they have been holding up, but we’ve had…difficulties keeping a unicorn captive for testing.”
    “Right.” Phil nodded slowly, as the pieces began to fall into place. “Because only a hunter can catch and kill one. Isn’t that what your mom says, Astrid?”
    I shrugged, distracted. “I’d be really interested to see what kind of data you’ve collected so far, Mr. Jaeger. I’m very interested in medicine. In fact, the potential for rediscovering the Remedy is the main reason I’m here.” Well, other than the obsessed mother.
    He smiled. “How fascinating. I would have thought a natural-born hunter like you would be more comfortable with a bow than a beaker.”
    “I’m not—”
    “I’ll bring some information for you the next time I drop by.” He turned to Neil. “It appears that you will have your hands full. I should leave you to get your newest recruit settled.”
    I watched Mr. Jaeger retreat to the bright, busy world beyond the bronze doors. Out there, people were doing real work. Out there was real science. But I was apparently a natural-born killer. So I was trapped inside, as thoroughly chained as Bonegrinder.
     
    I brought