Page 129 of Forcing Fate

I tried for the sixth time to scramble up the rope to slap the wood beam at the top. My numb hands refused to hold my weight. I slid to the ground and laid there on my back, panting up at the gray sky.

How did I sleep in?

I guess that didn’t matter. It wouldn’t happen again.

I forced myself up as snow melted through my tunic and threw myself at the rope again.

“Enough.” General Rafe came up from behind, glowering at me. The passing breeze tugged at the long fur of his winter vest.

“I was ordered to complete three rounds, sir.” I turned back to the rope and wrapped it around my leg, attempting to climb like I normally did.

He cursed, and I yelped as large hands grabbed my sides. I squirmed and reached for my bandit breaker as he hauled me up.

“Don’t,” he ground out.

He heaved me up, and I reached my fingers high above my head to slap at the wood. I glanced down at him and annoyance pinched his features. He dropped me too quickly, and when my feet hit the ground, I stumbled. My backside collided with the snow.

“Let’s go.” General Rafe’s deep voice had an almost sing-song note to it as he droned the words.

I struggled up and headed for the next obstacle, a set of three hurdles chest height. I started over them and noted Sergeant Briggs headed this way. He gave General Rafe a quick salute and a beaming smile toward me before marching on.

General Rafe helped me through the rest of the course, only stepping in when my numb fingers rendered me incapable of completing the task. He kept his distance and watched more than anything.

When I finished, I sat on a bench near the fence and wrapped my cloak around myself, trying to catch my breath. A man walked, or rather sauntered, down the path. He was lean, shorter than General Rafe by a few inches—perhaps a third his size. As he came closer, I noticed his windblown hair and Dragon Rider leathers. Black, with a red dragon sigil embedded on the front. He wore no cloak, only the fur-lined leathers. My eyes widened in shock as I noted the dragon patch on his shoulders.

Dragon Lord Ruveel.

My heart raced and my mouth went dry. This man was perhaps the strongest in the Kingdom, besides the King himself. Why was he here?

“Rafe.”

My head whipped back at the degradation in that tone.

I went from an almost girlish crush on the man to instantaneous distrust. He had the cadence of a man who got his way, no matter how wrong it was. The tone from that single word, my General’s name, was enough to snap me out of whatever had been going on in my head while he approached.

General Rafe took a deep breath and turned toward him. Crossing his large arms over his chest, he didn’t bother to grace him with a reply. I realized that in title and formality, these two were ranked the same. The only difference was… well, the Dragon Lord had a dragon.

“Well, hello there.”

The stranger’s sickly sweet voice was aimed at me, and I forced myself to stand and salute. It was difficult, not only because I was tired, but also because of the impression he gave.

He drew closer, stopping a few paces away, and looked me up and down, his eyes belittling me. My soldier’s cloak fell over my uniform as I dropped the salute. I forced myself to be still during his appraisal, but I wanted to run. Part of me wished that General Rafe would step in and do whatever General-like business they needed to attend to.

He ran a gloved hand through his black, tousled hair and smiled down at me, his blue eyes dancing. “Who might you be?” he asked.

“Cadet Av–” I started, but General Rafe stepped in front of me and cut me off.

“Mine.”

My heart jumped in my chest, and I blinked, staring at General Rafe’s back. Did he… protect me? Was he possessive of me? That sounded… odd. Almost damning.

“Go, Ruveel.”

General Rafe’s tone was grating. This was a new side of the General I hadn’t seen before. He appeared possessive of me before, simply because I was a soldier to command and order about. This was a different kind of possession—as if he wanted to hide me from an equal.

“Oh? What’s this?” the Dragon Lord peeked around at me, smiling with glee. “What’s this? Hold up… she—that’s a girl!” Shock and confusion distorted his features as he glanced at General Rafe. “Is there a female infantry wing now? Are they providing services to the men? Wait, is she providing services to you? I’d like to–”

General Rafe’s fist snapped out. His huge body followed it as he advanced. The Dragon Lord, in turn, laughed like a young boy and danced away, skillfully avoiding each blow.

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