Page 172 of Forcing Fate

“He’s gruff with everyone, myself included,” I said. “Helpful hint—don’t give half of your all to him. He’ll sense it like the wild cat senses a weak deer. He’ll push you harder.”

“So we’ve heard.” Tegan shrugged.

Garion huffed a sigh. “What a motley group.”

I frowned, turning to see what he referenced. Korzak loomed above Xzanth who added rabbit meat to a stew pot. Collins drew in the dirt with a stick, and Zephath was tucked in the shadows reading a book. Dane had disappeared, but Blain and Jamlin were wrestling over a piece of bread.

“Perhaps… but we work well together,” I explained.

The fortress door creaked open. Rafe came out with his sack of toiletries over his shoulder—my cue that it was time to wash up. I excused myself and rushed to gather my things before chasing after him.

I jogged, my sore muscles complaining, bringing myself into step next to him. “Garion and Tegan?” I prompted.

He glanced at me but didn’t respond.

“What makes them different?”

“Are they different?” he countered roughly. His voice had an edge to it. He wasn’t angry at me, but something unnerved him.

“You only choose unique soldiers.”

“Do I?”

I wanted to pull him out of this mood. I enjoyed the teasing, playful Rafe much more. Determined, I spun and walked backward, facing him. “Yes, you do. Or did you not realize?” I teased.

He frowned at my antics and grunted in response.

“Perhaps you chose the oddest soldiers because you’re an odd one,” I offered.

He raised an eyebrow, daring me to continue.

“Don’t tell me—no one told you how odd you are?” I gasped in mock horror, holding a hand to my chest.

“I’ve been called worse,” he grumbled.

“Ah, but I simply think you’re odd. Nothing worse,” I said.

“Just odd, nothing more?” His questioning eye met mine, and I hesitated.

My heel caught on something, and I fell flat on my rear. My toiletries flew through the air, scattering over the ground. Rafe snorted in amusement and kept walking. I hurried to pick up my things with a smile and rushed after him.

We walked along in silence toward the lake. From there, we followed our small, well-worn trail through the woods and down the steep cliff that led to the spring. Rafe entered before me, and I took a seat on the sun-warmed sand, waiting for him to come out.

The lake sparkled in the autumn sun’s warm rays. Looking out over the glittering waves, a sense of peace enveloped me. I finally felt settled. As peculiar as I was, I belonged to a company of soldiers. We each had our own strengths and weaknesses. We fit in like some haphazard family thrown together.

But we weren’t thrown together.

Rafe brought us together. He was the one who saw our potential and chose us for one another. It was obvious he knew what he wanted far before he made his first move. He was calculating and prepared.

I had seen the way he interacted with his men. I felt it when he trained with me. He wanted to give us our best fighting chance. He chose us to serve together so that we wouldn’t fall as easily as if we were left alone.

I admired that about him. He went after his wants without hesitation. When he wanted me for his Tennan, he went after me. He didn’t give up. He said that he couldn’t force my hand in that decision, but he was relentless.

Smiling, I thought of just how relentless he was. He was bold and aggressive with things. The man didn’t have a demure bone in his body. He was hard as nails and as tough as rawhide. He didn’t tolerate excuses. Nor did he accept anything but my best. He gave his all and demanded the same from his Tennan.

There was a grunt as he dropped his large frame to the sand beside me. His skin was scrubbed clean of the day’s grime, and his tunic was tossed over a shoulder. I was always freezing when I left the spring—but this man was a furnace.

He looked at me with a drawn out blink.

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