Page 19 of Brutal Birthright

No matter how bloody good the brew in her hands tasted, she couldn’t allow herself to be lulled into a false sense of security that easily.

“Oh no, wait just a second, Ru-Ru. You can’t expect to distract me with delicious coffee.” Ri tapped impatiently on the wooden table between them. “What the shit is going on? There are deaths and attacks, and you’re keeping things from me. Just because I chose to enrol in the academy doesn’t mean you get to suddenly cut me out of the loop. A month ago, I would have been out hunting down whoever was responsible… heading up a team of guards for you… Stars, you even asked me to be one of the members of the academy staff.”

“I know. I know. Don’t hate me… I just didn’t want to stress you… and of course, I’ll still share everything with you. There just wasn’t much of a chance. Niall and I spent most of the last few days having to convince Rowan to take the position, not to mention making sure the blood wards were established.”

Her mind latched on to that little morsel of information like a hawk swooping on a field mouse. As it turned out, the big brute didn’t want to be part of Astracadia after all?

Interesting.

“Ru-Ru… just breathe.” There was a touch of panic in her sister’s voice, and she hated that she hadn’t been there right alongside her to help navigate it all. “I can drop out. I’ll come back and join the—”

“No fucking way.” Ruby glared at her, just about sloshing her coffee across the table as she set her cup down forcefully. “You are going to absolutely crush it. You’re going to make the Astrals. Or I’m going to come down there personally and kick your perfect little ass.”

Well, she could at least try.

“Ok, ok, I’ll stick with the stupid training.” Rolling her eyes at her sister’s dramatics, she buried her nose in the heady aroma of the coffee clutched between her hands. It wasn’t long ago the two of them had spent every day together, doing exactly that—trying to kick each other’s asses—and it was still so bizarre how far apart their lives had drifted in only the space of a few short months.

“So, Rowan…”

Her head whipped up, taking in her sister’s gaze, which was fortunately trained on the two men where they still stood talking outside. A little patter of dread mixed with excitement dared to lurch around inside Ri’s chest. Surely her sister didn’t suspect anything. She’d been so careful not to let any hints slip about how her mind had far too often strayed to Ruby’s new friend over the past few months. As weird and unlikely as their connection was, he’d played a significant part in not only saving her sister’s life, but also in reuniting her and Niall when everything had nearly fallen apart.

Ruby and Rowan had become… close, if you could call it that.

Ri had to take another big gulp of coffee to squash down the feelings that tried to bubble up. This wasn’t jealousy. Was it?

“He’ll hate every minute of what I’ve asked him to do. But I couldn’t risk appointing someone unmated who I didn’t know or trust. There are still so many who would choose to believe gossip and innuendo rather than the truth about Niall and I being fated mates or the real circumstances of how our relationship began… so it would help me sleep better at night knowing that you can keep an eye on him for me.”

This time Ri nearly spat her coffee across the table.

“You want me to do what?”

“Just keep an eye out. Let me know if there’s anything I should be worried about. He might seem like an impenetrable grumpy fortress, but I can’t help feeling like I’ve thrown him into an impossible situation.” Ruby grimaced and swirled the contents of her cup. “He’s handsome, in his own strangely murderous kind of way, and there will no doubt be lots of admirers. So if you can just… you know…”

“No. I don’t get where you’re going with this. Please elaborate, Ru-Ru.” Actually, she’d much rather her sister didn’t. What the fuck was she talking about? Ri’s heart felt like it was going to drum its way out of her chest at any moment.

“You know… warn them off. Do your thing. Wave some knives around and be all sassy like you always are.”

This was insanity. It was now Ri’s turn to stand and stare open-mouthed.

She sure as shit wasn’t about to act as Rowan’s keeper. Nor did she have any interest in inserting herself between him and whoever might try to get in his pants. Spirits and fucking Stars, she’d rather gauge her own eyes out.

But Ruby babbled on in a completely one-sided conversation. Waving her arms around and prattling on about how determined she was to make sure Astracadia built the finest reputation for itself as an academic institution. She knew there’d been enough lingering rumours about her sneaking around with her bodyguard, which Ri didn’t have the heart to confirm was still the case, and then continued on and on about how she needed this all to be a success.

No rumours.

No drama.

No forbidden affairs.

Ri’s head spun, and she dug the pads of her fingers tightly against the warmth of her cup.

“Why is this making you so uncomfortable?” The all too familiar penetrating gaze from Ruby was all over her like a rash. “Shit, you really do need to get laid, Ri. How long has it been?”

“None of your fucking business.” Nope. She was not having this conversation.

“That’ll be easy enough to fix. I hear there are lots of hotties—”

A deep cough behind them cut Ruby short. Peeking around over her shoulder revealed the sight of Niall and Rowan. Right behind where she stood with her back to them. The familiar smirk and mischievous grin plastered all over Niall of Nocturne’s face was directed at her sister. Meanwhile, the glowering tattooed figure beside him seemed entirely unimpressed.

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