Page 43 of The Kingdom of Ruin

“Feisty,” he grunts, a smirk teasing his lips under the moonlight. My eyes narrow. His auburn hair is swept back off his face, and his dark eyes bore into mine.

I hold my pose for a moment, considering what to do next, but I can’t step back. I’m in full-on fight mode and it has me locked into position.

“Back off.”

My breaths are short and sharp as I wait for him to move, but he doesn’t. Instead, he shakes his head, allowing the daggers to press even tighter against his flesh, but they don’t break the skin.

“I’m all for leaving you to fight your own battles, but if I move right now, there’s a high chance a female wolf is going to challenge you.”

My eyes widen. What the fuck? “Challenge me? For what?”

He peers down at me, the height advantage noticeable as his lips set into a firm line. “It doesn’t matter.”

It must matter. Why would they attack me? For being a fae? Sure. But that doesn’t sound like what he’s saying. There’s clearly more to this that I don’t know about, which isn’t a surprise, nor is it a shock that he’s not going to offer up the information, so I decide to act like I can’t see right through him.

Irritated, my nostrils flare. “I still don’t need you to protect me. Being a fae isn’t new to me. It’s not a surprise that I’m someone’s target.”

“Cute.”

I roll my eyes. Of course that’s all he has to say. Despite my eagerness to nick him with my blades, I retreat, taking a step back from him, but he counters it with a step of his own.

“I’m leaving,” I snap, and he cocks a brow at me.

“Do you know where you’re going?”

“Nope.” There’s no point in lying, it’s not really my style.

“Don’t you care?” I can’t read his expression. It’s as if my admission confuses him, but I really don’t have time to consider his thoughts and feelings in all this.

Shrugging, I turn away. “I’ve dealt with worse.” I make it two whole steps before the doors behind us swing open and shouting reaches my ears.

I spin back around, refusing to give anyone a chance to jump me from behind, and see it’s just the rest of the assholes storming out. Cassian strides with purpose, Brody hangs his head with a grimace, and Raiden looks like he’s going to commit murder.

Likely me.

Before I can leave without any further interaction with these fuckers, Leticia comes flying out of the diner, fueled by rage as she throws a chef’s knife through the air. It lodges in the grass beside Cassian, who turns and glares at her.

Yep. I really need to leave. I don’t need to watch this drama unfold. Maybe it would have been entertaining under different circumstances, where I wasn’t under threat simply for existing, but I don’t feel like getting caught in the crossfire of all this.

“Her.” The word is thunder on her tongue as she raises a finger in my direction. “You’re walking out on me for her?”

Woah. Woah. Woah.

“Fuck off, Letty. I’m not walking out on you for anyone. You were never mine to walk out on,” Cassian snarls, rage billowing from him.

I take a step forward, eager to get him to re-clarify that I have nothing to do with any of this, or him in general, but Kryll grabs my arm before I can get any further, shaking his head sternly.

“Our parents made a pact, Cass. Me and you?—”

“Fuck our parents, Letty. That’s not what I want, and it shouldn’t be what you want either,” he states firmly, but that does nothing to quell the disappointment drifting from her in waves.

Instead of arguing with him, she turns her angry stare my way. “Do you actually think you can just swoop in here and take my man from his pack? From his life? For what? Some academy that benefits everyone but us? I don’t fucking think so.”

Despite my instincts to charge her with my blades at the ready, I remember my father’s words, lifting my hands in a show of surrender, all while Kryll keeps hold of my arm.

“I don’t know what your issue is, but?—”

“Oh, you’re about to find out my issue, because I challenge you,” she barks, prowling toward me with a sinister smile curling her lips. This has got to be some fucked up shit. I thought Vallie was a handful, but it seems Leticia wants to give her a run for her money.

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