Page 15 of Lady of Darkness

“Because when we stop growing and learning, we start dying. Yes, I know,” Nuri said, finishing what Scarlett was saying. It was something her mother had said to them both and often.

“Besides, maybe I’ll learn other things from him,” Scarlett said with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Oh, I’m gleaning there isplentyyou’d like to learn from him,” Nuri said with a taunting smirk.

“Stop it,” Scarlett groaned, shoving her sister slightly with her shoulder. Nuri only laughed under her breath again. “You know what I mean. Since I can’t speak with Callan anymore, we need another way to get information.”

“That could work,” Nuri mused. Then she said innocently, “Or we could just dispatch Mikale and his wonderful sister in their sleep, and you could resume your dealings with Callan.”

“Speaking of dispatching, he finally sent over my assignment,” Scarlett replied, changing the subject.

A look passed over Nuri’s face that Scarlett couldn’t quite read, but was gone in the next moment. “Is that where the sudden renewed interest in training has come from?”

“Yes and no,” Scarlett answered. “I haven’t trained in over a year. I figured I should probably brush up on my skills a little bit before I figure out who the hell this guy is that I’m tracking down. I probably would have asked him to train me anyway though.”

“Is your target Fae?” Nuri asked, looking straight ahead as they made their way down the path.

Few knew how to fight and best the Fae. In fact, the majority of their assignments were Fae and for good reason. The Fae occupied the lands on the northern side and southern side of the continent.They were divided into four Courts ruled by two sister queens. One ruled the western courts of Fire and Water, and one ruled the eastern courts of Wind and Earth. And it was the Fae Queens who had sided with Avonleya in the Great War in exchange for help enslaving the mortals. For the love of their people, King Deimas and Queen Esmeray sacrificed themselves to cast two powerful spells that took their lives: one to lock the Avonleyans away to their own continent and one to make magic inaccessible in the mortal lands. Thus, the Fae were made far easier to kill should they cross into the human territories. They were still faster and stronger and had primal senses, but without access to their magic, they could be killed if you had the right weapons — blades of shirastone or black ashwood arrows. Both extremely hard to come by, and both extremely expensive. The kingdom was divided into the three mortal kingdoms it was now.

“I don’t know if he is Fae or not. I’ve never heard the name before. He also didn’t tell mewhyhe wants him dispatched. He’s always told us why, and he didn’t this time.” When Nuri remained silent, Scarlett asked, “You don’t know anything?”

“About your target? No,” Nuri answered, reaching to pull up her hood.

“That makes it sound like you know of something else,” Scarlett replied, turning to face her friend, but she was gone. She heard footsteps behind her and whirled to find Ryker making his way up the narrow path. He looked exhausted, as if he hadn’t slept all night.

“You’re late,” she said by way of greeting.

He stopped a few feet away from her, his nostrils flaring. “Who else is here?”

He couldn’t possibly know Nuri had been here. Scarlett turned in a slow circle, making an exaggerated show of looking for someone. “Clearly we’re alone,” she finally answered with a raised brow.

“Let’s go,” was all he said in response, striding by her and making his way to a clearing. Once there, he found a path and started into an easy jog to warm up before they would begin to run.

“You’re the one who set this awful time before the sun rises.Don’t be cranky with me,” she snapped, falling into step beside him. Ryker didn’t say a word. He just picked up his pace with a snarl.

They ran and ran and ran— hard. She hadn’t run like this in ages. So much for the maintenance she’d tried to keep. Ryker, it appeared, was working off a temper. Her lungs burned, but she couldn’t deny that the aching in her legs felt good. Finally, Scarlett had to stop…and vomit. Wiping her mouth on the back of her hand, she leaned against a tree along the path.

“Are you done?” Ryker snapped from a few feet away, his accent almost thicker this morning. His arms were crossed against his broad chest, and his face was lined with aggravation.

“Excuse you?” Scarlett demanded, the taste of vomit coating her mouth and tongue as she spit onto the ground.

“I asked if you were done hurling your guts up so we can get going,” Ryker repeated.

“Quit being such a prick,” Scarlett snapped back.

“You asked me to train you. If you cannot handle it, then let’s just quit now,” Ryker snarled, turning to walk back down the path.

“Oh no, you don’t,” Scarlett said, grabbing his muscled arm. Ryker whirled back, gripping her wrist tightly.

He glared at her, baring his teeth, and she glared right back. “I am well aware that training with you will be grueling, and I am prepared for that, but you donotget to take your pissy mood out on me.”

“I am not Cassius,” he retorted, his voice low. “You yelling at me does not make me feel bad for you and give you what you want.”

Without warning, she brought her other hand up, fisted to punch him. He caught that wrist, too. She brought her knee up to inflict damage in a particularly sensitive area. Ryker twisted just in time so that her knee connected with his thigh.

“You will not win a fight with me,” he hissed at her.

“Maybe not, but I’ll be a challenge,” she retorted, leaning in close. Then she looped her foot around his ankle and jerked. He let go of one wrist and that was all she needed. Her elbow came down on the other, breaking his hold. She intended to flip back out of his reach, but he was so damn fast. He gripped her around the waist.She attempted to kick out at his shin, but he was still stronger than she was. In a heartbeat, he had her thrown to the ground. The impact knocked the breath from her. Then he was on top of her, straddling her with her wrists pinned above her head.

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