Page 70 of Claiming Sarah

“We were never friends, Rex,” I said, not giving him an ounce of sympathy. “Not really.”

He sniffed in derision, then stared over the moat. “I suppose that’s true. Hard to be friends with your commanding officer. That’s why I never got along with mine.”

“Or anyone else in the company,” I bit out.

He laughed. “Also true. But they knew I would get the job done, and that’s how you earn respect.”

That’s how you earn a hand cannon to the brain. “What are you here for, Rex?” I asked for the third time. “I doubt it’s to reminisce over old times.”

“Very well.” He clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze steady on mine. “I want you to know that I am impressed by your consort. She is a formidable woman. You are fortunate that you met her, and your fortune is my misfortune.”

I made a sound of disgust. “I knew you had a thing for her.”

“I’ve never been shy or subtle, Deacon,” he said unabashedly. “I have many skills, but not those.”

My jaw clenched. “So did you come out here to tell me you plan to keep her here?” I would fight him to my death, if that were the case. There was no way I’d ever allow anyone, let alone Rex, to take what was now mine and Jac’s.

“Moons above, my boy, no!” he said, looking completely sincere. “I have come to tell you that I want to team up with you and your union on this hunt for the conduits, and that is all.” But then he shook his head. “Actually, that is not all true. I will hunt with you, on the condition that if any of you get any ideas of stopping me from conquering more of Halla, I will see it as a breaking of this treaty between us, and I will not hesitate to do whatever I need to do to any of you.”

My hatred for him grew tenfold. “You will not ever have Sarah, treaty or no treaty.”

He stared into my eyes as he cackled. “That’s what all of this is about, isn’t it? You are so wound up over her that you would ignore her?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You didn’t see it, but I watched your consort run down the hall to her room, crying.”

My heart twisted in my chest—that she was crying because of me and that Rex, of all people, saw her doing it. “Did you console her?”

“I thought it more appropriate for her companions to do that,” he said, then gave me one of his smirks that I wish I had the ability to smack off his face. “But if you would prefer, I would be more than happy to console her.” His dark eyes lit up at the thought. “Again and again, until she forgot your name entirely.”

My hands flexed into fists I was unable to use on him. “I may not be able to hit you, Rex, but my bone knife is in my pocket right now.”

He chuckled. “I’m sure it is.”

I glanced at him, my lips pursed. “She thinks we dated.”

He laughed heartily. “Well, I can understand why she’s crying, then. If I were in her shoes, then I would be worried about your ex, too.”

I rolled my eyes, employing that very human gesture. In the moment, it just felt right.

And it was effective. Annoyance laced Rex’s tone when he asked, “Tell me, why are you so insecure in your union?”

“I am not,” I said immediately, because his question hit too close to the truth.

He gave me a side long look rife with disbelief. “If you were not, then you wouldn’t be so twisted up over my harmless flirtations with Sarah. You would pity me for my misfortune. You wouldn’t be worried about me.”

I dismissed his comment with a wave of my hand and stared at the trees.

“You have been together how long?” he asked.

“Not terribly long,” I said, keeping my replies superficial.

“To my knowledge, she has met your father and others in your circle. Have you met any of her kin?”

“Her mother.” I wasn’t going to tell him it was after the woman had been made a ghost, and Sarah had summoned her at the forest temple. There was no doubt in my mind that giving Rex information like that would be used against us one day. I just didn’t know how, but I wasn’t going to risk it.

“It went well?” he prompted.

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