Page 101 of A Fate so Cruel

“Glad to know your limits.”

Her body shuddered again. “Can we please move on and stop talking about them?”

“Are you sure you won’t scream if another one drops down from the ceiling?”

She glared upward. “I didn’t scream.”

“You almost did.”

She stuck out her tongue, then he turned and continued down the tunnel. A spider. He couldn’t help but laugh to himself. Here she was, trapped underground with someone who could quite literally bury her alive and she was more afraid of a tiny eight-legged creature.

The tunnel ended at a wooden door. Rion listened for any signs of movement before he cracked it open and peered inside.

A damp, musty basement full of rotted crates greeted them.

Rion pushed the door open and Selina raced from the tunnel, searching her clothes for any more tiny creatures. Beasts, she called them. Finally satisfied, she spun to search the small space.

“No chance they’d stack a bunch of important documents down here, huh?”

“Not likely.”

She huffed, then proceeded up the narrow staircase. Selina pressed her ear to the door before pushing it open. Rion followed behind her, trying to ignore the way the rain clung to her scent, making it impossibly more alluring than before.

Control, he chided himself. He needed absolute control. He doubted she’d repeat events after what had happened last time. Shame still burned through him at the thought.

Damn his ridiculous Fae instincts.

They crept up and down the halls, searching for any who might have lingered after hours, but Rion only found one guard dozing by the front door.

Judging from the half empty bottle in his lap, he wouldn’t be doing a perimeter check anytime soon.

“Well, I guess that gives us the run of the place.”

It was tiny really, a two-story building with seven rooms in total.

“Lucky us.”

She placed her hands on her hips. “Upstairs or down first?”

“Up. I doubt there are any hidden safes behind picture frames here.”

“You’d be surprised.”

They ventured to the next level. “I assume you speak from experience?”

“I found an entire room behind a bookshelf once. It was the most luxurious part of the house. Stupid, really, considering its size. It wouldn’t take a genius to realize there was a hidden room if they paid attention to the layout.”

“Did you find anything interesting?”

“Oh yes, lots of records, not to mention ancient relics and jewels. I confiscated it all, of course.”

“Of course. I’m certain you handed it over to the proper authorities.”

She tilted her head. “I might have kept a piece or two as a souvenir. It’s not like the crown needs an extra tiara.”

Rion couldn’t hide his smile. “Your secret is safe with me.”

They paused by the first door. “I can’t believe this place isn’t better guarded.”

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