Page 103 of A Fate so Cruel

Downstairs, Selina sauntered over to a glass case filled with an assortment of expensive alcohols. She opened one, sniffed, and recoiled. “It wouldn’t take much of this to get the job done.”

“Surprised the guard outside didn’t take that with him, too.”

“I’m sure he sneaks a drink or two.” Selina turned the bottle in her hand and whistled. “This one is a few decades old.” She stuffed that into her bag as well.

Rion just rolled his eyes, running his hands along another desk when the front door opened.

Their eyes met across the room, and Selina ran for the nearest door. He followed close behind and found himself in a closet. How amateur. He wasn’t even sure why he’d followed Selina inside.

Rion wondered what someone would think if he found The Demon of Alastríona hiding in a closet with a female. A female who was standing very close to him.

Thick coats lined the space, their scent of old oak, likely from the chest at their feet. The heavy materials pushed against their bodies and forced the pair to remain close to the door and to one another.

Rion tried to step back, to give her room and separate himself from her scent, but he tripped and Selina grabbed his tunic to hold him steady.

Their breaths were too loud as they listened to the footsteps marching down the hall.

This was ridiculous. He was a Lord of Brónach. He should just step out and announce his arrival, tell them he was searching for—his mind froze when the male cursed from the hallway and slammed a door shut.

Selina’s body heat was seeping through his clothes. His heart began racing and he was drunk on her all over again. He knew she could hear every breath, feel every movement.

Whoever had entered didn’t linger. They grabbed something upstairs, then exited the door again without even waking the guard.

Another burglar? Or perhaps someone who’d forgotten something in their hurry home.

At least whatever they’d come looking for hadn’t been something Selina had stashed in her bag.

Rion shoved the closet door open and sucked down fresh air. He raced straight for the basement, refusing to let Selina see the heat that had crept up his neck.

Once again, Selina wrapped her cloak tightly around herself, but they exited without Rion having to rescue another eight-legged creature.

It had stopped raining by the time they emerged.

“Well, that was a close call.”

He nodded, still unable to speak. Close. She’d been too close.

Rion started toward the village, but Selina lingered, her gaze drifting toward the coastline. “Care for a detour?”

Rion raised a brow. “To where?”

“How often do you get to experience an ocean view?”

Rion eyed her pack. “Don’t we have documents to review?” And decode.

She shrugged. “Sometimes you have to live a little. We only do it once.”

“We live forever,” he reminded her.

“Not out in the field.”

Rion paused at the sudden grimness in her gaze and something in him faltered. “Lead the way.”

Her steps lightened again and she practically skipped toward the raging ocean in the distance. Rion could hear the waves crashing against a rocky shore. It didn’t take long for a cliffside to appear. Thankfully, Selina didn’t go anywhere near it. He didn’t trust that she wouldn’t try to dive off. Instead, she settled on the damp ground and withdrew a bottle of the stolen liquor.

Selina gave him a feline smile. “Are you going to make me drink alone?”

Rion sat beside her. “You’re a bad influence, you know that?”

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