Page 145 of A Fate so Cruel

Saoirse refused. Rion was strong. Her little brother would pull through. He had to.

When there was nothing more to be done, the healers left her with strict instructions to keep his wounds clean and change his bandages often. They said if he made it through the night, then he’d live with nothing more than a few scars on his body. He’d lost a lot of blood. And if the blades had nicked his organs, then he’d bleed internally. From the position of them, it would be a miracle if they hadn’t.

It was a long night. Saoirse stood vigil the entire time, watching the rise and fall of his back as he lay on the blood-soaked sheets.

She didn’t bother cleaning it up. Not yet. She wouldn’t risk jostling him and undoing what the healers had done.

Saoirse didn’t know exactly what had happened, only that Selina, the viper, was involved. She’d told Rion not to let her get to him. Saoirse could only imagine the things that female had done. Said.

Her heart ached for her little brother and the pain he’d endured. His last words stabbed through her heart.

I tried.

He’d fallen for her. Fallen hard and yet he’d still managed to kill her. Other males hadn’t been so fortunate. Saoirse should have done it herself years ago.

Rion woke a few times but was hardly lucid. He muttered under his breath and she carefully coaxed him into drinking the medicine left by the healers, along with as much liquid as she dared force down his throat.

Saoirse rubbed her hand over her face and glanced out the window to watch the first traces of dawn illuminate the sky.

If he makes it through the night . . .

He’d made it, which meant he wasn’t bleeding internally, at least. She’d prayed. She’d been praying to the gods all night.

Saoirse stood and removed her little brother’s boots. She cut away his pants and tended to other small wounds, wiping away crusted blood and dirt. His magic had fallen still when he’d gone unconscious.

Small bits of color had returned to his face, though his eyes were both still black and sunken in.

Saoirse draped a fresh sheet over his body and cut away the blood-soaked ones, still careful not to jostle him too much. She’d clean the bed once he was talking again.

Rion muttered in his sleep, the words indecipherable, but she could feel the heartbreak behind them.

Saoirse stood and stared down at her little brother. She’d known who Selina really was, but it was Alec who’d assigned her. Had their older brother arranged the whole thing or had Selina been working of her own accord? She needed to find out.

Her gaze shot toward the door. Saoirse had commanded her second, Fin, to stand guard. He was one of the few Fae she could trust. He’d never failed her, but could she risk leaving Rion in his care?

Caol had promised, and yet—

Her jaw worked and Saoirse pulled the door open. Fin turned, then bowed. The two warriors who followed his command bowed lower.

“Is there something you need?”

Saoirse didn’t invite them in. She just stared at him, studying the male who’d vowed to serve beneath her. She glanced back at her brother again. “I need to see Alec.” Her mind was at war with itself. All it would take was one bad decision and Rion would be torn from her forever.

“I’ll see to it that no one enters this room.”

She turned back. “Will you?”

He bowed again and placed a hand over his heart. “My loyalty is to you, My Lady.”

Saoirse clenched her jaw and lowered her voice to a near growl. “If anything happens to him, you will pay for it with your life.” She turned to the other two and met their gazes. “All of you will pay for it. Your families will pay for it, too. I’ll destroy your entire lineage if anyone so much as steps a foot in this room and you don’t intervene.”

One of them paled, but Fin nodded in understanding. “Understood, My Lady. I will guard him as if he is one of my own.”

She sniffed the air, searching for any hint of deception. He’d been loyal since the day he was stationed at her side overfifty years ago. He’d never stepped out of line, and he’d saved her life on more than one occasion.

Saoirse gave him a final nod, then locked the door and marched down the hall. She found Alec seated in the throne room, pouring over maps and documents. The council sat with him. She was supposed to be here, too. These meeting were always of utmost importance.

Today it didn’t matter.

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