Page 175 of A Fate so Cruel

“Enough, you two.” Neither male backed down. Saoirse stepped toward Alec again, but a tendril of his magic shoved her to the side hard enough that Saoirse slammed into the desk.

Then his brother lunged. Rion didn’t see the knife until he raised his magic to block Alec’s strike. Particles of sand ran down Alec’s arms and Alec’s magic burst from his sleeves in a rapid frenzy that forced Rion to jump away.

Alec didn’t let him get far. Rion drew his own dagger and his brother’s blade locked with his own. Their magic burst above their heads. Around their bodies.

Saoirse screamed from the sidelines.

Rion refused to turn away or back down from the hateful brown eyes. He grabbed Alec’s wrist, intending to wrench it backward, but Alec shifted, forcing Rion to shift as well to keep his balance. The two pushed against one another, grappling for dominance as they stood mere centimeters apart.

“Mother would be ashamed of what you’ve become,” Alec spat.

Rion saw red and before he could rein himself in, his magic exploded, shoving Alec back hard enough that the male tripped on his own vines and hit the marble steps hard. Hard enough that something cracked.

Rion didn’t care. He closed the distance, ready to plant a fist in Alec’s pompous mouth, but Saoirse jumped in front of her older brother. She reached for the greenery in the room, snakingit around herself and her sibling. She lowered her body into a fighting stance even as silver lined her eyes.

Alec still hadn’t gotten up.

Rion stopped. He studied Saoirse and the way her hands shook. Her throat bobbed, then one tear slid free.

A mountain of regret followed. He thought he’d locked it all away, but at the sight of that single tear, the box where he’d stored his sister’s love burst open.

Memories of all the times they’d laughed together rushed to the surface. Times with their mother. Times when he was a teen and she’d come to his rescue when no one else had.

Alec slowly rose to his feet, something like surprise written across his face and—if Rion hadn’t imagined it—a tinge of fear.

Rion kept his gaze on Saoirse, watching as she made a decision that would alter the course of his life forever. If she attacked—

Thick emotion welled in his throat. He’d gone too far. She’d once stood between him and Alec. Now the tables had turned. He was the villain in her story.

Rion stepped back. Saoirse didn’t relax.

“Leave,” Alec growled.

“Send me to hold the front line and I will.”

“Why in the seven hells would I do that?”

“Because I’ve never lost a battle. And I can guarantee I won’t lose this war.”

The Cursed Fae and Hope

Chapter One

Rion stormed through his camp, rage coursing through his veins. He ran his tongue over his teeth, tasted blood, then used what was left from his water skin to cleanse his mouth.

He snarled at those who dared to even meet his gaze. They quickly turned away, scurrying behind tents.

Rion wiped his bloody hands over his tunic only for it to smear from more that had soaked into his clothes.

He hated every single one of them. He ought to just be done with the entire camp. Wipe it off the continent and give Móirín an easy win. It would be better than dealing with it himself.

But if he did that, he’d wind right back up in Nàdair’s palace. He’d been in the field for almost a decade. Returning to a life of comfortable pillows and prattling nobles wasn’t appealing in the least.

A warrior exited his tent right in front of Rion, and Rion snarled at him. The male bowed at the waist, his gaze averted. Rion had no way of knowing how many were involved in the most recent attempt on his life. Probably all of them.

He’d barely stepped through the gate when they’d lunged. A dozen of them. It was always the same story. A group, usually the young, would band together, certain they could outsmart him. None ever succeeded, though a male had gotten a good hit in, hence his bleeding gums.

They’d been a savage lot till the very end, coming at him until none could stand. Even the last hadn’t faltered.

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