Page 32 of A Fate so Cruel

Rion’s voice softened. “Did you ever find out who they were?”

“No. Their bodies are still being identified.”

Rion shook his head. “They just . . . attacked us.”

“Unprovoked?”

Rion didn’t miss the accusation. “Yes, unprovoked. All of them would probably have died if I hadn’t intervened.”

“If you’d done as you were told and never left the grounds, they might all still be alive.” The familiar ache of blame and guilt washed through him. Caol tapped his boot. “The younglings have an interesting spin to the story. They claim you were allied with the three males. Care to explain?”

Rion shrugged, his heart aching, bleeding all over again. “I suppose for the same reason they label me an abomination.”

Caol pinched the bridge of his nose. “You realize you could have blown our cover? That I could be in a dungeon right now trying to explain why I’ve harbored you for the past six years? Did you bother to stop and think about any of that?” He had, but Rion had also been confident in his ability to stay hidden. Caol didn’t wait for a response. “This is why I tell you to stay up here.”

Rion threw his bag to the ground, magic swelling in an angry frenzy. “Maybe I’m sick of being trapped here! Maybe I’m tired of hiding from the world when I haven’t done anything wrong!”

Caol pushed off the wall, his own voice raising. “Because of you, your father’s entire elite force is dead.”

“I didn’t kill my father.”

“You might as well have.” Caol’s words struck true. There it was, after all these years. Caol didn’t blame Saoirse for the events of that night. He blamed Rion.

If not for the magic, then his father, the High Lord, wouldn’t have reacted the way he had. And Saoirse wouldn’t have been put a position to make a life-altering decision.

Caol blew out a frustrated breath and ran a hand through his hair. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

Rion didn’t respond. He couldn’t because Caol was right. Caol and his father had been close friends. They’d grown uptogether and were allies during the battles of their time. Caol had been friends with his father’s guards, too.

And Rion had killed them when he was only eight years old. A fluke probably due to surprise but still, Rion was responsible for more than one of Caol’s loved ones’ demise.

Thunder rolled overhead and Rion glanced toward the pack he’d tossed to the ground. He should go. Release Caol from the responsibility put on him by his sister. Let the male return to a peaceful life.

A drop of rain fell from the gray sky and landed beside Rion’s leather boot. Another landed just a few feet ahead, heavy and with the promise of early spring’s chill.

“Come inside.” A half-hearted command.

Rion stepped back. He could stay at the lake house for a little while, maybe even a year if he were careful. He could formulate a plan with Saoirse. They’d come up with something.

But he’d be isolated again.

Alone again.

The wind picked up and Rion shivered against the brisk chill. He reached down for his pack.

“Whatever you’re thinking, boy, stop thinking it.”

“You don’t want me here.”

“Maybe so.” The words stung. “But you don’t have anywhere else to go and your sister will string me up alive if you disappear again.” Rion’s jaw worked. “So you’re going to come inside and we’re both going to cool off while we eat a warm meal.” Caol opened the door behind him a bit wider.

The drops continued, pebbling the dry earth at Rion’s feet. “Why did you agree to take me in?”

Caol loosed a long sigh. “Because your sister asked me to. And because you were a youngling with nowhere to go. Do you really think I’d just turn my back on a child?”

A shrug. “My father tried to kill one.”

“So did I once.”

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