Page 51 of A Fate so Cruel

Rion flexed his fingers. “I never set out with that goal.”

She glanced up and raked her eyes down his form. “Goal or not, the fear is there and we can use it to our advantage. You’re known as one of the strongest Fae in Brónach. You already have a reputation. I only plan to utilize it. Unless you have objections.”

“Alec just wants to paint me as the enemy.”

“Are you?”

He frowned. “No.”

She leaned back against the wall. “So you claim.”

Rion flexed his jaw. “Is this a test?” She shrugged, but kept her eyes locked with his. “I didn’t ask to be born this way.” The particles at his feet rose, jerking in agitated spirals. “I didn’t ask to be branded an outcast.”

“And yet you killed the former High Lord. Your own father.”

Rion looked away. “You wouldn’t understand even if I explained it.”

Silence stretched between them. “It’s difficult for the world, for anyone, to believe you wouldn’t resort to killing another member of your family. Many worry for Saoirse and say her days are numbered.”

“I wouldneverhurt Saoirse.”

She circled the table, prowling like a cat. “Is she the one who steadies your hand then?”

Steadied him, as if he were an animal who required monitoring. “I won’t kill Alec because he is my brother. He’s family.”

“And that circles us back around to your father.” Rion sighed and turned away. “I’m simply trying to understand. You can’t blame a country for resenting the male responsible for murdering their leader.”

“I can blame a country who slaughters innocent children for nothing more than being born different.”

Selina’s mouth gaped as if she’d never considered it. She cleared her throat. “If you resent it so much, why stay? Why fight to defend it?”

“Where else would I go?”

She shrugged. “The world is vast with plenty of unexplored territory. I’m certain there are continents out therethat know nothing of our history. You’d live a blameless life in their midst.”

Another continent. He’d considered the idea before. A place where he’d be forced to hide his heritage and race. A place without Saoirse or Alec or even his mother when they finally found her. Rion shook his head. “This is my home.”

“I didn’t take you for the sentimental type. I get it though. It’s hard to pull a tree’s roots from rich soil. Of course, there’s always the possibility of your mother—”

“Donot,” Rion interrupted, his voice laced with venom, “speak about my mother.”

Her eyes widened and Selina stepped back. There it was, the trace of fear. Just slight, but it was there. She dipped her head. “I didn’t mean to offend. The High Lady was, is,” she corrected, “held in very high regard. I only wish to see her safely returned.”

Silence filled the space but Selina’s apology did nothing to ease the heartache pulsing through him. He turned on his heel and stormed out without another word.

Chapter Four

“Weeks?” Saoirse exclaimed as they sat across from one another in the study, their usual chessboard between them.

Rion waved a hand. “Could be months, but—”

“What do you meanmonths?” She could hardly keep the growl from her voice.

“Don’t make it a big deal, you go out on long missions all the time.”

“With warriors Itrust,” she emphasized. “With comrades I’ve trained beside foryears. You don’t just go on a mission like this with a group of strangers. You haven’t even sparred with them. You don’t know their formations or how they function within the unit.”

“I sparred one.” Saoirse made a face. She hadn’t approved of that, either. His sister was certain Selina had been baiting him, holding herself back to make him perceive her as less of a threat. But he’d already figured that much out on his own.

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