Page 56 of A Fate so Cruel

Rion interrupted with a soft snarl. “If your warriors still require training, then perhaps they shouldn’t be here.”

Tension filled the air. “Foryou,” Selina snapped. “I was hoping to give you the chance to see how we work together so that I could implement you into our regiment.”

The male, who was beginning to somehow remind Rion of a loyal dog despite his animal shift, growled as he said, “Selina is our commander. You would do well to show her some respect.”

Selina held up her hand to silence him, then returned her cold glare to Rion. “How am I supposed to know you’ll follow more complicated orders later if you can’t follow simple ones now?”

His face burned and Rion was suddenly glad he hadn’t lit more candles. Saoirse and Caol had been the only ones to ever reprimand him. And this female with her hands on her hips and stern gaze made him feel like a youngling all over again.

He should have apologized. Should have just stayed behind her instead of marching up the stairs. Instead, Rion bit out, “You’re not. And don’t pretend I’m your underling. We both know the entire lot of you would rather see me dead.” She opened her mouth to reply, but Rion beat her to it. “Let’s make it simple for both of us. I’ll play the little role you and Alec have planned and you can stop pretending I’m anything more than another target for you and your team.”

Selina sighed and rubbed her temples. “Aila, Orla, light the oil lamps. Alana, see if it’s safe to get a fire going.” Thethree sisters obeyed. No one else moved. “Listen,” Selina said, stepping forward despite the particles of earth moving at her feet. “I know you don’t like working with others. You’re the solo type, I get it, but we can’t have anyone jeopardizing this assignment.”

“You getnothing,” he seethed. “You and everyone else in Brónach can pretend I’m thesolo type,” he emphasized, “because I chose to be.” He closed the space between them and those behind her drew their weapons. She held up a hand to steady them. “But what everyone fails to realize is that I wasn’t given another choice.” Something in her gaze softened at that. Rion hated it. Hated seeing sympathy where he expected resentment. Resentment was easier. Resentment he knew.

“I’ll complete the mission with or without you for Alec’s sake, but if I feel like you or anyone on your team is luring me into a trap, rest assured I won’t hesitate to confront it.”

Her brows rose. “You think we’re setting you up?”

He finally looked at the shadowed faces standing behind her. The sisters hadn’t taken their eyes off him. “Don’t try to deny that any one of you would kill me without a second thought.”

“I won’t,” she said. “But maybe you should consider that the reason everyone feels that way is because of what you put off. You’re not exactly friendly.”

He scoffed. “You expect me to be friendly?”

“I expect you not to judge our team based on experiences from your past. Give them a chance. You might be surprised at the outcome.” Rion opened his mouth and closed it again. Selina sighed “Look, we’re all tired and hungry. Let’s call it a night and we’ll pick things up in the morning.” Never mind that morning was only about an hour off.

She turned her back to him, but the others didn’t do the same. They didn’t sheath their weapons either. He saw the truthin their eyes, even if hers had been different. Even if hers had seemed to . . . understand.

Rion stormed from the room, his magic following in his wake.

He didn’t want to try. There was no creating allies where you weren’t wanted.

Chapter Six

The sun had illuminated the sky with the beginnings of dawn before he’d finally fallen asleep. Now it blared overhead. Still midmorning. He listened, expecting to hear them gearing up, but it seemed only one of them was awake below.

Rion sat up slowly, his back stiff and sore from sleeping on the roof. With his magic, it was as safe a place as any.

Rion cracked his neck and let the rest of the earth that had been encircling him fall to ground as if it were large clumps of snow melting away with the spring sun.

Shame flew through him. Shame and that same feeling that made Rion feel like he was an adolescent again. He chewed the inside of his cheek. Maybe he shouldn’t be so quick to judge, but it was a hard habit to break when so many had tried to shove a knife through his back.

He wanted to believe Selina was sincere. That perhaps she really had been searching for new talent. But the alternatives seemed more likely. Either she planned to kill him, or she just flat out felt sorry for him. Selina had seen him fight before, so maybe there was a small chance.

Maybe for once he was wrong about someone. Rion shook his head. He wasn’t holding his breath. Not after Caol.

Rion stood, stretching stiff muscles. He slid his boots back on and jumped from the rooftop. He followed the steady heartbeat and found Selina staring at a kettle hanging over a small fire.

Rion watched her for a long moment. She’d once again braided her hair into a crown at the top of her head. He wondered if she expected them to encounter trouble today.

“Do you need something?” she snapped. He cringed at the tone. He deserved it after last night.

“When are we heading out?” She hadn’t given any instructions last night.

“I don’t know.”

He opened his mouth once, closed it. “What do you mean, you—”

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