Page 7 of A Fate so Cruel

One male with dark hair that hung in front of his eyes was kneeling before the door’s lock with a pair of long objects in his hands. Rion didn’t know what they were called, only that he’d seen Saoirse use them before to pick a lock.

Another stood with his back against the wall, flipping a knife in his hand as if he hadn’t just suggested killing someone. The other two watched the opposite staircase.

Rion leaned back slowly before they turned his way. He counted the steps toward the stairs nearest to him. Twelve, if he sprinted. He chewed his lip, then centered himself. He hadn’t trained like the others, but his mother had worked with him enough that he could keep himself calm.Think, her distant voice chanted.Your mind will be the thing that keeps you alive.

Rion took a steadying breath and waited, counting the seconds.

The latch clicked.

He didn’t move. Not until the door swung open and the first male stepped inside.

Rion took off sprinting down the hall, pushing his legs as fast as they would go.

He’d barely reached the top step when four sets of heavy boots thundered after him.

Panting, Rion took the stairs three at a time, clinging to the smooth railing for balance. His heart was in his throat, choking him as he jumped from step to step to step.

Faster.

He was rounding to the second flight when a vine shot past his ear and exploded through the wall before him. Rion cried out and cursed and tried to ignore the biting sting on his right cheek.

Another mesh of green whipped out at him from within the side wall. It sliced into his forearm and Rion tripped, rolling down the final three steps. Bits of plaster and marble bit into his flesh, but he ignored their sting and shoved to his feet to race down the final flight.

Almost there.

Just a little further and people would be waiting to intervene. He hoped.

Please, please, please.

A dark root ripped from the floor and grabbed Rion’s ankle, yanking him hard enough that he lost his balance and his chin cracked on the final step. Stars shot across his vision, but he shook them away, desperate to break free of the thorny plant now embedding itself into his leg.

A guard rounded the corner, his weapon already drawn. Their eyes met. The world stilled. Then shouting from above had it all moving too fast again.

The warrior lunged and Rion closed his eyes, bracing for a blow, until the roots around his ankle slackened. He scrambled away from the staircase and the males standing on the platform just above.

“Get to the safe room.” It was a command and Rion obeyed, limping his way down the hall that seemed far longer than it ever had.

A series of growls and snarls had Rion moving faster, his heart beating so hard he was sure it would stop. His head was dizzy and everything was a blur of voices and scents and sounds. His throat burned. His arm ached and tears pricked the corners of his eyes from the pain radiating up his leg.

Clashing steel echoed behind. A whimper escaped his throat, but then the set of double doors to his left burst open. He could have sobbed from seeing the crest of their uniforms. Might have also seen it on the other guard if he’d been paying closer attention.

One look was all it took for recognition to flash across their faces. They drew their weapons in unison and ran to his side, ready to protect their young lord.

One kneeled. Rion couldn’t remember the male’s name but knew him to be someone important to his father. He was always attending meetings at his side. His mother seemed to like him, too.

“What happened?” he asked, his voice gentler than Rion had ever heard it.

Rion opened his mouth to answer but his throat had closed up. Tears welled in his eyes then his lips trembled and his throat burned from the effort of trying to hold them back. He pointed and six guards took off without another word.

Another guard approached, gently took Rion by the arm, and guided him through the door.

Rion’s knees quaked and the fear sinking through his gut wouldn’t subside. His stomach rolled.

Breathe, his mother’s voice urged.You’re safe now. But he needed her arms, not her voice.

Inside looked like the main room of a cathedral. Itwasa cathedral, he realized. At least an old version of one. Stained glass covered the upper walls in a way that had Rion wondering if they’d once been windows. Perhaps an old High Lord had built around the structure rather than destroying it. Or maybe it would have been sacrilegious to destroy an old place of worship.

Statues of the gods lined the side walls with depictions of the Fairy Folk dancing around their bodies.

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