Page 80 of A Fate so Cruel

“You left quite the mess downstairs.” He closed his eyes in frustration at the familiar voice, trying to pretend he didn’t hear it. Maybe if he stood in silence long enough, she’d just disappear.

Rion opened his eyes to find Selina leaning against the bathroom door frame, her arms crossed. She grimaced at his wound.

“Feel free to leave.” His words slurred. Rion examined his arm again.

Selina clicked her tongue. “And here I was thinking you were done being an ass.” He leveled her with a glare. She didn’t flinch away.

She sighed. “As much fun as it is watching you torture yourself, I could help.” She pushed off from the wall but Rion spun away before she got close. His bare chest heaved and her lips parted slightly at the sight of the sand rising, ready to protect in ways she couldn’t imagine.

Or perhaps she could if she’d been watching his fight and the hell he’d unleashed upon this place afterward.

His voice was low as he said, “I’ve had enough close calls for one night.” An hour ago, he’d contemplated whether he could kill her. But now, staring at the concern on her face. At the way her eyes darted across his injuries, cataloging each in turn. He wasn’t sure he could go through with it.

His magic was a raging mess and he’d drank far too much. One wrong move, one misjudgment, and she’d wind up just like Caol.

Selina’s gaze drifted to his arm again. “You think I’d do that?”

“It’s the perfect opportunity, isn’t it?”

Selina put her hands on her hips and glowered. “I do have my pride to consider. I’m not going to jump a male who’s already down.”

“Down?” He gestured to the doorway and the bodies he knew lay bleeding out on the first floor below. “I’m sure they thought I was down, too.”

“Are you planning to clean that up?”

He turned back to the mirror, watching her in the reflection. “Why? Let the damn civilians worry about it.”

She inclined her head. “Did a civilian do that to you?”

He gritted his teeth. “Does it matter?”

“No,” she studied the wound again. “I was just curious if she was trained.”

“She was sloppy.”

“Thank the gods, otherwise it’d be in your heart.”

“Are you finished?”

“I will be when you give me those tweezers and let me help.”

“You’re not touching me. Leave.”

Selina sighed and lifted her hands in mock surrender. “I promise on my life that I will not try to kill you tonight or at any point in the coming week. There, satisfied?” She held out her hand. “Now will you hand me those damned things?”

He scented the air. Processed her words. No lie, but could he trust his addled brain to pick it up?

He looked at his arm again and sighed in defeat. He was never going to get it all out alone.

Rion leaned over the sink again. “Give me a second.” He needed to get his magic under control first. If he couldn’t do that, then he’d have to wait until he was sober again. Not the most pleasant option. She watched him, waiting, and he finally said, “I can’t always control it.”

Selina eyed the grains swirling at his feet. “Really? I didn’t know.”

“No one does.”

She nodded at his tone and approached slowly. Rion handed her the tweezers and watched her through the mirror as she assessed the damage. Her fingers prodded the tender skin around the top of his bicep and he hissed at the pain.

Selina winced and nodded toward the bottle of whiskey. “You’re going to need a few more drinks of that.”

---