Page 96 of A Fate so Cruel

The female stood. “They force us. We don’t want to. We—I’ve dumped as many bottles as I could into the river.” The male turned on her, his eyebrows raised. “I don’t want to hurt anyone anymore.”

“Lex.” The name was a plea. The male’s gaze flicked between her and Rion. Over and over, as if he wouldn’t know what to do if Rion decided to punish her for it.

“You won’t have to.” Rion pulled a set of matches from his pack, then set the place on fire.

***

“Well that was anticlimactic.” Selina complained as they settled far enough away from the fire that the smoke didn’t cloud their lungs. No one returned to check on the half-breeds or the smoke billowing through the sky. Maybe whoever had been in charge of them had met their own demise on the road. It would certainly make his life easier.

“We’ll need to veer toward the mountain before we head back.” They’d run out of water yesterday.

“What about them?” Selina almost sneered as she looked at the half-breeds. They shrank away at her tone.

“They’re coming with us.”

“Why?”

“We can’t just leave them in the middle of the woods.”

She scoffed, but then her eyes widened. “I didn’t realize you were a sympathizer.”

That’s not exactly what he’d call himself, but—was he a sympathizer? He’d always loathed the entire concept of slavery.He’d even contemplated ways to release them, though he’d never acted on it.

Rion studied the two half-breeds. They sat on the ground, clinging to one another, watching and waiting for his answer. “We’ll drop them off at the village. I’m sure the innkeeper could use a few extra hands.”

The male relaxed at that and something in his eyes almost seemed to thank Rion for the mercy. There were a million worse things a slave could endure.

Selina pinched the bridge of her nose. “Fine, but they’re your responsibility, not mine.” She glanced up to study the billowing clouds. “It doesn’t look like anyone is coming.”

Rion shrugged. “Fine by me.” He pushed off from the tree. “Let’s move. I want to reach the mountainside before sundown.”

Selina sighed again. “Just so we’re clear, our bet doesn’t count if we don’t get to actually fight anyone.”

He smirked. “Those weren’t in the terms.”

Selina grimaced. “I’m going to throw a rock at you when you’re not looking.”

“It won’t hit.”

“Fine, a stick then.” She turned to the half-breeds and they visibly shrank away. “Don’t fall behind. I won’t wait.”

They trudged through the trees until nightfall, the trip mercifully uneventful. Rion listened to the half-breeds whisper words of comfort between themselves. Promises that told Rion they were lovers. Even they had found some happiness in their wretched lives.

Rion watched Selina’s back as the female walked ahead, surveying the canopy. Maybe he could find some in his, too.

They found water, fresh and clean compared to the foul liquid they’d left behind. The female half-breed hadn’t apologized or made excuses for her actions. She’d likely dumpedthe poison thinking it would dilute enough that it wouldn’t cause further harm. He doubted she’d be happy to learn the truth.

The half-breeds didn’t question their route. Didn’t ask for food. Didn’t do much of anything but sit and wait, as if they didn’t know what to do without orders.

“It was a lot more fun when it was just you and me,” Selina remarked.

The half-breed’s heartbeats quickened. Strange that they were more scared of Selina than him.

“What’s wrong, can’t perform with an audience?”

She puffed out her cheeks like a child. “It’s just . . . weird.”

“You don’t have slaves in Nàdair?”

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