Page 97 of A Fate so Cruel

“Of course I do, I just don’t have to look at them.”

“Poor pampered princess.”

“Don’t call me that,” she snapped.

If it weren’t for the fury behind her eyes, Rion might have taunted her. Called her by the name for the rest of their trip. But something about her body language had an apology balancing on the tip of his tongue instead. “Which part?”

Selina’s fists clenched. “Princess.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t like it.” She was . . . serious. Angry about a nickname. Then sorrow flashed across her face and guilt tugged him to relent. Maybe she didn’t elaborate because of the half-breeds present.

“All right.”

Selina calmed herself. “So what’s the plan, we drop them off, tell the villagers what we found, then set off?”

“Essentially.”

“In that case, why not just head straight for the other village?”

“I thought you already paid for your room?”

She shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I have more where that came from.” She patted her coin purse, then eyed the half-breeds. “Besides, what’s one innkeeper over another?”

He supposed she had a point. Either village would take the half-breeds if it meant free labor. If he found the next innkeeper unpleasant, he’d just take the half-breeds back himself and let Selina whine all she wanted.

“Okay.”

Night descended and Selina instructed him to sleep first. He didn’t argue, he needed the rest anyway.

He eyed the half-breeds, watching the pair curl up against the trunk of a tree, the female’s head resting in the male’s lap. He stroked her hair, far too preoccupied with his companion to pay Rion any attention.

Carefully, Rion shifted the grains beneath him, inching them close to his body. The male’s head jerked up, as if he’d sensed something, but after a quick observation, he dismissed it and settled again. It seemed he was more Fae than human then.

“Careful,” Selina whispered from his side. “You’ll lose the bet if your cover is blown.”

A stick flew at him and Rion caught it with one hand. “And you’ll lose if you cheat.”

She shrugged. “It was worth a try.”

Rion folded his hands over his chest and let himself drift. It seemed only seconds later that leaves rustled nearby. He strained to listen and might have chalked it up to the wind if it weren’t for a crunch of loose bark from the opposite end.

He cracked his eyes open and tilted his head to survey the woods. The shadows stretched and loomed in the distance. None moved. Slowly, he turned his head to look at Selina. She already had one hand on the hilt of her dagger.

Their fire had faded to little more than embers. The half-breeds were sound asleep. Faint moonlight trickled through the trees.

Another shuffle of feet. Too soft to be Fae.

A jaw snapped, then Rion rolled, pulled his sword from its sheath, and cleaved the jaw of a very large four-legged creature in two.

Half its head hit the ground while the other half of its body twitched in the dirt.

The half-breeds jolted and the male shoved the barely awake female up the nearest tree.

Rion faced the beasts. A pack, like wolves but not. Standing on all fours, they stood taller than his waist. Long canines extended past their jaws. Brown and black coats allowed them to hide easily within the shadows.

One of them lunged for the half-breeds and sank its fangs into the male’s ankle. He let out an ear-piercing scream, as did the female as she watched her companion be dragged into the woods.

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