Feral shoots my brother an impressed look.
Allegra scurries out of the room without glancing back. As soon as she does, however, my brother’s bravado deflates out of him.
He rests against the front of the cage.
Lionzio looks shattered. Is he sleeping? How hard is Dad working him?
Lionzio gives a tired smile. “Sorry about Allegra this morning. Riv didn’t bring your breakfast on Rom’s order. Riv will be in with Feral’s food later. Actually, it’s Dad who has messed up your training. Again, sorry. I know how important this fight is, as it’s the end of the season.”
Except, he doesn’t.
He has no idea that this is the most important fight of my life.
My brow furrows. “What’s Dad done?”
My heart beats faster in my chest. When I shiver, Feral grabs my hands between this.
Lionzio coughs, sweeping his fingers through his hair like he needs a moment to compose himself.
Shit, this is going to be bad.
Has he whacked someone? Ordered a hit?Decided to bond Feral?
I grit my teeth.
“He’s summoned the three of us to breakfast with him,” Lionzio replies like we’ve been summoned before a firing squad.
In a way, we have.
Anyone else would laugh and relax, thinking that they were safe.
They’d be wrong.
My pulse races.
When I whimper, Feral tightens his hold on my hand.
“Why?” I whisper.
“I don’t know.” Lionzio’s lips pinch. “Guess we’ll find out, huh?”
He straightens, before pulling out a heavy set of jangling keys from his pocket. He undoes the heavy padlock on the front of the cage with a grimace of distaste.
Lionzio’s assessing gaze settles on Feral. “Move back.”
Feral stubbornly doesn’t move, lifting his eyebrow as if to say,make me.
I disentangle our hands. “It’s okay, Fer. Lion will look out for me.”
Feral snorts, rudely.
I fight not to smile.
Lionzio wags his finger at him. “I’m not entirely knotless, even if I can’t break people in half like you can.”
Feral flexes the muscles of one arm.
Lionzio’s lips twitch. “Yeah, yeah, you’re badass. But out here, I swear to keep my sis safe.”