His brows arched, amused at the shift in tone. “Yes?”
“You know I need a favor.”
“You do?” His voice was a low purr, his smile sharp. Not a question, but a command. He wanted to hear me say it.
“Will you help Kiegan? Take him into your clan, so he’s not abandoned?” I gritted my teeth. “Please, Fieran?”
He looked so satisfied that I knew he would agree, even as he pretended. “That would look shameful. Not just the mortal, but the orc as well?”
“You don’t have to take me,” I snapped, irritated at his games. “I’m sure Ander would be willing.”
He gave me a disappointed look; I wasn’t trying hard enough to trick him. “Has he tried to draw you into Clan Amber?”
“More or less,” I lied, trying to sound convincing.
The way he scoffed told me I had failed.
“Please, Fieran.” I met his gaze evenly. “Help him.”
He cursed under his breath. That was answer enough before he growled, “Fine. And then we pray to the gods that the dragons feel like bonding with a mortal and an orc.”
“But first, you have to survive another trial,” he reminded me.
“Right. The same recruits who beat each other half to death yesterday are working together today. I cannot wait.”
His ring, the one that I needed but shouldn’t wear, dangled between my breasts with its promise.
I’d have a sliver of his protection even when I was on my own today.
Thirty-Eight
Fieran had so much last-minute advice that it was making me nervous.
“You’ll be going out in small teams,” he said. “All starting in different places in the obstacle course. I don’t know what it’s going to look like exactly—it changes every year—but it’s always brutal. It’s a race to the end. You should try to take leadership of your team, though they probably won’t listen to you. They’ll likely be a bunch of arrogant pricks?—”
“How novel,” I said, breath short. “I’m really out of practice dealing withthose.”
I couldn’t handle the stairs, my nerves, and Fieran’s lecture all at once. Still, when I glanced over my shoulder and saw all of Clan Bismyth coming with us, warmth flickered in my chest. It wasn’t real—I knew they only wanted to please Fieran—but sometimes for a second, I believed they cared about me.
Fieran started to go on, but I held up my hand. “I’m already nervous enough. I need you to stop talking and let me breathe.”
Irritation flashed across his face, gone almost before I caught it. “You know best what you need.”
“Thankyou.”
“Even though I’m the one who’s done this before. And who has led my clan throughrealcombat?—”
“Let me walk with her.” Asrael stepped up on my other side, tall and intimidating. “You usually have me guide our new shifters.”
“That’s true. And you’ve never let me down.” Fieran clapped a hand on my shoulder before reluctantly moving away.
Asrael walked beside me in silence. I dared a glance up at him. “Do you have advice?”
“Do youwantadvice? You need to focus on instinct.”
Had he rescued me from Fieran as a kindness?
“I’m sure mymortalinstincts will serve me so well.”
