“Fuck off!” Vanessa exclaimed as she laughed and pushed Tod's shoulder.
“So, Shane, you're saying that you gave up immortality because you don't think the Falcon Lord can be faithful to you?” Evan asked. “Seriously? Like, who gives a shit? Take him while you can, then go on your happy immortal way.”
“If I made it through the war.” I gave him a heavy look. “You've heard about the prophecy; the valorians will be needed to end the war—all of them.”
Tod chuckled. “Yeah, and you prefer to fight from the back of the army.”
“Hey, I'm not a coward,” I said defensively. “I'd fight at the front if I had to, but I'd rather not do it as a fucking target.”
“Fair enough, man.” John slapped my shoulder. “But as a faerie, you'd be more likely to survive, not less.”
I sighed. “I don't agree, but that brings me to another point; I don't want to live forever.”
“Yep, he's a fucking lunatic,” Vanessa declared. “You should have been a chef.”
“Fuck, I'm not that crazy,” I huffed, and everyone chortled.
To a chef, the term crazy was a compliment.
After the laughter died down, Rachel asked me, “You think he's going to let it go?”
I thought about the way the Falcon Lord had stared at me just before he left the baking pavilion and admitted, “I don't know. We'll see if I still have a position in the Falcon Army tomorrow.”
They went silent and pensive with me. No one tried to brush aside my worry; we all knew that warlords were the ultimate power in the beast armies. The Falcon Lord could do as he pleased with my contract, including tear it into tiny bits and send me packing. And with it would go my dreams of moving to Lek and opening a bakery.
“Last one in the water's an idiot who doesn't want to be immortal!” John shouted and ran for the ocean.
Everyone else whooped and ran after him, me included. If I only had one more day in the army, I intended to make it a good one.
Chapter Five
When I got back to my tent, I found Daron standing outside it, looking grim and fucking handsome as all hell. I swallowed past the dryness in my throat and approached him.
“The Falcon Lord wishes you to dine with him tonight,” Daron said, his expression annoyed.
I wasn't sure if his annoyance was with me or the fact that he'd been sent as a messenger.
“Please, tell him, no, thank you for me.”
“You fucking piece of—” he cut himself off with a snarl. “What the fuck is wrong with you? You could have immortality, or at least a longer life, andhim. Do you know how many people—how manyfaeries—would kill to warm that man's bed?”
That's when I realized that the guy I had a crush on, had a crush on the Falcon Lord. Fuck, of course, he did.
“Really? I never would have guessed.” I crossed my arms, trying to hide my disappointment. Part of me had thought that Daron had come to apologize for brushing me aside that morning. That maybe he'd thank me for saving his warlord. Maybe he'd actually look at me and see me for once. Instead, it looked as if Daron was a bit of a prick.
“You ignorant, ungrateful asshole,” he hissed at me. “You're afraid, aren't you?”
I went still, my expression falling into a blank mask. My father had taught me that when you get mad, really mad, it was better to hide it. To wait like the lions in Lek, stalking their prey silently. And then, when the moment was right, you release your rage and tear out their fucking throats. So, instead of punching him in his beautiful nose—the one he had lifted in distaste—I calmly asked, “Do you seriously think you can convince me to become a valorian by calling me chicken?”
Daron's hands balled into fists and his face went red. His father obviously hadn't taught him to get angry like a lion. Nope, he was an Avian, and they get all puffed up and squawky. Birds have no subtlety.
“Frankly, I'd rather you didn't accept,” Daron sneered as he looked me over. “You're obviously not valorian material. Valorians don't shirk their duty. You got lucky and I'm grateful for that. You did well and saved a man worth twenty of you. So, thank you, Captain. And thank you for not allowing the Falcon Lord to waste a piece of his precious soul on the likes of you.”
I snorted and smirked. “Now, you're trying to use reverse psychology on me.”
“I don't give a shit about your human mind doctors either,” he said imperiously. “I don't bother with games. I say what I mean. So, don't try to read anything else into my words when I call you a piece of shit. That isexactlywhat I think you are.”
You're a lion, lying in wait. Be the lion. Don't let your prey see you, I heard my father in my mind.
