Page 116 of A Promise so Bold and Broken

“Is that the best idea?” Kerym asked as he sat down with his back against a tree. “Seems like a risk.”

“It is.” Merrick shot her a look. “But so is freezing to death.”

“I’m not complaining.” Raine pulled out another blanket, laying it on the other side of the fire and curling up. “This is why I hate war. It’s so damn uncomfortable. People think it’s all glory and fighting, but it’s mostly freezing your ass off and eating stale bread.”

“You’ve lost your edge, Raine.” Kerym closed his eyes as he pulled his jacket tighter around him. “Thissian and I have seen far worse than this on our travels. Seems like all Fae realms are struggling—not just the one planning on taking over Havlands.”

“Whatever,” Raine muttered. “My life was fine before all of you came to destroy it.”

Opening an eye, Kerym stared at him. “Was it fine? Doesn’t seem like it, given how you hold on to that flask as if it were your newborn babe.”

“Are you one to talk? You’ve thrown yourself into any fight you can since they died. And what about Thissian? Where is he, Kerym? Is he so badly gone you had to leave him?”

A growl left Kerym, the sound traveling across the snow—way too loud for Lessia’s liking.

“Keep your mouths shut,” Merrick snarled as he joined Lessia on the blanket. “Your petty argument is worse than the fire. They’d both be ashamed of you.”

“They’d be ashamed of you as well,” Raine snarled. “I know exactly what they’d say if they were here right now.”

Merrick flew to his feet at the same time as the two others.

And for the first time since meeting Raine and Kerym, Lessia could see why they’d all been the mightiest warriors ever to live in Havlands.

The air around Merrick shone, the darkness within his eyes seemingly seeping from him in harried whispers, and as he glared at the others, he was every bit the lethal predator she’d seen those first few years he watched over her.

Raine’s massive body vibrated from restrained anger, his hazel eyes so sharp within his furious face that Lessia would have backed up if she hadn’t been sitting down.

Kerym—though smaller than the other two—shifted his weight from foot to foot, his hardened face snapping between them, anticipating or perhaps planning an attack.

A storm of fury built within Lessia as well, and she balled her hands into fists as she sprang to her feet.

Stalking into the middle of the death glares—ignoring the warning blaring within her, telling her not to get in the way of these males—Lessia met each pair of raging eyes.

“Stop. This. Right. Now,” she got out through tight lips. “I swear, I will go on alone if you continue. We do not have time for dumb arguments.”

She focused her stare on Merrick, whose jaw twitched as he met her eyes.

But as she lifted her chin, a harsh breath left him, and his taut shoulders lowered a fraction.

Then, his hands flexed.

And finally, he rolled his neck.

“You’re right.” Merrick threw a glance at the others. “We need to stick together. One final time.”

“It’s definitely the last,” Raine mumbled as he sheathed the sword he’d pulled from his back and dropped to the ground with a thud.

“It is,” Kerym confirmed as he slumped back down against the white-peppered stem.

Lessia rolled her eyes as she started back toward the blanket again, the cold from earlier sweeping through her, making her teeth chatter.

Stupid broody Fae males.

If Rioner, Meyah, or Loche wouldn’t be the death of her… she suspected the three of them might be before this was over.

She turned to the side, an urge to complain to Frelina coming over her.

An urge to shoot her an eye roll like she’d done every time one of these males growled or snarled when they talked amongst each other or to either of them on the ship.

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