Page 42 of A House of Fangs & Deceit

Kieran chuckled while Alaric just sighed in annoyance. “Samara, can’t you take this seriously?”

“Don’t be such an ass-kisser, Alaric.” I rolled my eyes.

Emil took advantage of the situation and tried to knock my feet out from under me again, but this time, I was ready for him. I wouldn’t call my jump over his legs smooth, but I stayed on my feet, and that’s all that mattered.

“Good.” He smiled at me.

“The training ring is always an active session.” I returned his smile with one of my own.

Vail glared at me for another moment before waving over Emil and Nyx. The three of them conversed for a few minutes before deciding on a training course for Alaric and myself. After an hour, I was covered in sweat and dirt and sporting more than a few bruises, but at least I knew a few basic maneuvers that might save my life if we were attacked.

I wasn’t delusional enough to think that I now actually stood a chance against a wraith or any of the other monsters that roamed the wilds, but maybe I’d managed to stay alive for the few seconds it took Vail or one of the rangers to get to me.

Unfortunately, my tentative confidence in my abilities to stay alive in a monster attack was short-lived.

“Don’t know why you’re smiling,” Vail drawled. “The past hour has only made it clear how much of a liability you are.”

None of the rangers voiced a differing opinion, and the grin I’d been wearing slid off my face. Kieran glared fiercely atVail, but Alaric was looking at me with an “I told you so” expression.

I didn’t know why he was so cocky. He’d barely done better than me, and the layer of dirt over his clothes proved it.

“We’ll be on horseback,” I said defensively. “I’m a good rider.”

Really, I was an amazing rider. My mother had taken me riding before I could even walk, and riding had always come naturally to me.

“And if we’re attacked?” he sneered. “You’ll just run away and leave us behind.”

“First of all,”—I took a step towards him—“hasn’t this entire exercise been about teaching Alaric and I to get out of the way so that all of you can fight? I’m not an idiot, Vail.” I threw my hands in the air. “I know that I won’t survive a fight, so yes, I will get out of the way if I can so that none of you have to worry about me, but I won’t leave you behind.”

Silver lines burst through Vail’s steel-grey eyes, giving them a ghostly appearance before vanishing.

I took another step towards him. “And I wouldn’t just sit there while all of you fought for your lives. I told you before, I’m excellent with a bow, and I’m good with knives too.”

“Good with knives,” he scoffed and sauntered over to where clean towels were hanging off the wall of a small wooden building.

Some of the rangers laughed and started to walk away. Seething, I snatched the dagger out of Emil’s thigh holster, and it flew from my fingers before I could think better of it.

Vail froze as the dagger sank into the wood, directly in between his fingers.

Then, slowly, he turned to look at me.

“I told you,” I said evenly. “I’m good with knives.”

“You didn’t,”Rynn said for the third time. Even with her shadowy form, I could still make out the disbelief on her face.

As soon as I’d retreated to my suite to draw a bath, I’d reached out to Rynn and Cali for a call because I needed my besties after my encounter with Vail. Rynn had appeared almost immediately in her shadow form, but Cali hadn’t acknowledged my summons at all, not even to say she was busy, which caused a pit of dread in my stomach. It wasn’t like Cali to not at least respond in some way.

“Okay, so, maybe antagonizing the man who very much wants to kill me right before I go off with him into the wilds wasn’t my best idea.” I scrunched my nose up.

“You think?” Rynn’s fingers rubbed her temples in frustration.

I grinned ruefully at her. “When my rotting corpse is eventually discovered, I want it to go on record that it was totally worth it for the look of surprise on his face when that dagger slammed between his fingers.”

“No dying.” Rynn wagged a finger at me.

“Fiiine,” I drew out the word dramatically and sunk lower into the tub, the near scalding hot water helping to soothe my abused muscles. “Ignoring my questionable actions this afternoon, what are your thoughts about everything else?”

Shadow Rynn pursed her lips. “I’m annoyed that no one has told me about all of this. Obviously, I knew about some of the attacks, but not all of them.”

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