Page 11 of A Kingdom of Fire and Fury (House of Embers #1)

Luther left after that announcement, but not before studying my reaction with malicious amusement. Asshole. Kieran clenched his jaw and mounted Hesperos, taking off without another word. Aurelia smirked at me and then followed suit, leaving Ben, Nimue, Gareth, and me all alone.

“You can go on ahead,” Nimue said to Ben. “I’ll escort Selena back to the castle.”

“For what it’s worth, any rider worth their salt won’t let you, uh, fall to your death.” With those comforting words, Ben took off on his dragon.

Nimue patted her dragon, and the brown dragon took off toward the others.

Gareth’s blue dragon followed suit. I watched with a numbness settling in my chest. Luther wanted me to ride one of these monsters, a creature that wasn’t even bonded to me, and therefore wouldn’t feel obligated to protect me.

Nimue patted my shoulder, and I realized at some point she had gotten the horses ready for us, but I’d been too dazed to process it. “Thanks,” I muttered and mounted my horse.

“I’ll talk to Kieran later,” Gareth said. “Maybe we could work something out.”

“Maybe you could ride with Thaleia,” Nimue suggested. “She’d be the best one for you to pair with.”

My heartbeat pounded in my eardrums. “Luther wants me to die.” Of course he did. I was a loose cannon. Forcing me to ride another dragon was probably a way for him to claim there’d been a ‘training accident.’

Nimue grimaced. “We have three days to train you. It’ll be alright, Selena.”

I snorted. “I’m not convinced. Kieran clearly wants me dead. So does Aurelia.”

“Kieran’s… complicated.” Gareth scratched his cheek. “But he doesn’t want you dead. You two just… got off to a rough start.”

“What was Kieran’s deal when I called him a bastard?” I asked. It was easier to talk about that than to think about three days from now when I’d surely fall to my death.

“Because he is one.” Gareth’s lips tightened into a thin line.

“He’s the second son of Lord Caddel. Since he became a dragonsguard, the…

less savory aspects of his past were erased from public record.

” Gareth glanced down at his horse and patted its mane.

“I told you earlier, Selena, but being a dragonsguard has more benefits than you think. Given some time, your failed execution will merely be a rumor.”

“I wouldn’t bring it up to his face again if I was you,” Nimue said. “He’ll make your life hell during training if you do, that prick. ”

I loosed a breath. “I’m not going to put up with his shit just because he’s the captain.” If he wanted to sink down in the mud, I’d join him.

Gareth sighed. “Please try to have some patience.”

“You’re really telling me to play nice?” I raised my brows.

“He’s the one who beat me black and blue.

You’re telling me he can’t handle a little name calling?

” Once I hopped off my horse, Nimue elbowed me in the gut.

I dug my nails into her arms, partially out of vengeance and partially because my thighs ached terribly from the session and I would’ve stumbled if not for my grip on her arm.

Once I was in the safety of my bedroom, I let my mind drift as I lay on my bed for the next two hours, trying to massage the pain away in my legs.

It was even more enraging when I heard chatter coming from the living room.

I huffed and rolled on my side, wincing at the pain that wracked my body.

I barely had any energy to move, and these people acted like it was nothing.

I closed my eyes. How could I survive this?

Because I sure as fuck wasn’t going to let myself fail.

Someone knocked. “I brought you dinner,” Nimue said, her voice only slightly muffled. “You skipped lunch.”

My stomach grumbled, but I didn’t want to get up. “You can leave it by the door. I’ll get it later.” I’d have to hobble to get it. ‘ Pathetic.’ Kieran’s words echoed in my mind, and I flexed my jaw. I loathed that he wasn’t wrong.

I closed my eyes and tried to convince myself I wasn’t miserable when Nimue walked away and left me to my thoughts.

Not even five minutes later, the door flung open.

I hauled my protesting body up and stared.

Kieran stood in the entrance. “You’re not a princess.

We don’t coddle our people here.” He smirked.

“You’re coming to dinner. Consider that an order from your captain. ”

Asshole. But he knew he had me. I couldn’t disobey.

Not without invoking his or Luther’s wrath.

Under his watchful eye, I kept up a blank mask so he wouldn’t see the pain that lingered in my body.

I looked like death, and I knew it. My braids were loose from the workout, but I didn’t have the energy to undo them.

I didn’t even have the strength to change out of my training leathers.

Everyone was already at dinner by the time Kieran and I made it back.

I almost laughed at the image of them all gathered together around a table.

The fearsome dragonsguard, the saviors of Lusadia.

A whole bunch of bullshit. I plopped down next to Nimue, who gave me a once over and then glared at Kieran.

“So glad to be here,” I quipped.

“I’d rather you stay in your chambers, street rat,” Aurelia sneered and took a dainty bite of her steak.

“She’s not allowed to be lazy. Not when she has so much to prove.” Kieran leveled me with a look.

I clenched my jaw. “Just because I’m not a rich fucker like you all—”

“None of us have been tried for treason,” Kieran countered coolly. “Or did you forget you were supposed to burn, Selena? Because the country hasn’t.”

My cheeks flooded with heat.

“This is a fresh start.” Gareth frowned at Kieran before his warm gaze settled on me. “People will try to tear you down. Prove them wrong with a smile.”

“I’m not one for smiling.”

Ben snorted. “No shit.” He cleared his throat when I scowled at him. “One big happy family, right?”

“Did Luther give any other orders?” Nimue asked Kieran.

“We’re increasing patrols closer to the border.” Kieran sent me another unreadable look. Probably hating how much I fucked up his life. “Andova is going to lose their shit now that Umara’s claimed someone. And a loose cannon at that.”

I smiled at him. All teeth.

The next day, my body felt like it’d been trampled by a caravan of carriages.

I hauled myself out of bed and forced my aching body into my uniform.

Now that I had time to think about it, it was weird Kieran hadn’t immediately sided with Luther.

He wanted me dead, so why argue? Maybe it was some sort of pissing match between the two of them, and Kieran’s only issue was Luther commandeering his team. I could see that.

When we got to the training grounds, Kieran was as ruthless as ever.

Even though I expected it, it still sucked.

He didn’t bother hiding his sheer disdain and picked on me.

I ran more than everyone else. Even when I managed not to come in last place, he was still pissed off and made me run additional laps for not being faster.

The man was trying to kill me.

“She’s had enough,” Nimue snapped at him while I laid on the ground and struggled for breath.

“I’m looking forward to the flight.” Aurelia hummed in amusement. “Perhaps then she’ll finally realize she doesn’t belong here.”

I hated that I was too exhausted to argue.

I didn’t want them to think they were superior, but…

how the hell could I ever get to their level?

They were like machines rather than humans.

No. They’re like fae. With their pointed ears, perfect skin, and enhanced abilities, they were completely beyond me.

I looked nothing like them. But I will. And I wasn’t sure if I liked that realization or not.

Kieran dismissed the others but ordered Ben and I to stay behind. He folded his arms and studied us. I willed myself not to feel intimidated.

“How long are you going to stand there silently threatening us?” Ben asked finally. “Because I’m not afraid to admit I’m intimidated. Unless that’s the wrong answer. Then I’m totally not intimidated at all. Proceed on.”

Kieran shot him a look that could make a flower wither and die. “She’s more hopeless than I thought, and at this rate, regular training will only slow down our own growth. You’re the best weapons fighter we have. You’ll give her additional training each day after our own.”

Ben frowned. “Why am I being punished?”

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Ben was an asshole too.

Kieran leveled him with a glare. “You know how dire the situation is. Andova will attack, and in her current state, Selena is useless.”

Damn. He didn’t hold back at all. “Gee thanks, asshole.”

“You have no Gift to wield or experience in the field. Don’t delude yourself into thinking you’re more powerful than you are.

That’s how you wind up dead or getting your team killed.

” He stalked toward me and offered me a blade.

“You have two options. You can accept your mediocrity and die, or you can stand up, swallow your pride, and fight another day. Only the latter will allow you to see your sister again. So, little thief, what will you do?”

I snatched the knife from him.

“Don’t fail me,” Kieran said to Ben. The shadows overtook him, leaving us two alone.

Ben flashed me a grin. “Don’t worry, I also think he’s an asshole.”

Ben wasn’t a monster like Kieran. He had patience.

He didn’t feel the need to belittle or mock me.

Or push me until I wanted to throw myself off a cliff.

And yet… Ben didn’t have the same fire Kieran held.

I could tell that while he took the training seriously, he wasn’t invested in my growth like Kieran was .

Which gave me a hell of a lot more questions that I didn’t want to think about. Because of that, I didn’t question the session and instead slunk off toward the bathing chambers. The shower did wonders for my aching body.

I knew the guards were watching my every move, but even so, the illusion of privacy inside the chamber was nice.

I looked down the stairs. As much as I didn’t want to go back to the dragonsguard’s wing, I needed to.

If they knew I was avoiding them, I wouldn’t put it past Kieran to tell Luther to restrict my movements.

Today was all about breaking me down. I’d seen it in Kieran’s mocking gaze. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. I clenched my hand into fists. My muscles might be screaming at me, but tomorrow, I’d last longer. I’d be faster.

A hand shoved my back.

A shout ripped through my throat as I tumbled down the stairs. I lost control, helpless to the fall. Pain zipped through my body. My shoulder. My head. My ribs. I couldn’t do anything to stop it.

Thud.

I groaned as I landed on my back at the bottom of the stairwell. I turned my head, pain shooting down my neck, and spat blood. For a moment, all I could do was lie there and stare dazedly up at the ceiling. What just happened?

Someone tried to kill me.

The realization turned my veins to ice. I forced myself to my feet and looked up the stairwell, but there was no one there.

“The Father!” Nimue swore from behind me. When did she get here? I blinked, and she appeared before me, a panicked look on her face as she took in the bruises and blood on my face and body. She grabbed my face, tilting it left and right. “Are you okay?”

I batted her hand away, trying to will the nausea away. “Someone wants me dead.” I staggered when I took a step forward and hated how Nimue’s hands hovered around me. “You can’t tell anyone.”

Nimue sputtered. “This is definitely something we should tell someone.”

“ No. ” I gripped her arm, squeezing it tight. “I can’t let them know they rattled me.”

“Selena—”

“Please.” I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, wincing as red stained my hand. “They can’t know.”

Maybe it was Andova who sent someone to try to kill me, but I doubted it.

This was an inside job. Maybe it was Luther.

Maybe he got impatient and didn’t want to wait for a dragon to off me.

Or maybe it was a noble who hired someone.

After all, Umara claiming me ruined their chances of obtaining more power.

My temples throbbed. Nowhere was safe. I couldn’t forget that.

Nimue’s expression hardened. “Fine, but you’re coming to my room. And I’m going to clean you up. Fuck .”

She followed through on her promise and only left me alone for a moment to get a healing kit. “It’d be easier if you let Gareth heal you. He can keep a secret.”

I shook my head. “No. I don’t want anyone to know.

” Maybe it was na?ve, but Nimue was the only one I trusted.

Gareth was nice but even the nicest person could betray you.

Not to mention, Gareth’s family had once aided Andova in the civil war.

They changed their minds and allied with Lusadia at the last minute, but the damage was done.

Since the war, the royals kept the Andros noble line tucked under their thumb.

Maybe Gareth would be eager to prove his loyalty by ratting me out.

“You’re a stubborn idiot.” She rolled her eyes but cleaned the blood on my face and arms. “You should at least tell Kieran. We protect each other.”

I scoffed. “Kieran tried to execute me. And I sure as fuck don’t trust the dragonsguard. None of them want me here.”

“I want you here.”

I swallowed, trying to ignore the lump in the back of my throat. “But maybe your family doesn’t. I’m sure the other Houses and Luther don’t want me here either.”

Nimue’s hands tightened. “Maybe Andova sent a spy. But you’re right.

I don’t think any of the dragonsguard would do this, but for their families…

I wouldn’t put it past them. But Selena, you can trust Kieran.

I know he’s been an asshole to you, but he knows what he’s doing.

He can protect you. You’ve made a lot of enemies.

I’ll watch your back, but… I can’t do it all the time. You need more allies.”

I glanced away. “I’ll think about it.”