Page 48 of A Kingdom of Fire and Fury (House of Embers #1)

“Don’t crowd her,” Gareth barked and hovered his hands over my ankle.

He knit his brows in concentration, and golden light emitted from his palms. I gasped at the spark of energy striking my ankle.

Pressure centered on the swollen flesh, and I bit back a sharp groan.

But the pain faded as fast as it came. And when I opened my eyes, my ankle looked normal.

“Of course she’s a troublemaker,” Aurelia drawled from outside. “She’s a commoner. That’s in their blood. That and savagery.”

“She completed the mission despite a hurt ankle. Unlike you who begged Luther not to come on the mission,” Nimue retorted.

“I won’t allow petty arguments to derail this mission.

” Kieran’s voice was like ice. “We need to understand Selena’s Gift in order to fight the gryphons.

With her power, we can end this war. That’s more important than your ego.

Even Luther knows that. I would’ve thought your noble training allowed you to see that. ”

Aurelia shoved Nimue aside and bared her teeth in a snarl. “You better keep your mouth shut, and that’s an order from your future queen. Don’t forget your place, bastard.” She stalked off, leaving a heavy silence in her wake.

Ben tentatively entered the tent and sat by my bedside, joined by Nimue. Kieran didn’t look the least bit bothered by Aurelia’s words. If anything, he looked amused, like her very being was beneath him. Gods, he’d never looked hotter.

“So what’s the plan, Captain?” Ben asked, his tone intentionally light.

Kieran studied me before saying, “We’ll stay the week as planned, but three times a day, including today, we’ll scout the area to see if any gryphons are nearby.

Then we’ll be able to tell if gryphons are drawn to her presence from a short distance or if they feel compelled to seek her out.

If it’s the latter—we better hope it’s not. ”

I shuddered when everyone looked at me. Gods, I hoped so too.

“We won’t waste time while we’re here. This is not a vacation. When we’re not scouting, we’ll be training.” Kieran’s cold voice left no room for argument. Gone was the man who carried me in the cave and replaced by the fearless captain of the dragonsguard.

Ben groaned. “Come on, we haven’t had a vacation in so long. Don’t we deserve one?”

“You don’t,” Kieran said bluntly.

“Sadist,” Ben muttered under his breath.

“What about taking the first night off?” Gareth suggested. “It’s still around lunchtime. We could take it easy this first day. And then of course tomorrow we can train as normal but still have the evenings off.”

Gareth and Kieren stared each other down while the rest of us watched with bated breath. Finally, Kieran caved with a simple sigh. “Fine. One night off.”

Nimue grinned. “Awesome. Let’s get wasted.”

Ben cheered. “I never doubted you, Kieran. My man.”

“You're not drinking.” Kieran cut him off. “You and I are staying sober. Some of us need to be on alert should a gryphon appear.”

“But our dragons—” this full grown adult whined.

Kieran was merciless. “Should not solely be relied on.”

“Why do you have to throw logic at me?” Ben grumbled.

“You can drink tomorrow. By yourself.” Ben nodded dejectedly. He knew he was lucky to get even that. “The rest of you can drink later tonight after dinner,” Kieran added.

After Nimue and Ben left to patrol, Kieran and Gareth remained in the tent. “Make sure you're careful on that ankle. Even though it’s healed, you should still take it easy for the day.” Gareth glanced between us and frowned. “I don’t want her training tomorrow.”

Gareth, my savior.

Kieran smirked as he met my gaze. “Then she can train twice as hard the day after.”

Gareth, you asshole. Look at what you did.

Gareth avoided looking at me and kept his expression perfectly blank as he left me to my misery. Absolute traitor.

That left the two of us. In silence. “What?” I asked when a handful of minutes passed.

Kieran scowled. “Do you want me to leave?”

My breath caught my throat. No, I wanted to say, but that was crazy.

Gods, why was I being so weak willed? A tentative truce in the caves shouldn’t make me forget everything that happened.

Kieran couldn’t be trusted at his word. I needed him to prove it with his actions.

“If you want to stay so bad, you can stay.”

He huffed a laugh. “You need to be more careful. I won’t always be there to catch you when you fall.”

“Going against your promise, aren’t you?” To protect me until I could do so myself.

He rolled his eyes. “Never. That doesn’t mean you can let yourself get weak. Or reckless.”

The words should’ve stung, especially after his asshole ways during training, but weirdly enough, they warmed my chest. Kieran wanted me strong, and I didn’t begrudge him for that.

Especially since I very well might be gryphon chow.

“Do you think I draw gryphons to me when they’re nearby or…

or do you think they’re actively hunting me down? ”

I couldn’t stop thinking about his words. If the latter was true, I’d never be able to reclaim Clara in good conscience. It’d hurt, but I’d have to let her stay with Wes. Gods, even then, there was a good chance Luther would send me off into the woods somewhere and leave me to my fate.

Kieran took my hand, stroking my veins with a delicate touch that made my pulse skyrocket and heated my skin.

“It’s been weeks since this manifested. If you are a beacon to gryphons, not just a target via proximity, then they would’ve already swarmed the castle.

Of course, we’ll verify that, but the odds are in your favor, Selena. ”

“What if you’re wrong?” I whispered .

Kieran met my gaze. “Then I’ll protect you.”

I believed him. That was the craziest thing about it all. Even if protecting me was to his detriment, he’d do it. Because that was the type of man he was. Because the moment I became a part of the dragonsguard, I was his. And right now, I didn’t mind it. Hell, I might’ve craved it. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me for that. It’s human decency.”

But it wasn't. It was so far beyond that. But like the coward I was, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him that.