Page 35 of Fate's Wicked Oath

I stiffened, unwilling to display any reaction to the revelation that we shared the same Fates-given gift. I’d had a suspicion that his heightened sense was touch—it was important to observe all that one could about one’s enemy, and there had been signs—but the confirmation made me respect him slightly more. Traveling the countryside was uncomfortable, and he hadn’t complainedonce.

“And secondly,” he went on, “I grew up with noble parents who were a love match, surrounded by four sisters obsessed with court gossip, in a house filled with romance novels. I come by my romanticism honestly.”

Despite myself, I found Faren’s sentimentality—and his comfort with it—almost charming. In my Order, men didn’t emote—except through violence.

“Fourolder sisters?” I clarified. “Perhaps you’re tougher than I thought.”

His eyes seemed to sparkle. “Aside from sword fighting, they taught me everything I know.”

His apparent fondness for them struck something in me, like a mallet on a bell.

Down below, the wolves were still squabbling. From the woods, hoots and cracking branches echoed. We were in aterrible, cursed place, haunted by trauma—yet up here, in Faren’s easy and teasing company, the wretchedness felt distant.

A quiet yearning rang through me, one I rarely allowed myself to listen to. “I have two siblings,” I admitted. “A brother and a sister.”

Faren stared at me as if I’d barked. I expected him to make a joke about my opening up—Did you just share something about yourself, Mariana? Have the Fates arrived to bring the end of times?—but all he said was, “What are their names?”

“Bard and Rosie.”

“Let me guess,” Faren said, studying me. “You’re the eldest.”

I arched a brow.

“You have all the qualities of an older sister.” He raised a big hand and began counting on his fingers. “Terrifying. Fiercely protective. Harsh. You think you know what’s best—”

I took a single step toward him, lifting my chin. “Idoknow what’s best—”

“Natural leader,” he said with amusement. He raised his other hand to continue counting. “Exacting. You carewaymore than you let on—”

“That’s enough.”

“Tender hearted,” he enunciated.

“How dare you.”

He guffawed heartily. The moment seemed to rise like a tide, lifting us up—but then it receded, leaving us back on solid ground. On a stone tower in the middle of a ravaged town.

Faren ran a hand through his hair and faced forward again. “What happened here, Mariana?”

I swallowed thickly.Thiswas why I rarely allowed myself nice moments—they only made the return to reality more painful. “You read the Valiant reports, didn’t you?”

“Yes. They didn’t explain much beyond the basic facts.”

“Which were?”

“Abominations have been gradually spreading from the Western Wood into townships; Yar being the closest to the forest made it easy prey; the Valiant arrived too late and with limited forces, and the town was overrun.”

I shrugged. “That’s about it.”

“Lord Haron believes this is a failure of your Order, and I can’t say I disagree,” Faren said, taking in the wreckage. “But I’m willing to listen to your side of the story, if you’ll tell it.”

I slipped back into casual animosity as easily as I’d slipped into my sword belt this morning. “Why, so you can glean more leverage against me?”

His smile was weak. “I know you think I’m all talk, Mariana. I know you think I’m just here for a promotion, or glory, and I admit that the furthering of my career is a motivator, but the truth of the matter is that I care.” His tone grew forceful, earnest. “I care about peace and prosperity for all the citizens of Fenrir—and I think you do, too. We might disagree on the method, but do not doubt my conviction. I want to make things better. I’mtrying.”

I let out a long exhale, letting my gaze lift to the sky. Pale clouds drifted across a backdrop of deep blue overcast. Every so often, a star poked through, then disappeared. The moon brightened and dimmed, shining through the cloud cover, making everything appear pallid and ethereal.

“The Valiant had been observing increased activity near Yar for months before the infestation,” I said at last.