member for each direction, what does that make me?”
“You are the center of the compass,” Xander answered. His voice was smooth, darker than usual with an undertone that gave me delicious chills.
Goddamn him.
“Are you sure you’re giving me a task force to help find who’s threatening Anya?” I paused to sip my coffee. I needed a caffeine boost. “Or are you having me choose my own babysitters?”
“Do you
need
babysitters?” Xander said in that same infuriating tone.
“No. I don’t.”
Xander sighed and clamped his jaw shut. I noticed the muscles working in his jaw as he ground his teeth together. He pushed his chair out from the table and threw his delicate linen napkin down before nailing me with an accusing glare. His purposeful stride as he all but stomped out of the dining room let me know that my mood had, in fact, rubbed off on him.
“What was that all about?” I looked from Xander’s now empty chair to Raif, who was watching the doorway as if he expected his brother to stomp back into the room.
Raif shrugged, but turned his attention to his own breakfast in a way that made me think he knew exactly what Xander’s pouty routine had been about. “I stacked the files in order.” He indicated the pile of folders. “Top recommendations first, and so on.”
I mopped up the last of the syrup with French toast and popped it in my mouth before pushing the plate away. Damn. I was still hungry. I really did need to take better care of myself. I slid the files in front of me, noting how neat and precise each one had been kept. No doubt to Raif’s standards. I wondered what he’d do if I spilled coffee on one of them. And I didn’t dare mention that I hadn’t bothered to look over any of the files yet. “All trained by you?” I asked as I opened the first file.
“For the most part.” The pride was unmistakable in Raif’s tone. “Though my brother made a suggestion or two. All are fine warriors.”
Of course they were. Raif would never settle for anything less. “By what criteria did you base your picks?”
“Skill in battl [kille foe, stealth, intelligence. I wouldn’t have you working with an unseasoned trainee or upstart who might be tempted to question your authority.”
Gee, thanks for your undying faith, Raif.
“Afraid your troops won’t take kindly to me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Raif’s face became the serious mask of the warrior that frightened so many. It was the expression I admired the most. “They know an order from you is as good as an order from me. But remember, Darian, there was a time when even you didn’t think twice about questioning me.”
True. I’d been a little full of myself the first time I’d met him. But it hadn’t taken long before he put me in my place. No one fucks with Raif. I flipped through the first file, and the second, and then the third. Each new candidate seemed as good as the last. How would I ever make a decision? “Maybe you were right about seeing these guys in action.” Not that I liked admitting it. “I’m not getting anywhere reading their stats. I might as well be looking at baseball cards.”
“I figured you might say that. They’re assembled in the gym.”
Always prepared. Raif was a goddamned Boy Scout. No need to sit around reading about his carefully handpicked troupe of Shaedes. Time to see the goods firsthand. “Let’s go.”
* * *
The gym was silent when we pushed open the double doors. The kind of silent when you know everyone was talking about you moments before. They may as well get an eyeful while they had the chance, because five of them were going to get the boot.
Like good little soldiers, Raif’s candidates lined up against the far wall, feet braced wide and hands clasped behind their backs. Expressions of inspired awe crossed their faces when he entered the gym, and I couldn’t help but smile. Raif was indeed inspiring on many levels. Identical in dress, the candidates would’ve put a
“You are the center of the compass,” Xander answered. His voice was smooth, darker than usual with an undertone that gave me delicious chills.
Goddamn him.
“Are you sure you’re giving me a task force to help find who’s threatening Anya?” I paused to sip my coffee. I needed a caffeine boost. “Or are you having me choose my own babysitters?”
“Do you
need
babysitters?” Xander said in that same infuriating tone.
“No. I don’t.”
Xander sighed and clamped his jaw shut. I noticed the muscles working in his jaw as he ground his teeth together. He pushed his chair out from the table and threw his delicate linen napkin down before nailing me with an accusing glare. His purposeful stride as he all but stomped out of the dining room let me know that my mood had, in fact, rubbed off on him.
“What was that all about?” I looked from Xander’s now empty chair to Raif, who was watching the doorway as if he expected his brother to stomp back into the room.
Raif shrugged, but turned his attention to his own breakfast in a way that made me think he knew exactly what Xander’s pouty routine had been about. “I stacked the files in order.” He indicated the pile of folders. “Top recommendations first, and so on.”
I mopped up the last of the syrup with French toast and popped it in my mouth before pushing the plate away. Damn. I was still hungry. I really did need to take better care of myself. I slid the files in front of me, noting how neat and precise each one had been kept. No doubt to Raif’s standards. I wondered what he’d do if I spilled coffee on one of them. And I didn’t dare mention that I hadn’t bothered to look over any of the files yet. “All trained by you?” I asked as I opened the first file.
“For the most part.” The pride was unmistakable in Raif’s tone. “Though my brother made a suggestion or two. All are fine warriors.”
Of course they were. Raif would never settle for anything less. “By what criteria did you base your picks?”
“Skill in battl [kille foe, stealth, intelligence. I wouldn’t have you working with an unseasoned trainee or upstart who might be tempted to question your authority.”
Gee, thanks for your undying faith, Raif.
“Afraid your troops won’t take kindly to me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Raif’s face became the serious mask of the warrior that frightened so many. It was the expression I admired the most. “They know an order from you is as good as an order from me. But remember, Darian, there was a time when even you didn’t think twice about questioning me.”
True. I’d been a little full of myself the first time I’d met him. But it hadn’t taken long before he put me in my place. No one fucks with Raif. I flipped through the first file, and the second, and then the third. Each new candidate seemed as good as the last. How would I ever make a decision? “Maybe you were right about seeing these guys in action.” Not that I liked admitting it. “I’m not getting anywhere reading their stats. I might as well be looking at baseball cards.”
“I figured you might say that. They’re assembled in the gym.”
Always prepared. Raif was a goddamned Boy Scout. No need to sit around reading about his carefully handpicked troupe of Shaedes. Time to see the goods firsthand. “Let’s go.”
* * *
The gym was silent when we pushed open the double doors. The kind of silent when you know everyone was talking about you moments before. They may as well get an eyeful while they had the chance, because five of them were going to get the boot.
Like good little soldiers, Raif’s candidates lined up against the far wall, feet braced wide and hands clasped behind their backs. Expressions of inspired awe crossed their faces when he entered the gym, and I couldn’t help but smile. Raif was indeed inspiring on many levels. Identical in dress, the candidates would’ve put a
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