“Not really. But I don’t understand why you would do this when my death would be a much easier solution.”

Hauk wasn’t sure either. His emotions were all over the place. Yet the one thing he kept coming back to was the futures of Thia and Darice.

Keris had been cut down before he had a chance to live. To see his own son born. Hauk didn’t want to deprive them of that. They had a lot more to live for than he did.

Honestly, the only future he had was hellacious and cold. Even a tortured death at Kyr’s hands would be better than what awaited him at home. He’d already had more than his fair share of Dariana’s “compassion.” He really didn’t want any more of it.

Sooner or later, we all die. And he’d rather go out for a good reason than a bad one.

Clearing his throat, he lowered his tone so that neither child could overhear him. “Two reasons. One, but for whatever accident befell you, I’d be dead already. You had the drop on me and we both know it. And two, if you found me here, someone else might. In the event I go down, I want to know that they’ll make it home alive and unharmed.”

Sumi wasn’t sure what to think of him. The one thing she’d never expected from him, especially given the way he fought in battle, was this degree of humanity and love.

Not from an Andarion male who had plenty of reasons to want her dead, and more than an easy opportunity to do it. It defied everything her sister had told her about their species.

But there was no missing the dark torment in his eyes. The relegation to die in order to save his family that stung her with its remorse. He was so unexpected.

And yet…

“There’s only one problem with your noble offer.”

He quirked a brow at her.

“I’m no longer a League assassin.”

His other brow shot north.

Sumi fell into the role Kyr had demanded she play so that she could gather intel on him. “I escaped them. It’s why I’m here. I’m in hiding. I didn’t find you. You found me.”

Oh yeah, that was a scary look. But beneath his fierce scowl was doubt as he tried to ascertain whether or not she was lying to him.

And she was a terrible liar. The only thing that might save her was the fact that he didn’t know her well enough to guess the truth.

“You expect me to believe that?” he asked.

“Why else would I be here?”

“To kill me.”