“Evening, dear sweet Io,” she said, disdain dripping off her words.
He tried to swallow down the lump in his throat, failing.
“Oh, don’t worry, I’m only here to help.”
Surprisingly a short burst of laughter bubbled out of him. “Seriously? You’re going to help me?”
Ran’imy clenched her jaw, anger flashing in her eyes. But as quickly as it came on it vanished, replaced with another smile falling flat of sincere. “Okay, I’m just as unhappy with this as you are, why make it worse for me? I’ve come here because Cinder asked me to. I am merely following my alpha’s orders.”
“And those are?”
“For you to come with me,” she stepped aside, gesturing for him to continue on. “He has requested your presence at Blackstone Manor.”
Skeptical, having been the punchline to one too many of Ran’imy’s pranks, Io hung back, hesitating, unwilling to take her at her word. “How do I know you’re telling me the truth?”