Page 30 of The Savage Queen

“Who are you?”

“Forgive the intrusion,mo Lúra,” he said, the baritone of his voice rattling the frozen roses hanging from the chandeliers above. “I am Greum. I’ve come to escort you to my lord.”

“Where is Dagfin?”

“You mean theFaerakprince?” The bear tilted his head to the side. “Don’t fret,Skalla. He’s in good company. I dare say I don’t think we’ve ever…housedso many princes beneath his lordship’s palace.”

Aisling hesitated, studying the bear’s expression.

So, this fae king had caught her brothers as well.

“This ishispalace then,” she said, lifting her chin even as the behemoth of the bear straightened onto his hind legs and stared down at her. Its miraculous armor clinking as it moved, engraved in blade-sharp snowflakes and thorns.

Greum laughed. “Everything the ice touches is his palace. His domain. So long as your breath mists from your lips, you are subject to my lord.”

“I am subject to no lord.”

The bear laughed again, falling back onto all fours and shaking the ground. Aisling kept her balance, grasping at one of the bed posts.

“If it weren’t against my lord’s wishes I’d have the flesh torn from your bones by now.”

“Only after I make ash from your hide.”

Greum grinned. “Your threats amuse me. Usually thieves aren’t so reckless.”

“I’m no thief.”

“You stole thedraiocht.”

“It was given.”

He scoffed. “Thieves are usually liars, I’ll give you that.”

“And usually beasts are not so long-winded.” Aisling crossed her arms.

“Even so, you’ll find your fires carry little weight while in his lordship’s presence. You may be strange,Skalla, but you’re young yet. Your powers are a flicker in comparison to the ages-old strength of his lordship.”

“Take me to your lordship then.”

“Very well,mo Lúra.” Greum bowed his head in mock respect. “Follow me.”

The bear heaved his massive form, turning to the mirrors once more. Without hesitation, he stepped through a rippling, shimmering surface till he disappeared entirely. Leaving Aisling glaring at her own distorted reflection.

Aisling swallowed the stone in her throat.

Closing both eyes, she reached for the mirror. Her first hand sunk through, then the next, whatever lay on the other side impossibly colder than her chamber.

Aisling focused, gathering the courage to plunge through the mirror and through to the other side.

DAGFIN

Thank the Forge for Ocras. Otherwise, Dagfin would’ve woken to find his bones frozen.

TheFaerak’s eyes flickered open, appraising his new surroundings for the first time. He lay in a chamber of stone, blocked off from the open courtyard beyond by bars that rosefrom the earth in jagged, thin pillars of ice. A prison cell, Dagfin realized.

“Aisling,” he said absentmindedly, at once searching his surroundings for her. But she was nowhere in sight.

“Where are we?” a voice groaned from behind.

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