Page 105 of Frost Bound

“Yeah? How’s your knee?” she slurred again, Lumi swimming in and out of focus.

“It’s still swelling as we speak. You’ve crippled me. You have more fight than I anticipated.”

“Is that a good thing or bad thing?” Stars, all Lia wanted was a nap. Her head was so heavy.

“Good. You can’t be weak if you’re the queen of the Frost Throne. I didn’t smell fear on you once.”

Lia laid her throbbing cheek against her arm, ignoring Anwen’s little nudges, or how he nibbled at her damp shirt. A chill ran through her body, and she shrugged her left shoulder. “Fear wakes me up. At some point, you must decide if you’re going to let fear rule you. You can run, but the problems and fear will just follow you. Better to meet it head on so it’s not asurprise.” She rubbed the tip of Anwen’s nose with the tip of her pointer finger. “Will we ever have to do this again?”

The giantess grunted. “No.”

“Why?”

“Does the why matter?”

“Yes.”

Lumi sighed. “Because as much as I hate the thought of you here in my home, I would not hurt my brother. And now I owe you a life debt.”

Lia scoffed. “He hates me as well.”

“Maybe, maybe not. Either way, you were his choice, and I will not undermine him. There are many who already do. I won’t allow it to be meeveragain.”

“He’s lucky to have such devotion.”

The giantess eyed her. “And who are you loyal to?”

Lumi is trying to interrogate you. Tread carefully.“I’m loyal to peace and my family.”Truths.

“What if it comes down to one over the other?”

“Then I would have to choose peace, wouldn’t I?”

Lumi pursed her lips. “That easy?”

Dahlia shrugged again. “It’s never that easy.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Neve

The palace wasfull of whispers, and he didn’t like it one bit.

As he moved through the hallways of his courtiers, Bacti peeled away from the wall and fell in beside him, ignoring the look Flyka sent him.

“Back so soon, my lord?” he asked.

Neve grunted, glancing at thevallos. He was almost as tall as Neve, with light lilac-colored skin. Bacti waspretty,and annoying most days, but he was useful. His ties to the northern clans were important.“It was a land squabble. Easily handled.”

“Good.” Bacti laced his hands behind his back. “Both you and ourreillevehave succeeded today.”

Ourreilleve. For some reason, Neve did not like the way he said it.

“What are you getting at?” Flyka asked, irritated.

“Only that she’s proved herself your equal.” Bacti bowed and walked away.

Neve glanced over his shoulder at thevallos, and then to Flyka. “What theqovis he talking about?”

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