Page 214 of A Queen This Fierce and Deadly

He still didn’t look at me. But the corner of his mouth tipped up. “It means enough,” he said.

An inconvenience, I’d called him. A loose end. I’d said he had no future in our kingdom, and I’d seen how my words had cut at him even as he tried to hide it.

“There’s a place for you in Lyrinore. If you want it.”

Zathrian sliced a glare in my direction. After a long moment, his eyes widened. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because I killed your mate. Your husband. Because Eadric killed your friend. Because I would have happily killed you. Because I’m a threat to your throne.”

A deadly snarl cut through the night. Zathrian flinched.

I just sighed. “Lorian—”

“Tell her again about how you’re a threat,” he crooned, leaning over my shoulder.

I glanced toward the fire. Galon stared stubbornly back at me.

Sighing again, I turned back to the posturing males. I elbowed Lorian in the gut, and my cousin gaped at the action.

“You said youwouldhave happily killed me,” I said to Zathrian. “Do you still feel the same?”

“No. You don’t have to believe me. But no.”

“Then the offer stands. But there would be rules in place.” This was, after all, the same man who had killed an innocent man simply for watching him under our orders. The same man who would have murdered everyone I loved. One day, I might be able to forgive. But I would never forget.

“A blood vow,” I said.

Lorian radiated approval.

Zathrian just stared at me, as if he still couldn’t understand.

“Let me know your decision before we leave tomorrow,” I said. Taking Lorian by the hand, I pulled him away.

“That crown looked good on you, by the way, wildcat,” Lorian murmured in my ear. Ah. A change of subject so I would overlook his unhinged behavior.

Fine.

“You’ve got a matching one waiting in the capital,” I said. “So don’t feel too smug.”

He looked pained by that, but he kissed my cheek.“Rythos wants to talk to you. And then you should get some sleep.”

The Arslan had wasted no time taking their dead and returning home. Madinia had told us about how she and Rythos had been caught attempting to escape with Miric— and the fleet. For reasons they still couldn’t understand, Brevan had defied his father and chosen to fight with us.

“But if he attempts to make Rythos fulfill that bargain, I’ll castrate him,” Madinia had muttered.

Rythos was waiting near the water, his hands in his pockets. He offered me a faint smile when I approached, but his expression was tight.

“Brevan…he’d decided I was to return to the island in exchange for the Arslan ships, but for some reason, he changed his mind.”

“That was the bargain Madinia was talking about.”

He nodded. “I can never return to Quorith. I don’t want to. But…there’s something I have to tell you.”

I waited, and he sighed. “I did what I’d sworn I would never do. I used my power on my father’s council.”

It was clear from the expression on his face that he didn’t need soft assurances.

---