Page 57 of A Queen This Fierce and Deadly

I wanted them away from Prisca.

She studied my face. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Soon, wildcat,” I promised.

Rythos heaved a sigh. “You’ll be parted for an hour or two at most. This is getting ridiculous.”

Ignoring him, I pulled Prisca to me for another kiss. Perhaps I could throw him out.

She poked a finger into my chest, and I raised my head with a sigh. “Fine.”

Her laugh seemed to caress my skin as I closed the door behind me. Stalking down the empty corridor, I made my way toward Galon’s rooms.

I was instantly surrounded. Jolting away, I drew my sword, sweeping my gaze over my attackers. The men wore maroon and gold, weapons in their hands. They’d clearly already come from a battle, all of them covered in blood.

If they’d taken the castle, they would be aiming for Prisca.

I slashed out with my sword…

And my blade sliced into one of Rekja’s walls.

The air froze in my lungs.

My blade had also cut into the throat of one of the Eprothan soldiers. But where there should have been a man lying dying on the ground, choking on his own blood…

There was nothing.

I was completely, utterly alone.

9

Madinia

Calysian helped me search for the hybrids. They had left obvious tracks—branches broken, footprints in damp dirt. And they likely hadn’t managed to run very far. Without his help fighting the iron guards, all of the hybrids would have been slaughtered.

Perhaps I should thank him. It went against most of my instincts, but…

Turning to him, I found him glowering at me.

“What?”

“Where is the hybrid queen?”

“Busy calling our allies to war.” I gave him a warning look. I was allowed to speak critically about Prisca. This man had not earned that right.

His dark eyes glittered. Either with amusement or annoyance, I wasn’t sure. The man was irritatingly difficult to read.

Somewhere in the distance, a child was wailing. I barely hid a flinch.

“Thank you,” I ground out, my gaze on the forest ahead as I picked my way over a fallen branch.

“Look at me.”

My muscles locked up. This man needed to learn that I didn’t take orders.

“Madinia,” he crooned. “Look at me.”

I took a long breath and turned, attempting to ignore the way his low voice had made my lungs squeeze. This man was a predator through and through.

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