Page 30 of A Bond of Ice and Glass
I’m so tempted to punch him until he snaps out of this shit.
“She wasn’t soft,” I growl at him. “She was fierce and kind… Fuck, Loch—you’re my brother.”
He lifts his chin, sneering at me. “Didn’t you call Erax your brother right before you stabbed him in the back?” I wince at that, trying not to show he’s getting at me. “Yeah, so really, hearing the wordbrotherfrom you should be more of a threat than a compliment. Should I watch my back now,brother?”
I grit my teeth. Betraying Erax was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I had to do it and I still didn’t do it right. I could have shot him in the head, in the neck, the heart—anything so he bled out—but I went for his chest. I went for somewhere I knew he might survive, and I fucked up.
Erax recovered within days, from what I’ve heard, and the first thing he did was call the dragons out to fight for him. Every rider, in every direction, looking for their queen. The reward for her is ridiculous, as is the threat of what will happen if she isn’t found alive. I fully believe Erax will burn the realms to ash before killing himself to join her in the afterlife. Erax is chaos, and chaos should never be able to rule. He needs to be dethroned and his dragon killed.
Mae’s dragon hasn’t been seen, which is what I was expecting to be our biggest threat. Their bond was unexpected, and witch magic cannot mess with what lingers between a dragon and their rider. Something tells me if I don’t find her dragon first, she’ll find us, and it’ll be over.
I lower my gaze. “You know, I grew up for the most part in Erax’s shadow. I followed him, climbed at his side into the witches’ fortress and helped him steal fourteen dragon eggs. One became my dragon, one became his, and the rest went to his loyal riders. They bred under his castle with the help of magic, and he waited a few years before taking his revenge out on Mae’s family. I flew with him that day. I killed thousands andburned for him. Erax wanted the mines gone, not caring that the witches’ treaty with Mae’s parents relied on the mines being open and providing them their crystals for spells. He demanded freedom, even if it cost war. The witches hate Erax for two reasons, and while he is king, we are always threatened. I hate myself for what I did, but I will not betray you, Loch. This is what is best for the kingdom. Everything I do is for the kingdom.”
He doesn’t offer me anything back, just staring at me with an apathetic look in his eyes.
“I’m worried about the queen. That’s why I wanted to talk to you.”
“Why?” He cocks his head to the side. “And her title is princess. Not queen anymore. She isourprincess. Not his fucking queen.” She will always be his queen. Erax has a claim over Mae more than Loch does. He hates that, and jealousy will destroy my brother if he isn’t careful. “Why do you care so much about her that you are doubting your own brother?”
Because from the moment I saw Mae, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Her rose gold hair that’s like nothing I’ve seen before. She’s smart, beautiful and hot-tempered. All the traits I love in my women. I hate to admit it, but I want her as mine even though I know it can never be. But that isn’t what this is about. I saw how she fell in love with Erax, how the two of them were together, fire and ice clashing constantly, but it was almost like they needed each other to thrive. I’ve never seen anything like that, and I know she couldn’t just forget him. Not without Loch using too much magic. Then we risk losing Mae entirely.
Loch puts his drink down and moves slightly closer. “You think I don’t know your real answer?” he growls in my face. “She belongs to me.”
If he was anyone else, I’d gut him for saying that.
“You’re pushing her too far.” I keep my tone neutral, despite how much he’s pissing me off. “Whatever spell you’re using is hurting her. You know it yourself. You’ve seen how pale and tired she is. She’s throwing up all the time, and she was barely eating to begin with. If you care about her like you say you do, then you need to back off with the magic. Yes, she will remember him, but we can work on convincing her our way is best.”
“She is stronger than I thought…” Loch muses, right in front of me, like I’m not even here. “And it takes a lot to break her. But Iwillbreak her.” His eyes flash up to me. “I willnothave her remember him. She’s mine, and that’s all that matters. Soon, we’ll kill Erax and then I’ll be the one to marry her. I’ll stop the magic then. Until then…” He waves a hand dismissively. “It’s simply necessary.”
“Simply necessary?” I clench my fists tighter. “You could end up killing her!”
“I know what I’m doing.”
“The fuck you do!”
I glare at him. He stares back, but fury flashes in his eyes.
This was never part of the plan. Keeping Mae to help build an army was one thing, but marrying her? She has no idea what she wants. But even I know it’s not Lochlan. Not in that way. Fuck, she sees him more like a brother. He’s just too blind to see it.
“It will give me a legitimate claim to the throne that won’t mess with yours,” he says. “And we’ll rule in peace. I’ll get her pregnant in no time. You’ll have your corner down here, and I’ll have the rest. Isn’t that what we agreed on?”
He wants to be king. I should have known it, seen it, but I didn’t. I was naive to think he only wanted to help our people.
“Did Mae agree to it?”
“Who gives a fuck what she wants?” he snaps, his eyes turning black. He squeezes the bridge of his nose. “You wouldn’t understand! You’ve never been in love with anybody. You don’tknow what it’s like to do anything for them, even if they don’t understand why you’re doing it. But that’s okay. Because she’s mine, and I have plans that will secure peace for both our kingdoms.”
Our kingdoms? He doesn’t have one! I don’t know what to say as I watch him walk away, dismissing himself now. “See you around, brother.” He lingers on the wordbrotherlike it’s a threat to me now. “Thanks for the talk.”
He leaves my door wide open as he walks out. I curl my hands into fists, turning to look out of the window. I’m not sure how long I stare at the cloudy skies, but it soon begins to rain, and a chill slithers down my spine.
What the fuck have I let my brother become?
I don’t hear her come in, not until a haughty voice echoes across the room.
“You seem pissed and look pale. What did your darling, sweet brother do this time?”
