Page 219 of Frost and Death
“Jerrick!” Jonas shouts with alarm.
“Yes?” Jerrick calls back to the door, pulling the bedsheet up to cover us with barely a second to spare as Jonas rushes in.
“The castle is under attack,” Jonas says, panting and out of breath. “Bannermen arrived moments ago, trying to break in, and there are noblemen attacking the guests inside the castle walls.” He points down the hall.
“What?” Jerrick asks, stunned and unprepared.
He jumps out of the bed, neglecting his nakedness as he scrounges around for the closest articles of clothing. Jerrick grabs the pair of pants he wore last night, giving Jonas and mea full view of ass as he pulls them on, then laces the front and reaches for his sword.
“I heard some of the noblemen chanting to bring forth you and Tove,” Jonas adds.
Jerrick fastens his belt and weapons with quick efficiency. “Any idea who is attacking us?”
“Niko,” I whisper as realization sinks in.
Jerrick and Jonas stop their movements, pivoting to me.
I meet their stunned faces, as a knot of dread forms in my gut. Niko did not listen to me, and I did not have a chance to tell Jerrick everything.
Fucking consequences.
Jonas asks, heavy with trepidation, “Wh-What did you just say?”
I clutch the sheets, glancing at Jerrick, who is already piecing together a story before I can force words out.
Malice drips from Jerrick’s words. “Youknewhe was going to do this, didn’t you?”
My tongue ties, refusing to compute words as my mind runs rampant. No, no. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Shaking my head rapidly, I try to explain myself, to explain everything.
Niko was supposed to stand down, wassupposedto listen to me. I told him I knew how to help his uncle. I was going to tell Jerrick everything this morning.
No one but me was supposed to get hurt.
But the words refuse to come. I stutter, my gaze flicking to Jonas.
His face is lined with hurt and betrayal and my heart cracks with remorse.
“I-I,” I fight out, reaching for Jonas, for him of all people to hear me out, to allow me a moment to explain.
“Jonas, give me a moment with mywife,” Jerrick orders.
Jonas glances at me once before looking to his brother, his king, with another question filling the room and adding to Jerrick’s anger. “What about—”
“Gather all the men and women who can fight. I will be down shortly,” Jerrick seethes so viciously that Jonas flinches, stepping back toward the door.
Jonas stops to brave one more look at me. Betrayal or goodbye, I can’t tell, but he takes a piece of my heart with him.
As Jonas leaves, Jerrick rushes to the door, slamming it. He scans the room for the tunic he wore last night.
Fear surfaces as I push down my emotions, rising from Jerrick’s bed and wrapping the entire blanket around me. I swallow down the bile rising.
“Jer,” I plea for him to hear me out.
But when he pulls the tunic over his head and looks at me, anger and something else blazing behind his eyes. “Was this all just a silly political game for you? Was this—” He gestures between us.
The walls close in on me as my skin turns cold, Jerrick’s hurt pinches and tightens his features in anguish and despair.
“Was this all adistraction?” he demands.
