Page 226 of Frost and Death
For some reason, my heart thinks it is Jerrick and lifts, but when I turn, I am reminded I came here for Niko.
I shrivel with disappointment and anger.
Niko’s steps falter when he sees me. He scans my ensemble from head to toe. His stare makes me want to look away, but instead, I step down as he meets me at the foot of the dais.
“Niko—”
“Thank the Makers you’re alright, Tove,” Niko sighs in relief.
He sheaths his sword and rushes to me, holding my arms in place before pulling in and squeezing hard. “I was so worried he killed you,” he whispers.
I ignore his worry, furious he disobeyed a direct order, even when I tried to tell him about helping his uncle. I wiggle to free myself from his embrace.
He catches on and slowly releases me, pain etched in his features. His amber eyes are cool, his hair matted and disheveled from the sweat dripping down the side of his brow.
From running or fighting, I am not sure, but it breaks my heart that I don’t even know the man standing before me anymore.
I raise my voice. “Niko, I told you to stand down. Why didn’t you listen?”
“I did. But Ulrik,hewas the one that—” He stops as my eyes widen in disbelief.
He islying.
My steps move backward of their own accord, and I shake my head as he watches me. “Howcouldyou? How could you do this tome? Tous? To Axidoria?”
Niko’s features darken, filling with malice as he clicks his tongue. “I told you, Tove. I didn’t do this. Ulrik—”
“Stop fucking lying!” I scream.
Niko’s face falls.
“King Bernard told me you ordered them to join you and Ulrik in the throne room. But I don’t even see Ulrik. So, I know this is you. You need to stand down and get out of here while I try to fix this. I am not going to watch more people die. I am not going to watch you and Jer try to kill each other.”
“Oh, so it’sJernow? NotKing Jerrick? OrRick? Or the man whokidnappedyou?” he barks back, anger still etched on his features as he folds his arms.
“At least he didn’t shoot me with an arrow!”
My accusation is met with a swift laugh.
“Oh, we are back to this again,” Niko says, rolling his eyes. “Lovely.”
My brows furrow, baffled by this… this stranger in front of me.
“I missed my target by a few feet, and you survived. Can’t you get over that how you got overhimkidnapping you?” he asks.
“I can’t get over it when the man who shot me is a man who is supposed to love me!” I yell, my magic drawing itself to attention at my pain and truths coming out.
“I’veneverloved you,” he spits, pure wrath burning in his gaze.
My power snuffs out, and my entire world caves in.
Niko’s hardened steel features turn dark and menacing.Lethal.
Trepidation creeps up the length of my spine, my knees almost buckling as the hair on my neck stands with deep foreboding. “Wh-What?” I choke out.
He is lying.
I take a step backward and clench my chest.
