Page 186 of A Dagger of Ice and Intrigue
I was struck with the impulse to hug him.
My body actually swayed from wanting to lurch forward and being held back.
“Only one way to find out,” I muttered. “Let me decide what kind of monster you are.”
Until I knew what this whole situation was about, I couldn’t make any promises. Some actions had no excuse.
“Very well.” He licked his teeth, gaze darting to a spot just above my shoulder. “I had to see them today because they entered my realm unannounced and uninvited.”
My stomach clenched. A Clan trespassing on another’s territory was a grave crime. “Why?”
“Because they’re arrogant idiots.”
“Apart from that. Why now?”
That damn silence fell between us again. I wanted to cleave in two, but only he could do that.
“Because,” he said, words sounding forced and heavy. “They feel like they’re not getting their share and that I’m stiffing them.”
I frowned. “Share of what?”
Possible Clan war? Snow? Arranged marriages?
Because the Blood Brotherhood wasn’t in the best political state right now. Better than the Protectorate, for sure, but not great from what Ryker had told me.
“Share of what I promised them.” He swallowed deeply. “In order to secede peacefully from the Northern Alliance and protect all bloodshed, I promised them continued access to the fallen star’s magic–and now they want more.”
Chapter
Thirty-Nine
RYKER
I’ve always prided myself on telling the truth, no matter how uncouth or blunt others considered me, but this one tasted like acid in my mouth.
I, the so-called Blood Brotherhood Commander, who was supposed to lead the army if Zandyr fell, second-in-command only to the feared Dragon, had made a bargain instead of going to war.
It seemed so logical back then.
I’d been freshly named leader of the Starhollow Clan, still mourning the passing of my mother–the only real family I had left and the only one who’d truly cared for me–and trying to contain the disease which had swept through the crater and taken too many of my people and our resources. Still too green and inexperienced for such a decision, but with a hatred in my heart that demanded it.
The Northern Clans were enemies to me in everything but the name.
There had never been any love lost between Solkar’s Reach and the rest of them–aside from my mother falling in love with my father, for some inexplicable reason–but their refusal to aid us the one time we asked for help had burned through the disgusted indifference, leaving only hatred between the ashes.
We’d helped them through famine, floods, and landslides. I’d risked my own life to save Ashrift civilians when a mine had caved in.
But they wouldn’t allow us mere passage through their lands and my mother had paid the price for it.
I wanted to rid myself of them once and for all.
But Beren–whenever there was mayhem, Beren was always behind it–had known what power he’d have to give up if I joined the Blood Brotherhood.
Whataccessto power he’d lose, because the bastard couldn’t move one pebble on his own without sipping from the heart of my land.
The Northern Clans threatened to wage war Malhaven hadn’t seen against my people unless I allowed them to keep accessing the power through the veins hidden deep inside the ground.
And I agreed.
