Page 252 of A Dagger of Ice and Intrigue
To my shock, the troll nodded gravely.
“Damn.” Dax whistled behind me. “Sorry for calling you a beast.”
Keeping my front to the troll and gathering my bows and arrows, I stepped back and back, until I neared Dax. Then I placed a hand on his shoulder and dragged him back with me.
Only when we reached the edge of the forest again did I snap my fingers. The blue tendrils vanished.
The troll roared, but it didn’t seem menacing anymore. More like testing its throat.
My body tensed as it grabbed the fallen mace.
Instead of swinging it around, the troll let it rest by its side. Then he leaned down and took the satchel. It looked like a toy in its massive hand.
With another nod, one that spoke of a promise it couldn’t voice, it hurried in the direction opposite from the city.
I sighed in relief and swallowed deeply. I hadn’t even noticed my mouth had gone bone dry.
Dax hummed. “This wasn’t the welcome I expected, but I guess it’ll–”
I slammed into him, knocking the air out of his lungs in a surprised wheeze. He smelled of home. Of warm Aquila evenings and crisp mornings.
He was here and he was alive.
Dax returned my embrace, sighing against me. “It’s good to see you, too, Allie.”
“I thought you were dead,” I choked out, all the fear I tried to suppress boiling to the surface.
“Heavens, no. I just–”
I leaned back and pinched him. “Why did you make me worry, then?”
“Ouch.” He rubbed his shoulder. “I didn’t mean to, but I was kind of preoccupied withcrossing the entire continentto find you.”
“How did you find me? How did you evenget inthe crater?”
“Oh, cousin.” Dax gave me that charming grin of his. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
I crossed my hands in front of my chest. “Try me.”
He reached in the pack strapped to his back. “Later. First, I have a gift for you.”
My heart soared. “Did you find the parchments?”
“Yes, all of them. But this is better, in my oh-so-humble opinion.”
“I don’t want a gift.” I huffed. “I need answers.”
“Trust me. Youneedthis one.”
My irritation melted into disbelief as Dax pulled out the one thing I never thought I’d see again in my life.
Dax grin widened as he held it up with both hands, like the sacred object it was.
Grandpa Constantine’s missing crown.
Forged in the Ember Vale from the iron of a cannon which had once saved Aquila.
The fiercest weapon in the Protectorate.
