Page 41 of A Dagger of Ice and Intrigue
My dad was dead.
“Don’t leave me,” I sobbed and arched myself into him, as if I could protect him from every danger in this world.
I was too late.
He was gone.
“Not like this. Please. I’m not ready. Please!”
I wasn’t ready to face a world without him.
I wasn’t ready to let him go.
I wasn’t ready to lead our Clan.
“Please,” I whispered in despair, clutching his body to me, as the mist finally enveloped us and everything went dark.
I wasn’t ready for any of this.
Chapter
Nine
THE COMMANDER
The return bell aboard the Blood Brotherhood ship rang louder, turning shrill.
Neither of us moved, the air tense and cold.
“You can’t be serious.” I exhaled loud enough to rattle the stone cliff we’d taken refuge under for this infuriating discussion.
The wounded had been escorted aboard and were already tended to. The dead were reverently placed in the lower deck, for their last journey and a proper warrior funeral back in Phoenix Peak, the Blood Brotherhood throne of power, where tradition and blood ruled all.
Or should have.
This was a time for mourning.
Not deranged schemes which could bring a Clan war.
“I am,” Zandyr said evenly. “I know this is a difficult request.”
“Difficult? It’s impossible.” I stared at the heir and my closest companion like he’d suddenly been replaced by a replica. Onethat suddenly didn’t listen to reason. “I amnotbabysitting that Vegheara brat.”
Soryn sighed as his dark eyes looked at the disgruntled sea stretching before us. “Technically, you’d be guarding her.”
I growled in reply.
“One could say…” he went on, undeterred. “Protecting her.”
“Don’t,” I said curtly. “I’ve helped you patch up too many of your battle wounds for you to try and pull those tricks with me.”
Soryn knew exactly which threads to pull on. While I admired that skill in him most days, I didn’t want it poisoning my mind now.
Thankfully, he also knew when to shut up.
The ship bell rang louder.
We were being called back.
