Page 47 of A Dagger of Ice and Intrigue
Our weapons’ master would not take this new reality kindly.
“Discovering what this poison is–and a cure–is our top priority,” Zandyr commanded like the true heir he was.
“One of our priorities,” I said.
They all turned toward me.
I stepped closer to them, eyes travelling over Calyx. His huge body was shaking, sweat pooling at his temples.
This poison wasn’t of this world.
Elysia bared her teeth. “What’s the she-beast doing here?”
“Making my life more complicated than it needs to be.” My arms tightened around The Huntress. Her blue dress looked so out of place between the Blood Brotherhood red and gold adorning Zandyr’s room.
I steadied her on one arm, took out the leather pouch from my armor, and handed it to Elysia. “Give this to Calyx when he wakes.”
Because hewouldwake. The gods weren’t that merciless.
She gave me a curious look. “What’s this?”
Our undoing, if we’re not careful.
“He’ll know.” He would be the only one who could and I trusted Elysia not to open it. “And nobody else can until then.”
Zandyr’s knowing gaze raced over me. Of course he’d sensed something was wrong. “What happened?”
“Alaric is dead,” I announced. “Stabbed straight through the heart.”
Zandyr narrowed his eyes. “Impossible.”
“I carried his body myself. He was assassinated in the middle of their blasted maze,” I said. “And now we’ve stolen their Lost DaughterandThe Huntress.”
An ugly silence filled the room.
“This complicates matters,” Zandyr muttered in that detached tone he used when his mind was flitting between one solution to the next.
“Perhaps she wasn’t the main target after all,” Soryn said, cocking his head to the side. Analyzing. “Or she’s next on the kill list.”
“Let them take her,” Elysia hissed, patting her hair. “If it weren’t for the bloody Protectorate, Calyx would be standing next to us right now.”
Calyx moaned again, as if trying to argue.
Relief rushed through me.
If he could still bicker, even in babbles, he would recover.Howwas the question.
“We need to hide her until we reach the fortress. Whoever attacked the island might come after our ship.” I gazed down at The Huntress. My newward. She looked so small and defenseless in my arms.
“I have an easy fix,” Soryn said. “If someone wants to kill her, best everyone thinks she’s dead already–”
“I amnotsticking her down there with the dead.” I rumbled. Even if I had no love for the Vegheara family, nobody deserved to spend days in such grim conditions. “I’ll just hide her in my room and be done with it.”
I’d slept in worse conditions than on a rocking deck and the thought of our unwilling stowaway in my bed calmed some of the dread which had stuck to me from the massacre.
“There’s a better option than traumatizing the First Daughter for life.” Soryn jerked his chin at the corner behind me.
I turned hesitantly, already knowing what I’d find there.
