Page 64 of A Dagger of Ice and Intrigue
I wanted to see what that mind of hers concocted without having to avoid my many, many,manyguards. I’d seen her in the maze, I already knew she was a flighty, sneaky thing when she wanted to.
But what would she do when she was weak and desperate? That’s when someone’s true colors showed.
With the hearing the ritual had given me, I listened to her race down the halls, barefoot and stubborn as when I’d left her over an hour ago.
But The Huntress was a crafty one. She’d found the staircase leading to the roof. I’d had to send Sylvester after her, in casethat stubbornness bordered on hardheadedness and she decided to take her chances against gravity.
I truly didn’t put anything past her–except senseless murder.
She could have tried to kill me in the maze.
She hadn’t.
She didn’t seem to have the bloodlust some Clan heirs prided themselves on.
I also didn’t want her to feel like she’d woken up in a prison. As much as I despised the arranged marriage contract and wished the contract to burn with the power of ten thousand stars, I couldn’t ignore the very real, very troubling possibility that The Huntress might spend more time in my fortress than I’d anticipated.
With her Clan falling apart, we couldn’t even have one of those royal marriages, where each person ruled their own city and saw each other for weddings and funerals.
That future sounded even grimmer than the one where I had to watch my back for her inevitable scheming.
Neither option was appealing, though. My mother had always warned me to marry for love, not politics.
Your heart is too big, Ry. Be careful who you let see it, her tender voice whispered in my ear as clear today as it had been more than ten years ago.
And here I was, feeling like I was spitting on her grave. Again.
“The Huntress can barely stand,” I said instead. “Until she’s rested and had some food, she will be no threat to anyone.”
“What about those dangerous powers of hers?” Nadya asked.
“She’s too depleted.” Not a lie, but not the whole truth.
I suspected there was something very wrong with The Huntress’ powers. Except for the protective ward at the wedding, she hadn’t used them at all during the attack. And I had been able to freeze her body with the barest effort.
I’d anticipated facing a blue storm as soon as she woke.
Chairs flying my way.
Being flailed alive.
But I’d seen the fear in her green eyes. It had tugged at my soul in a way it shouldn’t have.
I was supposed to just check she was breathing, tell her the new room was ready, and leave. But she’d stood there, looking completely powerless and undefeated at the same time, and I couldn’t help but stare at this unbelievable creature which had woken up in my lands.
Like a goddess of revenge risen from her eternal slumber.
Thenshehad attackedme.
Yet here I was, feeling guilty, more than an hour later, like I hadn’t crushed men for lesser offenses.
Because I’d deserved it.
She’d lost her father, her crown, and her home in a few short days.
In my fortress, I was the hero protecting everyone and our magic against the Northern Clans.
For The Huntress, I was the villain she’d woken up to after her life crumbled.
