Page 81 of A Dagger of Ice and Intrigue
Behind the palaver, the Commander went very, very still.
Shit.
“That’s not what I heard and I’m getting the best information fast,” Silas said. “They treating you right over there?”
“I don’t even know wherehereis. But yes, no torture. Yet.” I rolled my shoulders back. “I want to come home before that becomes a reality.”
By the window, the Commander scoffed, but mercifully kept his powerful gaze from straying my way again. I didn’t need the extra scrutiny and the goosebumps on my arms right now.
“There’s no rush, Allie,” Silas had the nerve to say. “You’ve worked hard enough, you deserve a vacation.”
“Avacation?” The blood rushed in my ears. “I wastakenby the Blood Brotherhood. I’m kept in a frozen crater I can’t get out of, and I didn’t even get to witness my father’s funeral.”
“Tragic, that.” Silas shook his head and grimaced, like he meant it. But he wouldn’t have been sitting there if he had. “Alaric went much too soon. But all we can do now is move forward and make sure he would be proud of us.”
The blood began to roar in my ears. It sounded like a warning.
“Move on?” I whispered. “He was your brother.”
“Olderbrother. I always knew he would go before me, I had my entire life to get used to that,” he said. So casually. Like my father’s death wasn’t a momentous scar not only for us, hisfamily, but for the entire Clan.
“Did you find out who killed him?” I asked, voice now as cutting as if it could travel the entire continent and maim Silas for me.
“Sadly, no.”
“Did you even try?”
“Now, Allie, the Protectorate is going through a very hard time–”
“Then come get me so I can help.”
Silence, while Silas worked his jaw. Behind him, Orion exhaled through flared nostrils, moving closer to the throne and eyeing the stranger as suspiciously as I did.
“See, Allie, things are complicated on that front,” Silas mumbled. “There are reports the Serpents want revenge, I haveto protect Aquila. We can’t spare the soldiers we’d need to send after you. Think of the Clan, Allie.”
“No soldiers for the heir of the Clan?”
Silas pursed his lips.
Behind him, Orion grimaced, looking even more menacing.
The strange man didn’t even bother to look my way.
“What are you doing on my throne, Uncle?” I asked.
Silence engulfed us.
Silas at least had the good sense to fidget on the throne that was too large for his short, grubby arms to look properly regal on.
“It’s not your throne anymore,” he said and broke my heart.
I closed my eyes, my entire world crashing around me once more.
My hands shook beyond my control.
A coldness unlike any the crater could stab me with spread through my entire body.
The Commander hadn’t lied.
