Page 86 of A Dagger of Ice and Intrigue
All of it had been true.
Silas.
The lies he spread.
My beloved Aquila under his control.
But notallof Aquila.
“You’re welcome,” he muttered as low as me.
It seemed we were both more comfortable with cutting words than soothing ones.
“What was my Uncle–” I spit the word out.Usurper. “–talking about our marriage?”
Silas had made it seem like a done deal.
And it couldn’t have been.
Nobody in their right mind would pair the Protectorate heir, official or not, to a Blood Brotherhood Commander–
“The raven arrived this morning,” he said gravely, gaze so fixed on me, I was almost sure he could read my thoughts and uncover my plan. “Our marriage will take place–or both of our Clans risk the Clan Council’s wrath.”
I stared at him, this man who’d intervened on my behalf, even though he hadn’t needed to.
The one I was about to betray in just three days.
A stark understanding reflected between us.
The Clan Council’s wrath meant dark, ancient magic nobody but the Magistrates knew how to control.
Our Clans would be destroyed.
We would be killed.
Our civilians slaughtered, our lands seized, and our traditions incinerated.
“I can’t marry you.” I stiffened my spine and tilted my chin as high as it could go. “We are enemies.”
“The Clan Council doesn’t care,” he said. “I don’t want to marry you either. But I will if it means my Clan’s survival.”
That smarted. It shouldn’t have, I wanted to marry him even less, but smart it did.
Pride was a dangerous, fickle thing.
At least I hoped it was pride.
There had to be a way to stop this marriage.
Or at least delay it.
If I had to marry someone to protect my Clan, I would.
But, first, I needed to make sure I still had a Clan to protect.
For that, at least, I finally had a glimmer of hope.
As I stared at The Commander, my heart faltered in the rhythm it had kept since Orion had delivered his secret message.
