Page 77 of Heart of Fire
Rurik’s head swiveled toward the youth, and he forced his fingers to curl into fists, rather than smashing him flat. “You explainedwhat,precisely?”
“The truth.” The words came out of Andri in a rush. “She’s human and you’re not. You cannot mate with her, or the entire court will turn against you. You can’t defeat them all, and they’ll destroy you for daring to pollute yourbloodline.”
“They can try.” He shoved past the lad, but Andri slammed both hands against hischest.
“No!” the boy burst out. “No. I won’t let you do this. Your people need you. They need their prince. You’re our onlyhope.”
Stillness slid through him. “You have aqueen.”
“We have a monster.” The words tore from Andri in an almost sob. “You don’t understand what has changed. Your mother doesn’t believe in honor, or indrekicode. The strong make their own rules, and only the strong survive Hekla. I didn’t even believe in the power of right, until I saw you again. Until you made me believe it doesn’t have to be this way anymore.” The youth’s eyes filled with tears. “I lost my way, Rurik. Everything you taught me had been ground to dust under the never-ending erosion of my father’s will. I stopped believing. I havedonethings I will regret forever, but it wasn’t until I saw you again that hope gleamed. You tried to save me. You wouldn’t hurt me even when I worked against you because yougave your word. You don’t know what that means tome.”
Rurik’s heart thudded dully in his chest. “If I’d stayed, I would have plunged the entire court into a war it couldn’t cope with.Drekiwould have had to choosesides.”
“Father killed Áki, Príor, and Sámaur.” All of them powerful warriors who might have swayed the court, and stood against Stellan and Amadea. “Marduk fled, and no one has seen him since. The court’s already at war, and nodrekitrusts another, for fear their words will reach Amadea’sears.”
Marduk, the little brother who was named after a god-killer. Rurik froze, turning all his predatory attention upon Andri. Marduk and Árdís were the reason he’d accepted exile, rather than fight. His little brother had been barely across the threshold of adulthood, and no match for Stellan and his sons. Not yet, anyway. “Are you certain he’s stillalive?”
“Árdís seems to think he is.” Andri hesitated though. “She doesn’t say much, and told Amadea she didn’t know where Marduk has gone, but I’ve heard whisper among your father’sdrekithat his heart still beats. As for your sister, my father’s promised Árdís’s hand toSirius.”
Andri’s other black-hearted brother. “What does Árdís think ofthis?”
“What do youthink?”
Árdís would be furious, but with her uncle’sdrekiaround her and no allies, there might not be much choice. Rurik paced, his knuckles cracking. He’d only ever intended to protect those heloved.
Could he kill his uncle? Could he challengehim?
Stellan’s not the dangerousone.
Truth, said hisdrekimagic.
Amadea was queen with Stellan’s backing, and owned the rare ability to manipulate chaos magic. As a femaledrekishe wasn't powerful enough to face physical challenges herself, but with her brother standing at her side, and the ability to rip adreki’ssoul from their body with her magic, who could unseather?
And could Rurik honestly kill his ownmother?
“I’ll think about it,” he said hollowly. This was no small cause he had to commit himself to. And Andri spoke part of the truth. Those who might be his allies at court would balk at seeing Freyja by hisside.
How could he make that choice? He’d only just found her, and she waseverythingto him. Only with her at his side did he feel whole.Drekispent their entire lives searching for their twin flame, the one lover who completedthem.
And he knew now she wasit.
But as prince of his people, he owed them more than he’d given them. How could he stand aside and see his sister forcibly mated, and his brother hunted down and killed? How could he speak of duty and law and right to Andri, when he would not even accept the duty his people needed fromhim?
“My father’s been in contact with me.” Andri hesitated. “I have toreturn.”
“What did he say?” Rurik demanded, in a chilledvoice.
The lad was young, but his eyes were ancient as their gazes met. “Someone must be punished for this failure, and for Magnus’sdeath.”
“He’ll kill you.” Rurik stepped forward, trying to catch his cousin’sarm.
Andri backed away, his lips pressed together in suppressed emotion. “Maybe. Maybe not.” Andri shuddered. “There is a great deal I could survive, and he has already lost one son. Only Sirius and I remain of his legitimate issue, and Stellan is not yet ready to legitimise Roar, or any of the others. If I do not go, then he’ll choose another to take my place.” Thick lashes swept down over his eyes. “He’ll choose my mother to submit to mypunishment.”
No.Rurik bared his teeth. “And the court allowsthis?”
There was no honor in punishing females or kits. Anddrekiyouths were to be cherished, because they were sorare.
“Who can stand against him?” Andri askedsimply.
