Page 115 of Storm of Desire
Stellan's lips pressed firmly together. "How dare she slight her bloodlines likethis?"
She'd not truly considered him a threat until now. Merely a bedmate her daughter despoiled herself with, and a means to toy withÁrdís.
It's thehuman.
HaakonDragonsbane.
She should have killed him when she'd had the chance. Now Árdís would be on her guard, and she didn'tdare.
Amadea turned, her leather skirts sweeping behind her with a faint serpentineswish. "Tell me," she whispered, "about the human. Tell me about the fight. Every littledetail."
Roar complied, and a thought began toform.
"What are you thinking?"Stellan asked, his eyes heavy-lidded as he surveyed hisbastard.
"She only resorted to her magic when the human's life was threatened."Amadea's eyes narrowed. "I don't think she's trained at all. I think she was desperate, the same way I was when I tore grandmother's soul to shreds. You were my catalyst to push me over the edge into Chaos. Just as the human ishers."
"It's been mere days,"he scoffed."She couldn't have formed an attachment to him in such a shorttime."
"Has it been mere days?"Amadea turned to confront him, and the room fell silent, as if they all sensed their words were no longer being heeded."She was unaccounted for during three entire years.Seeing the world, she said. Spreading her wings. I didn't pay enough attention to her. I've never paid enough attention toher."
She'd never expected Árdís to be thethreat.
"My queen?" Roar dared toask.
"Find them," Amadea said, turning back to the mirrors. "I want the humandead."
It would shatter Árdís's newfound confidence. Make herweaker.
"But what of her magic?" Roar asked. "We can't fightthat."
"You won't have to," Amadea said coldly. "When you find her, you will contactme."
"And we will handle it," Stellan murmured, his gaze meeting hers once more."Don't do something foolish, Dea. She might be yourmatch."
Never.
"I'll bring her back," Roar promised. "She will be my mate. And then I shall repay her for this." He gingerly touched his rawcheek.
The queen merelysmiled.
Poor boy. He thought she was going to allow Árdís tolive.
Chapter 21
Haakon tooka slow breath of relief as the enormous volcanic peak of Krafla came intoview.
Árdís peered around him, her arms squeezing him tight. "We're here. We're finallysafe."
The breath eased out of him. The ride had been fraught, with all of them watching the skiesclosely.
"I cannot wait to see Rurik," she breathed, giddy with happiness. "Do you think his mate will likeme?"
Freyja was as different from the princess as the sun from the moon. "She'll like you," he said, unable to avoid a smile. "I should warn you though. She'll probably put you to work cleaning thebarn."
"Barn?" Árdís's chin rested on his shoulder as she tried to see hisface.
"She made your brother clean her barn for her, while he was courtingher."
