Page 40 of Storm of Desire
"Letme," he gasped, as his father's shocked eyes turned to him. He'd crossed the distance between them in an instant, and it had not been a conscious decision. Control hung by a thread. "Letme do the questioning. Árdís is my betrothed, after all. You want me to be hard? Then let me do this. Let me regain your trust. I'll take Malin to the dungeon and make sure I know every little secret the bitch has ever known. This ismy future we're talking about. If anyone's riding after Árdís, it's going to beme."
"Why not make it a hunt?" Roar mocked behind him. "Whoever brings her back first gets the princess's hand in marriage. I think dear Sirius has already proven he can't keep a mate inhand."
He wanted to gut his illegitimate half brother in that moment. But instead he held his father's gaze, willing Stellan to give Malin tohim.
The only other alternative was to kill every otherdrekiin the room, and as much as thedrekiwithin him surged to the surface, he didn't like his chances in handling over six full-growndrekiwarriors.
Not enough to riskher.
Stellan withdrew his hand from the knife, allowing Sirius to take a slowbreath.
"Do as you will with her then," Stellan commanded. "The girl's yours. But I think Roar has a good point. If you were more careful, the princess would not have had a chance to run. And you've disappointed me enough today." Stellan turned to survey the room. "Let it be known, whichever of my sons brings back the princess Árdís will take the prize; her hand as amate."
Roar smirked as he clasped hands with one of the guards, and another clapped him on theback.
Sirius ignored them, and strode to Malin's side. Sweet Tiamat, Mother of Chaos. That had been far too close for comfort. As she tried to scramble away from him, he snatched her up, his hand curling around her upper arm as he jerked her against him. Thedrekiwithin him stopped pressing at the inside of his skin, determined to get out. It could scent her, and the smell eased its protective urges a mere fraction. Enough to breathe again, anyway. His other hand locked around the back of her neck, and he shoved her toward the enormous golddoors.
It was the first time he'd ever laid hands uponher.
He did not dare allow the act to fall in front of his father or the others, but he allowed his thumb to caress the side of her neck gently, just once, as they left the throne room. The second they were through the doors, she twisted in his grip like a weasel, raking her nails down his arm sharply enough to drawblood.
Sirius grabbed her by both wrists, forcing her back against the wall with her hands pinned above her head. "Be still, damnyou."
Every inch of her soft body melded to his. His gaze dropped, unerringly, to hermouth.
Malin spat in his face. "I'll tell younothing."
"Yes, youwill."
Her life depended upon it. He wiped the spittle from his face with his sleeve, his hands softening on herwrists.
"Careful, brother," Roar mocked, as he passed by, two of Stellan's warriors at his heels. "She might begin to think she has actual claws. You're weak enough to be wounded bythem."
"Anytime you want to challenge me, let meknow."
Roar merely smiled, walking backward with his arms spread. "But only the weaker of the two warriors challenges the other. And I'm not entirely certain I should simper at your feet. Besides, why bother? I'm off to win the princess. Have fun in the dungeons with the half-breed. Perhaps you can challenge me when I return withÁrdís."
Curse Fate. She had to be laughing at him. Allowing Árdís to leave had caused more of an uproar than he'd planned. He couldn't allow this to spiral out of control anyfurther.
He needed the princessback.
Only she could speak up for Malin's protection and escapeunscathed.
"Come with me," he snarled, dragging Malin toward the cellars, though he didn't intend to mark a single hair on her head. Hecouldn't.
What a catastrophe this was turning out tobe.
8
Dawn tipped the horizon.
Haakon leaned on the rail of the ship, watching the harbor. The wind had picked up since yesterday, and the ship rocked slowly beneath hisfeet.
"Well?" Gunnarasked.
Haakon breathed out a sigh. The skies were clear. Not a sign of her on thehorizon.
There wouldn't be, you fool.She might not have managed to get the manacleoff.
