Page 125 of Storm of Desire
Árdís curled against her brother's side, and he squeezed hershoulders.
"I've missed you," she said. "Somuch."
He rested his chin on her head, and breathed in her scent. "I noticed. I can still feel how much you missed me. Right in theribs."
"You deservedthat."
Ruriklaughed.
Slowly it faded, and Árdís rubbed a hand to her chestagain.
"How do you initiate the bond?" she askedsoftly.
Rurik reared away, hand held up. "This is something older brothers don't talk about with theirsisters."
"Rurik, please," she begged. "I've lain with him many times before. It cannot simply be bedding him, or it would have alreadyhappened."
He appeared to give it great thought, a hint of red creeping up his throat. "That's partly to do with it. I don't.... I don't precisely know. I wanted to claim Freyja, and she returned the sentiment, but it was mostly instinct. You said you're feeling territorial. Perhaps that's all you need? To run with those feelings and...." He coughed. "Where is Marduk when you needhim?"
"I don't know," she whispered sadly. "He's been gone for over tenyears."
Rurik's eyes locked on her face, and then he dragged her into another hug. "I've felt him out there in theworld."
"So haveI."
"He'll come back, Árdís. Oneday."
She pressed her cheek against his chest and listened to his heart. "Perhaps he'd come back if you staked a claim upon the throne and fought forit?"
A grumble echoed in his chest. "That wasn't evensubtle."
She smiled a little sadly. "You don't know what the court is like, Rurik. They need you. We need you. You only have to look at what they did to Marek to knowthat."
"First Andri. Now you." A sigh escaped him. "I cannot fight her and win," he whispered. "I've been thinking of what to do all month as I healed from my fight with Magnus. I can't fight all of them. AndFreyja...."
Árdís looked up. The confession was torn from him, and she knew he was fighting his mightydrekipride in admitting such athing.
"It's not a weakness to ask for help," she said. "The reason they've ruled the court for so long is because they're together. Mother provides the magic, and Stellan the muscle. They're seemingly invincible. No onedrekicould ever face the pair of them and survive. But perhaps you need to stop thinking you need to face them alone." She bit her lip. "There's one thing I haven't told you.... One thing that might be able to sway the tides ofbattle."
His eyes sharpenedintently.
Árdís climbed to her feet, taking several steps before she closed her eyes and reached for that swirling energy deep within her. Once unlocked, the door in her mind seemed to open swifter every time she reached for it. Power slammed through her, completely unlike the elemental magic everydrekicould manipulate. It was like riding a bucking horse, or a ship through a fierce storm. The power fought her at every turn, twisting and sliding through her metaphoricalhands.
She feltinvincible.
Wild.
Destructive.
Andunstoppable.
When she opened her eyes, she saw her brother gaping at her, as her spiritdrekiformed above her, spreading its etherealwings.
"Mother's not the only one who can wield Chaos," she whispered, feeling the very earth beneath her feettremble.
* * *
I'll think about it,Rurik had said, lookingtroubled.
