Page 47 of Storm of Desire
"Do you need any help, my lord?" one of the guards asked, peering around Sirius with a leering quality to hisgaze.
"I can handle this," Sirius saidcoldly.
"Are youcertain—"
"Certain." He slammed the door in the guard's face and turned toward her. "Let me make one thing very clear. Your life is mine, rightnow—"
"Then take it," she declared, lifting her chin and meeting his eyes. "For I won't betray my princess, even if I had any idea of where she'd gone. Though I don't blame her for leaving. What sane woman would ever mate withyou?"
If anything, his alpine blue eyes narrowed to slits. He glided toward her, the menace radiating off him and sucking the heat from the air. Alldrekihad some power over the elements, though their abilities varied. Sirius was pure frost, brought to life indrekiform. A demon of ice, who cared for nothing and no one. Malin trembled, but she wouldn't stepback.
She wouldnotcower.
Even as her breath began to fog in the suddenly frigidcell.
"If you don't tell me what you know, then you're condemning Árdís to death—or something worse," he said, his hand coming up to grip herthroat.
"Why should you care? And what's worse than being sentenced to a life asyourmate?"
He held her there, but the grip was not harsh. No. She almost thought he flinched. Once again his thumb made that odd stroking gesture it had in the throne room. Malin gasped as the prince's face lowered toward her, so she could hear his whisper. "I'm trying to help you survive this," he hissed under his breath. "Why are you making this sodifficult?"
"Why should I not make this difficult?" She grabbed a fistful of his shirt, trying to gain her balance. "You call me a 'nobody' but I'm a woman with my own hopes and dreams, and I'll be damned if I'll go down without afight."
The entire court looked at her as if she were filth. Only Árdís had never pitied her for the lack of the ability to shift, and to fly. Only Árdís had ever treated her as if she were anequal.
"I will never,ever," she snarled, "reveal a single one of Árdís'ssecrets."
Sirius glared at her, and it was only then she felt some trace of heat radiating off him. Her fist clenched in his shirt, and her knuckles brushed against his chest. His skin was warm against her fingers, and his thighs crushed her skirts. It left her feeling remarkably off-balance, in more ways thanone.
"You care for her." He soundedsurprised.
"She's my princess, my hope." Malin shivered, for the way he was looking at her was not at all the way he usually did, as if she were some insect to be crushed beneath his boot. "She's the only true heir left in this rotten court, and when her people rise, they'll crush you and the cursed blight of your family fromexistence."
Dark lashes fluttered down to hide his eyes, and his mouth softened. "Careful sweetheart," he murmured. "You're starting to talk about rebellion, and if my father catches a glimpse of it, he'll crush every bone in your body to discover thetruth."
"What little is left of me," she whispered, finally feeling the nerves bubble up within her, "once you're done withme."
The Blackfrost was not the sort ofdrekione denied. Sirius lurked in the shadows, as his father's personalassassin.
Or so it wassaid.
"I'm not going to hurtyou."
That hand softened, and slid around to cup the back of her neck. Suddenly Malin was clinging to him in truth, to avoid falling flat on herbackside.
Her heart started beating a littlefaster.
None of this was going the way she'dexpected.
"No? You heard what your father said. And if he thought you were harboring a traitor, he'd string you up beside me. Why should youcare?"
Sirius glanced behind him, and she knew he could sense the heartbeat pulsing beyond the door.Drekiears were sharp, but their words were barely a whisper. Even so, he leaned closer, breathing in her ear. "Because you don't have to tell me Árdís's secrets. I know she left last night, using the southern cellars that lead to the servant's portal. I know she's going after her mortal husband. I was there. I let hergo."
Malin staggered back as he releasedher.
Splayed against the cell wall, she stared at him. He'd let the princess go? "You'relying."
"You know I'mnot."
