Page 86 of Storm of Desire
"As a matter offact...."
Haakon hauled a large leather-wrapped bundle from the back of the horse and tore the buckled straps open. A strange crossbow-like shape emerged, and Haakon snapped the limbs open, sliding several metal pieces intoplace.
"You're not seriously thinking you can bring one of them down with an arrow?" Árdís saw the answer on his face. "It wouldn't even penetrate theirhide!"
"Not an arrow." He unwrapped the other side of the leather roll and revealed exactly what he intended. "I told you. I hunt dragons for a livingnow."
A strange mix of horror and respect filled her as he slid the grappling hook into place, and attached a wheel with a thin steel rope wound around it. Three sharp prongs gleamed with lethal intensity at the end of the hook, but they were designed to attach under the edge of armor-plated scales, not to penetrate them. Haakon's hands moved with brutal intensity as he fit it altogether, snapping pieces into place and locking in metal pegs that were clearly designed for thepurpose.
A device built to foul adreki'sgreatest weapon; its ability tofly.
"Brought my first dragon down with this in Norway," hesaid.
"No! There are three of them, and I cannot help you." She'd never felt more hopeless. Her fingers found the edge of the manacle, but all she managed to do was bruise the skin at her wrist. "If I could just get this damned thingoff!"
"We'vetried."
"Use your sword," she hissed, her gaze cutting to the skies again, before she realized he'd frozen.What is he—?"Not that like that, you fool! I don't want you to cut my hand off! We have to break the bracelet. The only way we can fight is if I'm free to use mymagic."
Haakon took her by the wrist. "Árdís, just trust me, willyou?"
"It's not you I don'ttrust."
This was her worst nightmare come to life. They'd kill Haakon, and it would be all her fault for getting him mixed up in thislife.
One of thedrekiscreamed out a challenge, cutting through the clouds as it began to spiral downward in a tauntingcurve.
Roar. The heat drained from her face. Correction.Hewas her worstnightmare.
"You're going to get yourself killed!" She turned on him, her finger stabbing toward the sky. "That mottled-gray overgrown bat is my illegitimate cousin, Roar." Her tone turned pleading. "Sirius has just enough honor left within him to make bargaining with him reasonable. And some of the othersmightnot kill you just for the joy of it. But Roar is every single one of my uncle's worst instincts bred intodrekiflesh.Please.Please, just run. I'll give myself up to give you time to get away. But please don't dothis."
A muscle in his jaw jumped. "I'm not leaving you behind. Notagain."
"Don't be a hero! I don't want to see youhurt."
"Then what makes you think I want to see you in the hands of a man you're terrified of?" hebellowed.
"I'm not frightened for my own sake," she declared. "He won't hurtme. He wouldn'tdare."
Haakon's eyes hardened, as if he saw the hopelessness in her eyes. "Breathe,Árdís."
And then he captured the back of her head, and dragged her up onto her toes. Their mouths met, his lips claiming hers in a scalding kiss that quite stole herwits.
Then it was over, and Árdís swayed as her heels touched the groundagain.
"I don't know how that's going to help me breathe," she murmured, touching her swollen lips with a startledhand.
The flat look her husband gave her was one she knew all too well. Of all his traits, that hardheaded, pure sense of stubbornness drove her mad. She might as well argue with the tide when Haakon wore that expression. "The decision is made. I'm not going anywhere, and that is final. For heaven's sake, Árja, I need time to prepare. Stop arguing with me andhelp!"
She swallowed down the lump of fear in her throat. "What do you want me todo?"
He showed her, and they set about anchoring the end of the grappling hook's chain to a boulder. Haakon moved with frightening precision, but Árdís couldn't take her eyes off the skies as thedrekioverhead drifted lower in slowcircles.
She grit her teeth at the sheer mockery inherent in the gesture. Roar was taking his time, as if to taunther.
"You know them better than I do," Haakon said. "Tell me their weaknesses. Tell me how to playthis."
"Aim for Roar," she told him. "You need to take him out of this fight if you're to have anychance."
