Page 110 of Clash of Storms
This was it then.
"I'll have your word no harm shall be done to Andri. By your hand, your instruction, or your desire. I will allow you to take my life if you protect his."
"Done."
"No!" Andri howled, and the sound of flesh striking flesh echoed behind him.
"Not just yet." Sirius gave a faint squeeze of his mental fist, and felt both Stellan's and Roar's hearts clench in their chests. "I want a blood oath from all of you, sworn to the Goddess herself."
Stellan went to his knees.
Behind him, he heard Roar gasp.
"Stellan," the queen snapped. "Stop it. Stop it, right now. I'll give you your oath." Turning to thedrekiat her side, she held her hand out. "Your knife! Give me your cursed knife!"
Setting it to her palm, she slashed the knife down. Blood welled and the queen clenched her fist. "In the name of Tiamat, I swear no harm shall be done to Andri by myself, your father, brother, or the members of this court. I shall protect Andri myself, and if he is struck down, then the Goddess may take me too."
She allowed a single drop of blood to spill upon the white marble floors.
Thunder boomed in the distance as the Goddess accepted the pledge. Once. Twice. Three times.
And Sirius finally released all his threads.
The veil lifted, heat suddenly rushing through his veins again. He came to, kneeling on the floor as the queen helped Stellan to his feet.
"Dea," Stellan rasped.
"It had to be done," the queen said, trembling a little. She cut Sirius a merciless look that promised retribution. "Release Andri."
Sirius found himself surrounded by a forest of drawn swords as he pushed slowly to his feet.
"We accept your terms," the queen purred. "Your life is ours. Your body is ours, to do as we wish with it. But death will not come swiftly, Sirius. Not yet, anyway."
And then Roar kicked his feet out from under him.
Sirius's hands slapped the marble floors of the throne room, every instinct in him demanding he fight back. He gritted his teeth and swallowed the yearning ache to destroy his illegitimate half brother.
He'd promised, after all.
A boot smashed into his ribs. Another. All the guards taking this chance to mark their spite in his flesh. Sirius curled his arms around his head, submitting with his teeth clenched together. Pain screamed through him. A boot slammed into his jaw and his head snapped back as he hit the floor.
"Sirius!" Andri's voice came from far away. "Stop! Let him up!Stop!"
A broken child crying out.
Time to be a man, little brother.
"Don't interfere," he told Andri on a thought-thread. "I didn't just save your life for nothing.Get out of here. Go to Rurik. He'll protect you."
Then he lost the connection as someone kicked him right under the ribs.
It seemed to go on forever. Blood sprayed across the floors, and his hands slipped in it as he tried to protect himself.
A knee dug between his shoulder blades, and Roar yanked his head back with a fistful of hair, pressing the blade of his knife to Sirius's throat. He could barely see through the swollen press of his eyes, but a blur of green slid into view.
The queen.
The malicious heart of this court.
