Page 40 of Clash of Storms
But alldrekiavoided his territory.
Just in case he was not.
"Fáfnir's not fond of your princess," Sirius told her sharply, his eyes flashing. "Her father overthrew him. He'd destroy her for that alone if he had the whim. And while he's an ancient, powerful foe, I'm adrekiin my prime. I'm not frightened of him, Malin."
"Oh, of course not." She was enjoying herself far too much. "That's not why you're hesitating at all."
A growl echoed in his throat. Malin bit her lip, knowing she was stirring the pride of an arrogantdreki, but unable to resist.
Sirius's jaw tensed, as if he were physically restraining his temper. "If I enter these lands it will result in a fight. Nodrekicould allow another male to enter his territory without disputing it. Perhaps I could destroy him. Perhaps he would end me. But either way, we'll tear the skies and the earth to pieces. The storm our powers will cause would split the skies for days. You would be crushed beneath our feet, Malin. And if he thought—for one second—I was protecting you...."
Sirius edged closer, looming over her. Behind him, a distant rumble of thunder echoed, as if his temper lashed through the skies.
Malin's breath caught.
Sirius merely stared.
"I think Árdís knew I couldn't follow her," he whispered. "She's taking a bloody fool risk just to avoid me."
"You could catch her if you took to the skies," she pointed out.
"You'd like that, wouldn't you? The second I launch into the skies, I know you'll vanish."
"I didn't know you cared."
"You're going to lead me directly to the princess."
"If you fly over Fáfnir's territory, you might catch her and then you won't need me at all."
An angry knot formed between his brows. "I'm not the onlydrekiout here, Malin. I'm just the only one with a vested interest in keeping you alive. What do you think would happen if my brother and his friends caught sight of you?
The heat drained from her face.
His dangerous voice softened. "Roar thinks you know where Árdís went. The last time he saw you, I was supposed to be interrogating you. What do you think he'd do if he saw you out here alone?"
The Blackfrost took an almost threatening step toward her, and Malin couldn't help retreating.
He froze, the ends of his hair starting to lift with static. Power brewed within him, answering the call of the flickering thunderheads above them.
She could feel the tension on her skin, all the little hairs on her arms lifting. The storm within him called to her, curse herdrekiblood.
"I will not leave you behind, Malin. And I dare not enter Fáfnir's territory. But it doesn't matter. Árdís has been moving in a straight line for days. She has a destination in mind, but something drove her to take this side excursion, and I suspect it was the glimpse of adreki. If she's heading north, then there are only three points where she can leave Fáfnir's lands."
Lightning crackled in Sirius's eyes as he glanced toward the north.
"If we go around, we'll be able to travel faster on these human roads than she can. And we'll be waiting for her."
9
Malin had to do something to divert Sirius.
She rode in his arms as he urged Iškur into a ground-eating canter, trying to conceive of a plan to stall him.
Steal his horse? No. She'd only enrage him, and he could fly faster than she could gallop.
He was too big to knock unconscious, and she was no warrior.
Think, damn you. What are his weaknesses?
