Page 43 of Clash of Storms
She turned to Iškur, prepared to remount, but Sirius captured her by the upper arm.
"Malin." His voice roughened as she looked up in shock. The Blackfrost loomed over her. "I don't want the princess. I never have. She means nothing to me."
The wrong thing to say. Malin tore her arm from his grip. "Then why do you insist upon tracking her down? You do not want her, but you won't let her be happy or—"
"Happiness is for those who are not born to royal bloodlines. You've spent years throwing my title in my face, but have you ever considered it is not a boon to be adrekiprince, but a burden? Árdís knows this. I know this. I don't have a choice. I have always known I could never choose a mate of my own. My father chose my mother for specific purposes. As he has chosen Árdís for me." His lips quirked bitterly. "It would have been Magnus if they'd thought Árdís would accept the match, but she despised him."
"She despisesyou."
"We had an agreement."
Malin set both hands to his chest and pushed. It wasn't fair. "Clearly Árdís has decided to take her chances. I don't give a damn about what your father wants. And neither should you. Damn it, Sirius, this is wrong!"
"I know it is wrong." He captured her wrists holding her hands against his chest. The wind whipped his long dark hair back, and for a second fury blazed in his eyes. "You have no idea how wrong it feels, no idea, Malin."
"Then refuse," she whispered. "Tell your father you won't do it. Set her free, Sirius."
His head bowed, as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. "I can't."
"You mean, you won't." She took a deep breath. "What if I were to make it worth your while?"
He almost broke his neck, his head snapped up so fast. Iškur snorted at the sudden movement, dancing aside.
"Whatdid you just say?"
"You heard me."
She tried to send him a seductive smile, but her heart was pounding fit to burst out of her chest. Malin swallowed the hard lump in her throat as she tentatively slid her hand down his chest.
His eyes narrowed.
"Just what are you up to now?"
"What do you think I'm up to?" Irritation roughened her voice. Was she doing this wrong? Did henotwant her? Malin took another deep breath. "If you set her free, then I might... I would perhaps be amenable to... to a kiss."
"Fuck," he cursed, under his breath. "Are you serious?"
"One a day."
"A kiss each day in exchange for giving up everything?" His voice roughened. "Tempting, Malin, but why not raise the stakes? Are we bargaining here?"
"I cannot give you anything else." Why had she even bothered? Of course he wouldn't be interested in mere kisses. "I'm not.... I don't have a great deal of...."
"Experience?"
She nodded.
His eyes darkened, as he leaned toward her. "You propose a trade? You will grant me a kiss if I allow Árdís to go free?"
"Yes."
"There are several clear problems with such a scheme—Roar, for one—but to put this in terms you might understand.... I find your offer quite insulting."
Malin's mouth gaped.
"I'm not interested in something that isn't given freely," he said coldly. "And I'm not interested in receiving a kiss as fucking payment. I—"
Sirius slowly lifted his head.
