Page 21 of Clash of Storms
"What happened?"one of them demanded, dragging the gag from between her teeth.
"I don't know,"she kept repeating."I was hit from behind. I didn't see who did it. I don't know where the princess is."
She'd expected to be questioned, but had hoped the ruse of being knocked unconscious by Árdís would assuage any suspicions she'd had a hand in the princess's escape.
Now they were about to put such theory to the test.
Malin winced as the pair ofdrekishoved through the double doors leading to the throne room.
Queen Amadea stood on the dais beside her twin brother, Stellan, an array of her most loyal warriors around her.
And she was shouting at thedrekiprince Malin had just helped thwart.
"Everything is dangerous right now. We are outsiders in a court that plots against us," Amadea hissed at Sirius, as they dragged Malin closer. "Regardless of your feelings in the matter, we need my daughter back and mated."
"No matter what I must do?" Sirius asked coldly, his back to Malin.
Malin jerked within Lor's grasp. They were speaking of forcing the princess's hand—ifÁrdís was caught.
But even she could hear the distaste in his voice.
"If my brother is so hesitant to do what needs to be done, then why not give another a chance?" Roar called.
The odious bastard made Sirius seem like an angel. Every drekling in the court knew to give the sons of Stellan a wide berth in the court—except for Andri, who bore only his father's looks, not his temperament.
But Roar was an utter wyrm.
Don't ever be caught alone with him, Tove had told Malin when she first arrived at court, not quite daring to meet her eyes.
"You're not my brother," Sirius said, turning a look upon Roar that should have incinerated him on the spot.
Roar swaggered closer, one hand on his sword. "You're right. I'm starting to wonder if there's any of Father's blood in you at all?"
"Enough," the queen cried, slamming her palms on the arms of the throne. "Enough."
Shoving to her feet, she raked the room with a glare. "I will have my daughter back, or I will have the heads of everyone in this throne room."
Not a singledrekimale dared meet her malicious green eyes. The queen was Árdís's mirror image, but there was none of Árdís's kindness or softness in her face. No. Amadea's cold eyes glittered like emeralds; hungry for power. They called her the witch-queen in the rebellion. Amadea alone knew how to weave pure Chaos magic into reality. Nodrekicould stand against her.
Not even Prince Rurik.
"Find her, Sirius. Or suffer my wrath."
"I will do my best, but we all know Árdís is cunning. Where would she go?" Sirius asked. "If I'm going to find the princess, then I shall need some place to start."
"I'm glad you've come to your senses."
"So am I." Stellan stepped forward, looking directly at Malin. "Bring the girl forward."
A hand wrenched in her hair and a scream burst from her lips as Lor dragged her across the marble.
"Let me go!" Malin cried, beating at the mercenary's enormous muscled thigh with her fist.
She could almost sense Sirius take a step toward her, but all she could see was the queen, turning those narrowed, cat-slit eyes upon her.
All her life she'd felt invisible, and it was only in this moment that Malin realized what a boon it had been.
You should have run with Árdís.
