Page 91 of Clash of Storms
All her life at court Malin had heard stories of the exiled prince who should be sitting on theZinithrone.
But this was the first time she'd ever laid eyes upon Rurik.
The prince soared toward them with Árdís at his side, two speckled dots on the horizon, as she and Sirius waited for them on the border of Rurik's territories.
Everything was rushing to a head. They'd beaten Stellan here, but what now? Sirius intended to try and talk the princess into returning, but Malin knew Árdís too well.
The fight between the two forces was brewing, and she didn't know how to stop it—or how to save Sirius. They'd been arguing ever since they got here, and it was like butting her head against a rock wall.
And yet none of it mattered.
If this was to be goodbye, then she could not leave without saying goodbye.
"Thank you," Malin whispered, turning to him. "I will tell the prince everything you've done for me."
"Don't make me out to be a hero. Rurik knows who I am."
"Maybe. I thought I knew too. But now I'm not so sure."
Pressing her hand to his chest, she lifted up onto her toes, and pressed her lips to his cheek. He turned at the last moment, and their lips brushed against each other.
Malin stilled, her hand trembling against his chest as her lips tingled. She hadn't kissed him since that night in the cave, and the tension of their argument lingered between them. She wanted to throw her arms around him and kiss him desperately, hoping she would be enough to sway him.Don't do this, she wanted to beg.Yield to your cousin, just this once....
But she knew he would not.
"Don't get yourself killed. Please," she said instead, as she lowered her heels to the ground.
"You'll be safe here,"he told her. "Whatever else might fall between Rurik and me, he has my respect. He's an honorabledreki."
Malin's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't say that if you believed he'd had anything to do with his father's death."
The expression on his face chilled her to the core.
"Your father said he did. Your aunt said he did. But you know he didn't kill his father." A breathless feeling filled her. "Why would you be so certain?"
"Malin—"
"Why would you be so certain he was honorable?" She needed to know.
"Because I know who did," he snapped.
Malin gaped. The entire reason the prince had been sent into exile was because he'd been accused of murdering King Reynar.
"Sirius! One word from you, and the entire court would know their prince was innocent of the charges. You have to tell them. They would overthrow the queen and your father if they knew. Rurik could return. We could be—" She broke off. "The court would be a place of light and laughter again."
"Malin." He stroked his thumb over her knuckles. "I cannot. I am bound by an oath I swore my father."
"Burn your oath," she snapped. "You say you're not a hero? You could be. You could break this entire vicious cycle. You could be the key to your father's destruction. I know you have no love of him. You could free Andri, and return the court to the hands of its rightful heir—"
"Damn it,Malin. Now is not the time."
"But you won't." She tore her hand free from his, her heart hammering behind her ribs in disappointment. "You won't do the right thing, will you?"
"It's not that simple." He moved toward her, but a sudden screech of fury filled the air, and adrekidove out of nowhere, swooping toward them.
Malin found herself shoved out of the way as the enormous wings beat past them
Árdís.
