Page 95 of Clash of Storms
Sweet Goddess, her cheeks were burning. She glanced toward Haakon and the prince.
"That's none of your business," Haakon told his wife dryly.
"I only want to ensure Malin was well taken care of," Árdís protested. "Who knows what Sirius is capable of? He's precisely the sort of overbearingdrekimale who'd overwhelm a woman's natural instincts—"
"No! He didn't— He wouldn't—" Curse her stupid mouth. Árdís had her in such a fluster. "He's not like that, at all. He's not! He wouldn't touch me. He wanted me to be certain."
She couldn't help defending him. "None of you know him. Not the way I do. He's an honorable male, and I think if any of you had given him a damned chance, then he might be here right now. He is kind and protective and loyal. All he wants is to protect his brother. He hates his father. He despises the queen. But all you ever saw when you looked at him wasZilittu. And I will not have any of you speak of him as if you know him, for you don't!"
Silence filled the room.
Malin shut her mouth abruptly. She'd just chastised two of the court's most powerfuldreki.
"Hmm." Árdís sat back in her chair. "Well, that answers the rest of my questions." She sighed. "I don't mean to be unkind, Malin. Sirius is" —her face screwed up— "complicated."
"That is one way to describe him," Prince Rurik muttered. "Arrogant is another."
"Why, I have no idea where he gets that from," Freyja murmured sweetly, batting her eyelashes at her mate. "Maybe it's in his bloodlines?"
The prince scowled.
Árdís knelt and gathered Malin's hands in hers. "I spoke to Sirius before he left—"
"Árdís," Prince Rurik suddenly interrupted, giving his sister a hard look.
Malin stared between them. Just what was going on? What had Sirius told them?
The princess rolled her eyes. "The Blackfrost's besotted with you, Malin. And I think you're going to be our secret weapon tomorrow, when my mother arrives."
"How so?" Malin asked suspiciously.
"Sirius admitted he does not wish to fight Rurik, but he cannot deny his father—or poor Andri will suffer the consequences."
Malin glanced between them all. "I know. I told him he should make an alliance with Rurik and work together to rescue Andri, but he said the prince would never trust him."
Rurik scowled. "He's not entirely mistaken."
Árdís waved a hand. "Inconsequential. The truth is: None of us wishes for Sirius to confront Rurik. The outcome of such a battle might be catastrophic, and the results uncertain. With Sirius on their side, my mother has a good chance at defeating us. Without him.... You could save us all, Malin. All you have to do is convince the prince not to fight."
"But what if he won't listen?" She'd begged him to fight for the prince before. He'd turned away then.
Árdís smiled deviously. "I think he'll listen this time, Malin. Because we're going to take you into battle with us. And if there is one thing I am certain of it is this.... The only thing that might sway Sirius is you. A single hint of a threat, and all his snarly impulses will rise to the fore. I promise you won't be in any true danger, but he needs to think you are."
Malin bit her lip. Battles? Her?
"I'm just a drekling," she whispered.
"You have no idea how important you are, Malin. You're notjusta drekling. You could change the entire fate of this court.Andyou could save the Blackfrost's life."
They were all going to fight the queen and her men when they came. How could she do any less?
The breath rushed out of her as she nodded. "I'll try to convince him."
21
The storm came rolling from the west, bringing with it a flight of powerfuldreki. Rurik and his allies waited below in their mortal forms, prepared to duel the queen and her brother's cohort, as if they were facing a noble foe.
Stellan landed, his wings shimmering with gold as he resumed mortal form. His fiercest warmongers landed behind him, but there was no sign of the queen.
