Page 75 of Storm of Fury
Behind him, Marduk was trying to suppress a laugh. “That was almost worth the cost of being locked away by my nemesis.”
“Be quiet,” both Haakon and Tormund snapped, before sharing a glance.
“Rescue adrekiprince,” Tormund muttered, “what could possibly go wrong?”
“Don’t whine at me,” Haakon shot back. “I did warn you not to set your hopes upon her. There was always a little something about her story that didn’t add up.”
“Oh, don’t bringherinto this.” He still couldn’t say her name. “This has nothing to do with that lying, betraying redhead and everything to do with the fact that you always lead me into trouble.”
“Leadyou?”
“At the risk of interrupting this lovely little familial discussion,” Marduk interceded, “I would like to point out that light appears to be coming from the tunnel to the left, and the air smells like pines. I think this is the way out. Also, perhaps we could all be quiet while we escape.”
Fuckingdrekiprinces.
Fucking reckless cousins.
And worst of all were lying, manipulative wretches with big green eyes, flaming red hair and the kind of body that would haunt his dreams forever.
Tormund headed to the left, drawing his axe. “Let them catch us,” he growled. “I feel like swinging this fucking thing until there’s nothing left in front of me.”
“Let him lead,” he heard Haakon mutter under his breath. “He just needs to do something physical or hit someone.”
“If we encounter a guard, let me handle them,” Marduk said. “These are the finest of Solveig’s personal guard and will most likely be beyond your abilities to manage.”
“Trust me,” Haakon drawled. “You underestimate the pair of us.”
Tormund ignored the words.
Striding down narrow passages, he headed toward the light. Up. They needed to go up. He found a set of stairs and hammered up them. Behind him, the sound of a horn echoed through the tunnels.
“This way!” someone yelled.
Tormund swore under his breath. “They know we’ve escaped.”
“Run!” Haakon snapped, shoving him in the back.
Tormund sprinted up the stairs. His lungs ached and his thighs burned, but there was also something exhilarating about forcing his body to the edge. Anger fueled him so thoroughly that he was almost to the top of the stairs before he felt the urge to complain.
There was adrekiguard standing at the top of the stairs. “What are you—?”
Tormund didn’t hesitate.
He headbutted the bastard in the gut, and then drove his fist up into thedreki’schin as the fellow curled over the first blow. Ramming forward, he slammed the guard into the wall and hit him again.
Several more times.
Thedrekiguard crumpled in a clash of steel, looking slightly dazed. Marduk shook his head, pressing a hand to thedreki’shelmet. The guard’s eyes glowed gold, and then his eyelids closed and his head slumped back as Marduk lowered him to the ground.
“I wasn’t planning on confronting them,” Marduk growled. “Half the world probably heard that.”
“Good.” Tormund straightened. “Let them come. Let them all come.”
There was another guard at the exit of the cavern, but Marduk surged ahead and somehow the guard crumpled.
“I’ve never seen adrekido that,” Haakon said as Marduk dragged the guard out of the doorway and stuffed him behind a rock.
“It’s an old trick I learned down in the plains of Africa.”
