Page 85 of Storm of Fury
Haakon rubbed his stubbled jaw. “This is not going to go well.”
“Drekipolitics never do.”
Solveig strode toward Marduk’s side, though she refused to look at him. “Father,” she called.
“Daughter.” Not a hint of emotion crossed the king’s face.
Wouldn’t want to play cards with him, Tormund noted. But there was something about the king’s eyes that made him want to lean forward for a closer look.
The king didn’t look entirely displeased with this situation.
And as Tormund’s gaze returned to the golden prince and the raven-clad woman kneeling before the king, he suffered a moment of premonition.
“Oh.Shit.”
“What?” Haakon’s head whipped toward him.
“No. Nothing.” He didn’t want to say the words out loud here, where most of the court would hear him. But he had a private bet with himself all the same.
“As I was saying, Prince Marduk, theSaduclan offer warm welcome,” the king called, which earned a slight twitch to Solveig’s mouth. "I hope you have enjoyed the hospitality of my court and my dear daughter Solveig’s greeting.”
Marduk pushed to his feet, looking as though he’d been invited here in good faith, rather than kidnapped. “King Harald, my clan sends its greetings, and your daughter’s welcome was… quite warmer than expected. Our clans have long been friends, and theZiniremember this fact. My brother, King Rurik, will thank you for your hospitality when I return home to him.”
“Return home?” King Harald asked.
Silence fell.
The first flicker of confusion darted through Marduk’s eyes, but he recovered well, as though he couldn’t quite see the trap closing around him. “Y-yes. That was the intention.”
“So you are not here to fulfill the terms of the alliance that was long agreed upon between theSaduand theZini?”
“Alliance?” Haakon muttered under his breath. “What alliance?”
Tormund looked from Marduk to Solveig, and then scrubbed his hand over his mouth. “Do you remember that story Marduk told us about the three daughters of Harald and the insult he laid upon Solveig?”
Haakon blinked.
“I think there’s more to the story.”
“Shit,” Haakon swore.
If adrekicould be said to be sweating, Marduk was doing a fine impression of it. "Your Highness, I'm flattered, but—"
“But?” The king looked mildly displeased. “I thought this was why you had arrived in my lands unannounced? You say you are not here to fulfill the contract your mother signed all those years ago? You say that you dared return to my lands after spitting in the face of theSaduclan?”
Solveig’s smile could have brightened the world.
Tormund glanced around the room for the exits, but there was an entire clan full ofdrekibetween him and the doors.
“When you came here ten years ago, there was talk of an alliance between yourself and one of my daughters.” The king pushed to his feet. “You were careless with your tongue and as such, earned the enmity of my eldest. But I forgave you. I allowed you to walk free, despite the insult to one of my kin. I allowed you to skirt talk of this alliance, for I felt it unwise to pursue such a course in such haste. I have given you ten years. And now you stand here again, and you deny me twice?”
Marduk clearly tried to choose his words carefully, “Ten years ago, I came here at the behest of my mother, though I was unaware she had made terms with your clan until the last moment. Matters being what they were between your… eldest daughter and myself, I thought it best to leave in order to prevent any further conflict between both clans. And now, granted my mother’s death, it is not my intention to deny you again, but I had assumed that the contract was void—"
“The contract wassigned.”
“Not. By. Me,” Marduk told him through gritted teeth.
“Yes or no, Prince Marduk?” The king’s eyes narrowed. “Will theZiniclan uphold their original agreement? Or does their queen—and now king’s—word mean nothing?”
