Page 111 of Master of Storms
Draco unfurled it, read it, and then his gaze locked on Solveig like a hound catching scent of the fox.
“What is it?” she demanded.
“So much for your belief in theZinicourt’s honesty.” He crushed the letter in his hand and scowled at Solveig. “I start to see now. Did he think you would distract me?”
“Distract you?” Solveig’s glance stole toward the letter, as Andromeda took it from him. “What’s going on? Did something happen? Is it… Marduk?”
Please tell me he did not decide to go rescue a princess….
“Yes, Marduk. My beloved distant cousin.” He tossed the letter toward Andromeda. “He was just seen vanishing into the mountains, heading directly toward the Abyss.”
The color drained from Andromeda’s face.
“Maybe it wasn’t the sister we should have been looking for?” Draco growled. “Or maybe he’s going to find her. You said they were linked after all, and he can communicate with her.”
“What’s going on?” Solveig repeated.
“Seize her.” The king flicked his fingers toward his warriors.
The pair of them took two steps toward Solveig, and she summoned the merest stir of Air. “If you lay one hand on me, I will stop the breath in your lungs. You promised us guest-right.”
“Guest-right was obliterated the second someone in your party started killing my people,” the king snapped.
“You have no proof it was one of ours.” She loaded every inch of her voice with frost. “Are you willing to cost yourself your honor for such mere hints of conspiracy?”
“Mere hints?” Draco snarled. “Your party resisted being confined; you and your mate hid; and the incredibly powerful Chaos-wielder in your party simply vanished—”
“You tried to confine our party without cause, including a man whose mate is with child. If you expected Haakon to go quietly, then you’re a fool.”
“It wasn’t the dragon-slayer who resisted, but the princess herself.”
“Then ask yourself this…. If Árdís was involved, why did she not attack your guards with her magic? She could have removed them from existence.”
“She—"
“That’s enough.” Andromeda slowly lowered the missive and waved the guards away from Solveig. “Leave us.”
Both guards looked hesitantly toward their king.
“Draco.” Andromeda gave him an imperious look. “I am more than capable of handling Princess Solveig should she prove difficult. And I want to speak to you. Privately.”
“As the queen wishes.” He gave a curt nod to the guards, but every inch of him vibrated as if thedrekiwithin was lashing its tail. The second the door shut behind his guards, his voice turned dangerously silky. “And what does my queen wish to discuss?”
“I think Solveig’s right,” Andromeda replied. “Queen Amadea was a powerful force of Chaos. And Klara herself confirmed there is a spell with which adrekisoul can be bound into an object. If the queen is back—”
“If.” Draco’s eyes half-lidded. “I find there are a great many secrets seemingly floating around. A queen’s wraith. My people being murdered with magic. And theZiniclan, here on the pretext of introducing two of their unlearned Chaos-wielders to mine. This trouble only started when theZiniparty arrived.” His hard gaze locked on Solveig. “And let’s not pretend you haven’t been seen in areas of the castle which lend themselves to suspicion. You’re looking for something.”
“You doubt me?” Solveig asked as she unrelentingly threw him to the wolves. “Or maybe you’re the one with secrets? We speak ofdrekisouls being bound into objects, but maybe you would know the truth of that best?”
“What does she mean?” Andromeda asked.
Draco cut Solveig a hard glare.
“Does this have anything to do with Scorpius?” Andromeda advanced upon him.
Draco’s head turned toward his queen sharply.
His nostrils flared, and anger turned his eyes to gray ice. But his attention was still focused upon Andromeda.
