Page 75 of Master of Storms
Solveig yanked her hand back with a hiss. “Sweet goddess.”
“What is it?” Marduk demanded.
She stared down at the unconsciousdrekiin horror. “It’s not a statue. It’s adreki. And he’salive.”
* * *
Marduk prowledaround the body as Solveig set her torch in a nearby ring.
It was like looking at theZilittuking himself.
An enormous muscled figure bound in repose, a dagger sticking out of the center of his chest. If he leaned closer, he could almost sense something swirling within that defiant emerald.
Not the key they were looking for.
But as Marduk reached out and touched the emerald, he realized it might be something they could use.
The second his fingers grazed the jewel, a flash of image overtook him. A male’s face, his eyes blinking wide open and locking upon Marduk—
Marduk tore his hand away and clutched it to his chest. “His soul is inside the jewel,” he whispered, swallowing hard. “It has to be Draco’s twin, Scorpius.”
“Scorpius was exiled.”
“And who put about word of that little rumor?” Marduk breathed out unsteadily. “Zilittulands are impenetrable to outsiders without an invitation. The only way rumor got out was if it was allowed to get out. And from everything I’ve ever heard, Scorpius was the warmonger of the two brothers. If he was exiled to the north, where his alleged army supposedly waits, he wouldn’t just be twiddling his thumbs. He’d have attacked Draco by now.”
“But why go to all this effort? If Scorpius is somehow trapped down here, then why would Draco pretend he wasn’t?”
“Thatis a very good question.” He prowled around the dusty figure. “Unless… not everyone knows who is down here in theZilittucellars.”
“Andromeda?”
It was nice to talk to someone whose mind leaped to the same conclusions his did. “Andromeda.”
“So Draco overthrows Scorpius, trapping his soul within the emerald in that knife. And then he locks him away down here, sends out word that Scorpius escaped, and takes his place on the throne.” A dangerous laugh escaped her. “And now we have theZilittuking by the balls. I wonder who else knows? Viveka? Or Rune?”
“You’re going to blackmail Draco?”
Solveig’s eyes practically glittered as if he’d giftwrapped an entire throne for her. “I’m going to do nothing until I discover exactly who knows of this, and who might take exception to Scorpius’s apparent daggering.”
Utterly merciless in every way. His gaze slid down her lean figure. He was trapped underground with the soulless body of a dangerousZillittuprince, and all he could think about was how Solveig’s utter ruthlessness made his cock hard.
There was something wrong with him.
She noticed. “Why are you giving me that look?”
“What look?” His voice came out rough.
“The one that says you’re imagining me naked.”
In answer, he gave her a faint smile.
“Unbelievable. Here I am, plotting vengeance and ruin, and you’re thinking about your cock.”
“I like it when you plot. Your smile is so ridiculously evil when you’re scheming that all I can think about is what your mouth tastes like.”
“Focus,” she snapped.
He arched a brow.
