Page 148 of Master of Storms
Marduk seized her face in both hands, capturing her mouth and growling deep in his throat. He’d missed her. All he wanted was a damned moment to throw her over his shoulder, haul her into his bedchambers and discuss—after a not-so-brief interlude of lovemaking—what the hell her father had meant when he’d said to ask her the exact words she’d used to pledge her vengeance.
But his trousers started sliding down, and Solveig caught them. “Goddess,” she hissed, drawing back from the kiss.
“Iwastrying to get dressed. You were the one who distracted me.” He couldn’t help grinning at her again. “Because you missed me so much you just kissed me in front of your entire warband.”
Her cheeks pinkened as she glanced over his shoulder at the transforming warriors.
“Yes,” she said, her voice as steady as it had ever been, “I missed you. Now haul your trousers up. You’re baring your ass to my warriors.”
“The second they see this ass, they’ll know why you finally gave in to me.”
Solveig rolled her eyes. “Right now, I’m starting to wonder myself.” She paused. “Don’t get yourself killed up there.”
“Wouldn’t want to steal your opportunity from you,” he countered, as he slid his buckle into place.
And once again, she hesitated, as if she wanted to say something.
But she only nodded, expression sliding off her face once more as if Solveig had just put on the crown that said “conqueror”. “You’re right. Your life belongs to me now. See that you take good care of it.”
* * *
It was a steep climb.
Marduk found his brother and two sisters waiting just below the top of the mountain with their entire court. Haakon, Tormund, and Bryn were all in chainmail; Sirius looked like he was about to board a pirate ship with his usual black leather body armor; and Malin was armed with a book, her face pale. Of them all, she had the most to lose today, and Marduk took a moment to bend low and kiss her cheek as he arrived.
“We’ll get her back,” he promised.
Malin swallowed. “If there’s no other way….”
“Hey.” He squeezed her hand. “I promise I will make sure we take every chance we have to rescue your sister. My mother doesn’t get to win this one. I won’t let her.”
Tears gleamed in her dark eyes. “Thank you.”
He nodded to Sirius. They’d always been at odds, but for the first time, the Blackfrost returned his nod with one just as respectful.
“Thank you,” his cousin mouthed, and Marduk finally had to admit the truth: Sweet little Malin truly had tamed the evil dragon.
“Any sign of mother’s little elvish companions?”
“She’s alone,” Árdís replied grimly.
“What is she waiting for?”
“Us to present her with the means to open the portal,” came a cold voice behind him. “This is a trap.”
Draco appeared on the other rocky path that came from the other side of the mountain, with his sister and wife at his side. Several fierceZilittuwarriors fell into step behind them.
“We knew that,” Sirius replied. “The entire point of this exercise is to spring it.”
“Oh, good.” Marduk rubbed his hands together. “The bait has arrived. Do you have the dagger?”
Draco shot him a scathing look, and then reached inside his shirt. A blade appeared, the emerald in its hilt winking dangerously in the sunlight. “Here.”
He tossed the knife.
Marduk snatched it out of the air. The bronze blade was polished to within an inch of its life, and serpent-likedrekicrawled up the hilt to surround the emerald. Such a fine piece of work, but even touching it made him shiver. The sensation of pure malevolence seemed to crawl up his skin from where he held it. “Thank you.”
A muscle ticked in the king’s jaw.
