Page 2 of Master of Storms
Hewouldn’thave.
“Oh, I knew that would capture your attention! Prince Marduk has been offered the choice of one of Father’s three daughters.” Shoving to her feet, Aslaug spun in a little circle. “I’m going to mate with a prince!”
A fair assumption, but ice slithered down Solveig’s spine. “You’re sure Father said ‘the hand ofoneof his daughters’?”
“Certain.”
There was no reason to believe it wouldn’t be Aslaug. Her sister was stunningly, heart-stoppingly beautiful. And kind. And regal. Usually.
The color drained out of Siv’s face. “What was he thinking?”
Aslaug’s joy faded. “I know you don’t want to mate with him. Either of you. So I am more than happy to make such a sacrifice—”
“Hardly a sacrifice for you,” Solveig spluttered, but as she paced, she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Why did Father not offer you directly? He knows you’d be more than willing.”
Just as he knew that both she and Siv would not be.
Siv had been there with her when their mother was killed. She’d stayed there on that mountain and protected the queen’s body from predators all night while Solveig fetched help, even though she’d been but twelve. The court whispered that her broken heart had never healed, but Solveig knew her kind, shy sister suffered from nightmares and terrors. She needed to feel safe.
And home was safe.
What was their father thinking?
Clearly, he was not, she seethed.
As for herself, if this prince thought she was going to kiss his boots like some prospective bride aflutter at the hope of stealing his heart, he could think again.
“Apparently, Prince Marduk can be… contrary,” Aslaug replied. “He has to be made to think such an arrangement is his choice. Lead him by the halter, so to speak.”
Contrary. There were other ways to describe such a male. “So he is against the mating.”
“He is not against the mating,” Aslaug corrected. “He merely wishes to meet us all. I’m fairly certain I can lure him somewhere private and encourage his attention to focus on me.”
Solveig lowered a steady look upon her youngest sister.
“Stop being a prude,” Aslaug snapped. “You don’t want him. Siv doesn’t want him. I do.”
“I’m not being a prude. But he is aforeignprince. We know nothing about him.Youknow nothing about him. He might be dangerous. He might be the sort to break a dozen hearts before breakfast. He might ply you with false words, enjoy your bounty, and then vanish into the winds as if he’d never been here. I don’t want to see your heart broken.”
“Well, I’m fairly certain he’ll take one look at you,” Aslaug said, “and realize that if he dared break my heart you’d make him regret it.”
“If he breaks your heart I will rip it from his chest and send it home to his clan in a box.”
Siv laid a restraining hand on her forearm. “No, you won’t, because that would start a war.”
“Fine. I won’t kill him. I’ll castrate him.”
Aslaug clapped a hand to her face. “This is why you’re unmated.”
“I am unmated because I have yet to meet a male I would consider my equal,” Solveig snapped. “And because my life doesnotrevolve around a potential future mating.”
“Well, this is why both ofusare unmated.” Aslaug’s voice rose. “I know you don’t want us to… to suffer the way Mother suffered. But this is all I’ve ever wanted, and every time a maledrekiventures to this court, he takes one look at you and decides courting me is not in his best interest.”
“I don’t do anything to them!”
“You don’t have to,” Aslaug said in exasperation. “Everyone at court can see the murder in your eyes.”
“I don’t see what the problem is? If he’s such a powerful male,” she said, “then he should be able to endure my withering stares. If he’s so enamored of you, then he would not hesitate to stand up to me. He would risk everything to steal your heart, and I won’t allow any male to court you who doesn’t deserve you. Don’t lower your standards just because he’s a pretty face. You deserve to be loved. Both of you. And I will not tolerate anything less.”
