Page 87 of Master of Storms
“Your cousin is in love,” she whispered, leaning over and stabbing a piece of Pinnekjøtt off Marduk’s plate. He’d been meticulously slicing the salt-cured lamb off its rib, and now the meat itself was fair game. It was also a blatant sign she saw herself as in control of the relationship between them. “Is there any chance he’s going to launch over the table and grab the king by the throat? Or is that merely an affliction you suffer?”
“Andri’s not in love. It was a flirtation that went nowhere. He’s merely nursing his wounded pride.” Marduk slid a piece of kumla onto his fork and held it out to her with a slight challenge in his eyes. “Elin flirts with every male that moves.”
“Even you?”
“Thankfully, no. She also tends to avoid Sirius, though I think that has more to do with her sister. Elin thinks Sirius is a monster, and she and Malin argued.”
Solveig eyed the offering. To eat directly from his fork was complicated. It might be seen as an intimacy a male offered a beloved mate—tradition stated that males would bring their mates food to show they could protect and feed them and any future offspring—but it was also an indication he consideredhimselfthe dominant partner.
To deny him would be a statement of rejection.
Solveig’s eyes narrowed at how deftly he’d played her, but she accepted the bite of potato dumpling, her teeth scraping on the tines.
And returned to watching the byplay, ignoring his satisfied smile.
The bastard always pushed her.
“Andri’s in love,” she mused as she swallowed. “You can see it in his eyes. If it was merely pride, he’d have challenged the king by now, but he’s spent more time staring into his goblet of wine. It hurts him to see this.”
Marduk leaned closer, his shoulder brushing against hers. “Why the interest in my cousin?”
“Not so much your cousin,” she murmured, “but your court.”
His eyebrow asked a question.
“Two Chaos-wielders dead within a month of each other in two separate courts. The only consistent theme appears to be theZiniclan.”
Or was one of theZinia killer?
A pained expression flickered across his face. “My… mother….”
“Andromeda confirmed it.Drekido not become ghosts. And I doubt your mother would have trapped her own soul forever in a soulstone.”
“No.” His mouth twisted. “Not unless she was certain she could escape.”
Solveig glanced under her lashes at Draco. “Speaking of such things, do you think that knife we saw….”
“I need Ishtar to have a look at it,” he cut her off, lacing his hand over hers. “And I need to speak to the others, the second we have a chance. Too many eyes and ears right now.”
Fingertips stroked down her spine. A thumb brushed against her ribs, and then it was trailing lower, learning the curve of her hip. She couldn’t breathe. Her corset was too tight, thedrekiwithin her feeling as though it wanted to punch through her skin.
Solveig shot Marduk a glare, baring her teeth.
“What’s wrong?” he whispered.
“More of this foolishness?”
His lips brushed the curve of her shoulder, skating against her neck. But it was the way his hand curled over her thigh that almost did her in. “Don’t make me mark you.”
Every inch of her was stiff as her heart warred with her body. “If you dare sink your teeth into my throat, I will return the favor. And I won’t be playing.”
“Who said anything about playing?” His breath stirred the hair tucked behind her ear, his fingers still caressing her spine with devastating impact. “And I wouldn’t presume, though you’re welcome to markmeanytime you like.”
Solveig drew back until they were nose-to-nose.
Was he serious?
Drekilovers were possessive, but there were many different layers of possession. A casual lover was never granted marking rights. It was designed for adrekito show that a female belonged to him, and vice versa. To mark another’s skin was an incredibly intimate privilege.
