Page 53 of Bite the Power
TWENTY-FOUR
KAIDAN
Kaidan pulled his Jeep onto a narrow shoulder carved into the cliff face when they were about a mile from the top. The tire tracks they'd been following continued upward, but the path ahead narrowed dangerously.
"We go on foot from here," he said, cutting the engine. The sudden silence felt ominous, broken only by the whistle of wind through the ice formations. "Magnus wants us to find him, but he probably thinks I'll be coming in hot."
Tessa's face had gone pale, but her green eyes held that fierce determination he'd fallen absolutely in love with. Through their newly completed mate bond, he felt her fear warring with resolve, her analytical mind clearly calculating angles and probabilities to save Eli.
My beautiful, brave mate.The thought filled him with both pride and terror. She was everything he could want in a queen—intelligent, courageous, and willing to fight for those she cared about. But that same courage might get her killed today.
"You realize this is exactly what he wants," Tessa whispered as they climbed out into the bitter Arctic air. "Magnus has orchestrated this entire scenario. He knew you'd eventuallyfigure out where he took Eli, and knew you'd personally come here to save him."
"Of course he did. He's known me for thirty-five years." Kaidan checked the knife strapped to his thigh, his polar bear senses already cataloging the impending threats. The scent of explosives hung faintly in the air, mixed with fear-sweat and Magnus's familiar musk. "But this is about more than kidnapping Eli or even killing me. He wants to publicly destroy everything my family built."
They began the treacherous climb, staying close to the cliff face for cover. Ice crunched beneath their boots, and Kaidan found himself automatically positioning his body between Tessa and the yawning drop to their right. The protective instinct ran so deep it was nearly involuntary—his bear demanded her safety above all else. His enhanced hearing picked up the distant sound of voices echoing off the ice walls above as they got closer to the top—at least three distinct speakers.
"Thirty years," he muttered, remembering the stories his father had told him about the leadership challenge that changed everything. "Thirty years of nursing this grudge, and for what? Power? Pride?"
"Maybe there doesn't need to be a rational reason," Tessa replied quietly. "Some people just break."
The voices grew clearer as they climbed. Eli's pleading tone made Kaidan's jaw clench with fury, while Henrik's nasal voice sparked a different kind of rage—the betrayal of trust and the violation of sanctuary. But it was Magnus's commanding bark that made his bear claw at his insides.
"Where the hell is he?" Magnus's voice carried clearly on the wind. "I thought the great King Kaidan was supposed to be so clever, so protective of his precious humans and kingdom."
"Maybe he doesn't care as much as you thought," Henrik suggested, and Kaidan heard the nervous uncertainty in the traitor's voice.
"Oh, he cares." Magnus's laugh was sharp as breaking ice. "Trust me, he'll come. His father always was a sentimental fool, and the apple didn't fall far from the tree." Magnus's voice pitched higher. "Kaidan has turned completely soft now that he's claimed this human bitch."
The crude reference to Tessa made something primal and violent surge through Kaidan's veins. His bear roared silently, demanding blood, demanding dominance, demanding the complete and utter destruction of anyone who dared threaten his mate.
Control,he reminded himself, forcing his breathing to remain steady.One wrong move and we all die.
They rounded the final curve, and the tableau that greeted them made Kaidan's blood turn to ice water. The cliff top opened into a relatively flat expanse of snow and ice, positioned directly over the major fault line running through Frosthaven's western territory. Magnus stood in the center like some twisted director, a video camera in one hand and what looked like a detonator in the other.
Eli was bound at the wrists, and what appeared to be several sticks of dynamite were strapped to his chest, his usually calm demeanor replaced by terror. Henrik held a pistol trained on the scientist, his stance nervous but determined.
"Holy shit," Tessa breathed beside him. "If those explosives go off?—"
"Most of Frosthaven goes with him," Kaidan finished grimly. The scope of Magnus's madness suddenly became crystal clear. This wasn't about ever claiming the throne or protecting the people of Frosthaven from humans—this was about ensuring that if Magnus couldn't have power, no one ever could.
Through their strong mate bond, he felt Tessa's fear spike, followed immediately by that stubborn determination that made her so magnificent and so terrifying.
"I can create a diversion," she whispered, her clever mind already working the problem. "Get to Eli while you take down Henrik and Magnus."
"Absolutely not." The words came out sharp. "You're not going anywhere near those explosives."
"Then what's your brilliant plan?" Her green eyes flashed with challenge. "Because standing here debating isn't going to save Eli or prevent Magnus from turning your kingdom into rubble."
Kaidan's logical mind raced through plausible scenarios, while his bear pressed eagerly, wanting to shift and tear Magnus apart with claws and teeth. But one miscalculation, and everyone he cared about would die.
"You create the diversion from a distance," he said finally. "Draw their attention. I'll take down Henrik first—get his gun—then go for Magnus before he can trigger the detonator. While I'm dealing with them, you get to Eli and cut him loose and get those explosives off him."
"That's a lot of moving parts for one plan," Tessa observed, but he could feel her agreement through their bond.
"We only get one shot at this," he admitted, catching her hand briefly. The contact sent warmth through their cemented bond, steadying them both. "If we fail..."
"We won't fail." Her voice carried absolute conviction. "We're better together than apart, remember? We're an unstoppable royal couple."
