Page 61 of Of Kings and Thieves

“Is that all you do around here—fight?” I asked, getting angry. The goblin whiskey was giving me a courage I hadn’t felt a few moments before. I shook my head. These people were all that stood between Col and a terrible fate. “I guess if that’s all you’re going to do, then I’ll go free Col myself. I suppose none of you care that The Harrow has him, could even be torturing him right now, or…. or worse. While you sit and argue like siblings.”

I grabbed my bag and had marched halfway to my horse before Scarlet and Kolvar caught up with me. I didn’t turn as Kolvar spoke, not wanting him to see the hot tears spilling out of my eyes.

“We take some getting used to,” the elf said quietly. “Tensions are high, Samara, and we bicker like siblings on the best of days, but today… today has been worse than most. But if you doubt us, I swear that each and every one of us, to a man—”

“—or a woman,” Scarlet added.

“—or a woman, or an elf, are devoted to seeing Prince Andris safe and on the throne as the Iron Raven. Any of us would die if it meant saving his life.”

I sighed and turned. The snow was falling through the trees, now, and it was a lot colder away from the fire.

“None of us were prepared for Col to turn himself into The Harrow’s guards,” Kolvar continued. “Not really. I had a hunch he was going to try, but when Scarlet told us…”

Watching them take Col, without doing anything to stop it, had been the hardest thing I had ever done. “Then I suggest we form a plan to get him out of there,” I said, angrily swiping the tears from my face. “Because I can’t just sit here while Col’s in trouble, not while he’s in The Harrow’s possession.”

I whispered this last part. It felt like there was a hand squeezing my heart and it was only getting worse as the night wore on. Something told me we needed to act as quickly as possible, and I couldn’t sit here to watch Col’s so-called friends argue while he rotted in a prison. While The Harrow might be sentencing him to death any minute.

“What makes you think,” Melion growled, standing as we returned to the fire, “that you can save Col without us?”

He had obviously heard everything. I was distinctly aware that there was a predator inside him, waiting to be unleashed. But that had never stopped me from speaking my mind before.

“I have skills of my own,” I said, balling my fists at my side.

“What, that sword at your hip?”

“Melion—” Scarlet warned, but I motioned for her to leave it to me. “I killed three orcs yesterday, but that’s not my only skill.”

“You are part human, and therefore prone to weakness.”

“Prince Col is a human,” I said. “Is that how you feel about him?”

Melion glared at me, no doubt daring me to continue. Suddenly, Silvius stopped plucking his lute and went still, his gaze darting between Melion and me.

Kolvar was studying me.

“Col is human, isn’t he?” I asked.

“Yes,” the elf replied cautiously, “but you are not. At least, not fully. I assume you smell her, Melion?”

I resisted the urge to squirm under their intense gazes. You are not for him, that old voice whispered.

“I smelled her, but it’s not her interesting blood that concerns me,” Melion said with a snarl, “only the idea that she wants to march into the city and fuck up all of our plans.”

I continued staring down the shape-shifter. “You would be smart to take me seriously,” I said. “You’re a man down, and I can help.”

“And just what do you think you can do?” said Melion, taking a step toward me. Scarlet stood, getting ready to step between us.

But I’d had enough of his shit. I hadn’t crossed leagues hiding from Harrowfell, fought soldiers, monsters, and orcs to be told by this bastard that he was better than me.

I looked at the bard. “Silvius, would you like to sing a song with me?”

The man raised an eyebrow, looking surprised. Then he grinned. “I’d be honored, my lady. What would you like me to play?”

“Do you know the song about the maid in the willow wood?”

“Of course,” Silvius muttered, and then his fingers expertly stroked the strings of his lute.

Melion was still glaring at me and I held his gaze as I began to sing, directing all my power to him alone, making sure no one else would be affected.

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