Vrogul Stormseeker was as big as I, otherwise I might have missed him. The Battleborn chieftain lounged in a dark corner, his elbow propped on the arm of his chair, his chin resting on his fist, and his dark cloak pulled around him. The firelight cast his features in strange shadows but caused the gold rings in his ears—the ones which marked his status—to shine.
His expression showed no hatred, no ire. Just a vague sort of curiosity.
Why was he here? Why did Tarbert think togiveme to him?
Mayhap the orc felt my attention, because the Battleborn chieftain’s brow rose as if in challenge. Was he waiting to see what I would do?
He was the only other orc in this keep. Hells, he might be the only other orc in thisworldright now. But I didn’t know why he was here, and I had no idea if I could count on him. Now, or ever.
Wrapped around the chains, my fingers flexed, my claws sliding free. It had been months since I’d felt this surge of energy from myKteer, months since I’d smelled freedom.
Vrogul Stormseeker could go fook himself; I was getting out of here. And as Tarbert shoved the wench off his lap, pushed himself to his feet, I knewhow.
“Friends! A very happy Hogmanay!” Tarbert waited for the cheers to die down, then waved his hands and began towalk behind the row of chairs behind the tables. “I know you’re all here because my ale is the sweetest, my meat the finest, and my beds the softest?—”
“You know us well, Tarbert!” someone called out.
There was a flash of irritation in Tarbert’s eyes, though he grinned through the laughter, and for the first time I realized his eyes were the same color as Lillian’s.
“Aye, aye, but tonight I have another reason to invite my friends.”
He reached the end of the row of tables and stepped into the middle of the Great Hall. Towardme.
“Tonight, I wanted you to bear witness to one of my greatest victories. As you know, last summer my eldest daughter married the chief of the Bladesedge clan of orcs.”
He strolled around me, his smile gloating, mocking.
“Better to ally with the beasts than fear them, I always say. This alliance has made me powerful.”
More cheers from his audience. I forced myself not to turn about, trying to keep him in my sights. Instead, I slumped my shoulders further, pretending shame. The charade worked. When Tarbert stood before me again, he waved away the guards, and they respectfully stepped backward.
Only Lillian stepped forward.
“Father—” she began to warn him, but the old bastard ignored her, turning his back to me as he raised his hands to his gathered friends.
“Orcs raid in the autumn, we all know that. Months ago, Bladesedge’s enemies, the Bloodfire clan, came into ourworld, thinking to attack their enemies by attacking me. AttackingTarbert! But we are stronger than that!” he roared. “My men sent them crying back home!”
For the first time, myKteeroverran my sense of self-preservation. A growl started low in my throat as I slowly raised my chin. I could pretend shame and defeat, but to hear him speak so of my warriors? My brother and cousins? I would not have it.
Bloodfire had not been beaten.
Just me.
“And not only did we defeat those beasts, my friends, we took theirchief! Oh, I lost a few of my men in doing so, but we struck him down and dragged him back to my dungeon, broken and bleeding.”
I switched my glare from the back of his head to see Lillian watching me, her eyes wide, that delicious-looking lower lip caught between her teeth. And there was another watching me. I switched my gaze to Stormseeker. He’d leaned forward, intent on the spectacle.
When he caught my eye, he nodded once, slowly.
Tarbert was still bragging. “It took the beast months to heal, and when he thought himself ready, he broke out of my dungeon. Or thought he would, at least.”
He joined in the laughter now.
“More of my men had to die, but they were clearly not among my best. Half-dead, I had him chained in his cell, and now he’s joining us tonight. You can see how weak he is, how pitiable. Tonight, I give him to my new ally, the Battleborn Clan of Islay, to do with as they please!”
This was met with a mighty roar of approval, Tarbert’s men pounding on tables with their mugs, calling out suggestions and taunts.
And I knew this chaos was my best time to act.
