Page 124 of Winter Gods & Serpents

“I would not dare,” he almost jumped, arms up in surrender. “Simply putting it out there.”

My brother rose a doubtful brow. “You have betrayed her father telling her all of this.”

He gazed bewildered between us. “Surely, you would not tell him.”

She dropped her head back and yawned. “Pin him, Cai.”

Without a second between her words he nailed two daggers in the lord's hands, pinning him to the table.

His screams and curses busted endlessly through the echoing room.

I could not understand, she had gotten her answers and managed to frighten him enough to sober his senses, why was she looking to kill him?

She neared down to him, all evident distaste. “I can’t charge you for being a drunk, whoremonger and an arrogant snout who has sold his own family for scraps, what I can do is serve your lunacy and fucked up brains in a taste of your own flames. I heard you have a particular sport that you practice, I thought you might like to try some of it yourself,” she said with a wicked smile.

I would have been shocked at the cruel actions that she was taking, but he seemed to have some of them coming and deserving.

I shook my head at the thought. Was the salty air frying my head? How was anyone deserving of death?

He shook in pain, fear, and anger. “You dirt bloodied Olympian whore!”

We all left the tavern, more a graveyard than a tavern. Her expression had turned completely detached compared to her usual smugness.

Seconds later a loud boom danced behind us, rolling between the houses and over the angry sea. Ships swaying in their berths at the impact, croaks of displeasure from their sails.

The whole tavern had erupted in flames, terrifying screams came from the burning men on the inside and those of the lord.

“Why did you have to kill him?” I questioned, somewhat unsure and taken back at her exaggerated form of punishment.

He was not just anyone, he was a lord. Part of her father’s court, his informant and spy as well. This already had taken a very difficult direction for her. These actions would not escape easily, why was she looking to be punished by her father?

“I didn't want him alive,” she responded casually.

I huffed out a tired breath, she truly wore me out. “I don't even know why I asked.”

She halted, her head turned to me, blood coating her completely, a fog of molten ire streaming the rings of gold. “Yes, why did you? Why do I have a feeling you always expect me to have a really rooted reason for my actions? Don't waste your time trying, I truly am just twisted.”

“Liar.” Something was up, I could even make it from the way she stood.

She groaned and ignored me.

We headed to leave the city to return to Tenebrose after directing Caiden to appoint a soldier head of Brogmere to take the position of the burning lord; similar to what she’d done in Kirkwall.

Heavy silence rolled between our group.

“I want to come with you,” a small voice called loudly, running behind us. A girl no more than ten followed behind, her hair and clothing wild. “The lord was my father. I…want to thank you, please let me come with.” She bowed through an anxious tremble.

Pain, it clouded all over her, physical and emotional, she was dressed in it. A fragile, small child bathed in enormous clouds of pain.

To my surprise the princess said nothing. Her features were schooled in an unusual sternness for her. Had she not found out what she had hoped, was this her disappointed look? She quietly hoisted the little girl on her horse. Was she a price for her, was she to torture the little girl for information as well?

Prove me wrong, I somehow wanted to say.

Silently we made our way through the woods, the little girl looking at all of us and shifting in her seat relentlessly till Snow held her tight and told her not to move.

We stopped to feed the horses, eat, and rest. The princess had washed the blood of her face, she looked excruciatingly beautiful despite her tired, bloodied, and matted form. Even the little girl seemed entranced by her presence, staring at her with no end since we had stopped to rest.

Snow stopped eating, annoyed. “Speak child, words, use them.”