Page 239 of Winter Gods & Serpents

“Yes, you know now why I didn’t say anything. But after this, I wish I had. I underestimated her feelings again. I was wrong, and now my only wish is I had not let her this far as to get more hurt from you.”

Hope seeped from me as I said, “I will let her go, for her to stop hurting I will let her go, just let her be well.”

“You are an idiot, Kilian Henrik Castemont, a damned idiot,” she added, before fading out.

* * *

A day and a half later we had searched Adriata inch by inch with no use, now it felt like the erupting pain of my head and heart would finally do its bidding. Never—I would never forgive myself if something had happened to her. I was now allowing to think that she might be truly hurt. Gathering my face in my hands I tried to push the maddening thoughts away, far away. She was Snow, nothing could contain her enough to hurt her, not anymore at least, her strength and skills outdid many, she would have never allowed to be subdued to be someone’s prey, prisoner, or victim.

“She has left with her own devices,” my aunt countered. “This is an issue Silas will have to solve, the agreement will hold, we will hold onto it for Adriata. You married, she is queen, the agreement is fulfilled.”

“Will we?” Stregor called. “The ybris could still follow her father’s plans, maybe there was something to his plans, like Kilian warned.”

I studied the smug satisfaction in his features and then the rest of the room. Few dizzy with panic, then some confused, a couple distraught and then him…satisfied. In Arynth, Larg had sent word that his spies had caught glimpse of Stregor speaking with several priests that were to be selected for our ceremony. He’d laced and bribed them to forge paperwork that would ultimately kill Snow when she’d sign and not been able to fulfil her bargain. I’d quietly chosen Atlas, changed guards for Driada and wedding the halls for my personal temple. Stregor quietly lost but now that I thought it better, had he?

I leaned back in my seat, seizing him. “Isn’t it strange, Stregor, how your wishes come true? Right after the wedding at that.”

He wore no offence, he was proud instead. “Are you accusing me of something, son?”

“Your Majesty to you, councillor, I am no son of yours.”

His features flared as did his shadows, but he knew to subdue them before me in time. “If not by me, she would have gotten what she deserves.”

Magic leaked out of me, clouds and gales of black warped enveloping the room, leaking and crawling around every limb of his. Darkness howled, it echoed sound of storms, it craved light and spread over it, devouring till the whole room was left in gloom.

“You have touched—no, have you even breathed near her,” I threatened, “I will destroy you to the root of your bloodline.”

His eyes grew wide, sweat beading on his brow as tentacles of my magic surrounded and twirled around him. It hissed at the touch of his skin and he let out a scream of anguish. Darkness burned, hotter than any flame. It burned all sense of light, all sense of life, it was death itself.

“Kilian, enough,” my aunt called, standing from her seat.

I turned to her, my magic twirling around her too. “Haven’t you become good in giving orders, head councillor. Sit before I tear your soul out and then your heart.”

She swallowed and took her seat, and I pulled my magic away from Stregor, the room still hovering with murk. “Answer me, Stregor, did you do it? Answer and I will bury you with your limbs still intact.”

“I have not,” he shouted, rubbing the blackened skin the imprint of my magic had left there.

“Leave,” I called, leaning back on my chair. Not once had anything tempted me to the degree I’d had to rely on my magic to threaten my council.

One by one they stood, but Stregor halted before his feet met the door step. “This is the thing about evil, Henrik, it invites the pure, lures light and defiles nature. You were only man too after all, and you as well fell for that trap.”

Mal was right again, he was an odd one to speak sense of evil and just. “Tell me, Stregor, how many have you caught on that same trap yourself?”

“I am no evil.”

“No, you are just man too, one led by it.”

* * *

The meeting room echoed in deafening silence, even my pulse had stilled since she went missing yesterday. Darkness blanketing around me, invisible hands of comfort. They had been my comfort since I was a child but now even them could not soothe the worry in my heart.

Driada laid a hand on my arm in comfort my body rejected. “She is alright, you told me she is strong and skilled. I have faith, son, you should too.”

Mal erupted in, panting, eyes widened in horror, fear, shock, overwhelm and deep sadness.

No, nothing has happened to her, nothing. Despite trying to convince myself, I could no longer breathe or see, my whole body numb. “Please, Mal, do not—” I begged. Not being able to hold myself up, I collapsed to my knees. My world robbed out of its light.

“They found her, the Isjordians, dead on our shores.”