Page 56 of Winter Gods & Serpents

“Sweet crescent moon,” Mal murmured behind me.

If the princess wanted to dally around carelessly, she would have to do it with two Adriatians attached to her, if not to protect her, to annoy her enough to stay put. Isjord had armies, numbers, and strategic maps, but we had better skilled soldiers, Adriatian steel weapons and our Aura were far more vicious than theirs. If Silas wanted this deal as much as we did, he would agree and he would not be smart to refuse knowing his princess was now at someone’s target.

She laughed. “Am I to guess who these two soldiers will be?” Her tone angry and displeased.

The two soldiers would be the two Adriatians I trusted the most in this kingdom, myself and Mal, who was already sneering and shaking his head in disparagement.

“I understand Moon court has plenty time to play guess the word so I will leave you at it,” I said ready to leave. “We will leave the moment we receive immunity to move through Isjord.”

“What makes you think Silas will allow two Adriatians to enter his court?”

I halted. She was right. He didn’t build this wall only to ensure we both keep out of each other’s kingdoms, but more to keep us away from his. But now we were to become allies, and if he could trust his daughter to live in our kingdom it would be too hostile of him to refuse our request.

“He will.” I left with Mal furiously charging behind my back. I knew he was going to react this way, but he could not refuse because he would not allow me to go on Isjordian lands on my own.

“This is not about protecting her, is it?”

“Imagining things in your young age?”

He laughed shortly and unamused. “So I was right.”

“About what?”

He only blew a breath of frustration and remained silent.

Mal had not spoken a word as we made our way to the tavern down the city which we frequented since we were old enough to keep our drinks down. The sun nearly drowned down the horizon, casting a purple shadow on the stony streets of the city. Candlelight flickered inside the square stone houses lined in a perfect symmetry with each other, children ran towards a leather ball, their screams and cheers filling the busy street; a perfect Adriatian evening. The city became livelier at night, we were worshipers of the dark, our lands grew under moonlight and the shadows got darker, bigger at night. It was the time our Aura were the strongest, when Empaths saw emotional shadows brighter, fading was swifter, easier on our life strength and our telepathic hold tighter. To us the air grew sweeter at night.

We made our way to our usual seat, the ground shaking from the music and dancing which our people enjoyed beyond extent.

“It seems you have truly lost it, Kil, old age is not settling well with you,” he said sipping from his drink, finally breaking the silence between us. “If this is your plan to study Isjord, you are wrong. Silas would not allow us near any of his precious secrets, doesn’t matter what agreement is between us, we are still enemies to him, not to mention her.” There it was, his true concern, her.

“Only to protect the agreement,” I said half truthfully. I was curious about Isjord and this would be a great chance to explore its endless lands.

“You mean the princess?”

“One of the same.”

His shadows dressed in suspicion and disbelief. He relaxed onto his chair and rose a toast. “Well, cheers to the princess and the suffering bastards she will make of us.”

“I thought you liked her.”

“I enjoy being a suffering bastard to a beautiful woman. Let alone a beautiful woman with a sword.”

I scoffed. “She’d rather have your head on a pike.”

He sighed all bliss, leaning onto his chair giving me a wink. “Rather exciting.”

I coughed my drink. “You sicken me, brother.”

* * *

Two days after, Isjord responded to our request, granting permission to escort the princess till the wedding. An answer I had expected, but strangely it struck me in surprise.

When we notified the council of our departure, they had been in disbelief more at themselves for adhering permission to us to enter Isjord, thinking Silas was going to send a rejection. They argued a whole evening, protesting we do not leave, but we left our goodbyes last night.

It would take a whole day's journey to arrive in Tenebrose according to the wall guards. We left Amaris just before dawn well rested, dressed and packed tightly. Adriata was a warm kingdom, we have never experienced harsh weather, winter, snowy or icy terrain at that. To me and Mal, we were entering a whole new realm. Our father had travelled Isjord countless times, but he had never brought me or Mal with him. Shortly after we were old enough to travel far, he passed and then the Highwall treaty was established.

“Don’t make me regret agreeing to let you two do this,” Larg warned, opening the Zone of Peace gates to the winter lands.