Page 58 of Winter Gods & Serpents

The dark princess was not an act, this was what she was, I was happy even her father had to face her wrath, when I remembered it was not long till us and the whole Adriata did.

Guards announced our presence before guiding us to the room. A guided flamboyant dais at its top, several golden chairs scattered in lines before it and a red carpet between them pointing towards the king, enthroned with poise of a killer ruler.

The King of Isjord sat in front of me feet away, a fist propped under his chin, brown shadows circling his head. Angry, he hid it well, his features a blanket of calm, composure, and that of perpetual turpitude.

“Welcome to Isjord,” he greeted all languid. “We have not welcomed Adriatians—well, you know I suppose.”

He was the reason to begin with, despite what my people had done. He instigated fear and chaos amongst our realm for only his plans to fail and my people to still assume in fear that those plans had not. How he was able to throw away his daughter to her worst enemies I had never understood.

“The safety of the princess is as much a priority to us, as it is to you, King Silas. You have allowed her in the way of danger once, which is more than enough,” Mal’s voice erupted from my side.

The king leaned forward nodding, lips pursed all desire to order ‘off with his head’. “Very well then, she is yours to protect from this point,” he added firmly, though no disregard read in his shadows. He did not care.

We were guided down the large cold corridors that arched around a garden and right outside the dark headed princess rested in a bench, her head lowered down resting in her palms. Indeed, she was not what they had described but she still had the presence of an ybris, she still was one, daughter of two Aura, her blood soiled, her existence an unnatural extension of malice.

God definers, born for carnage, born a ruination and harbinger of death, the definition of ybrises on the sacred liber of Caelus. She was powerless but it didn’t change what she was—the blood cursing her veins.

Chapter 15

Gods and Guards

Snowlin

Penelope dragged me out from the slumbering bath that had turned cold and pimpled my skin. She draped me in a grey long sleeved shimmering silk dress, with a square neck showing my bust that came curving around my body and barely touching the floor. My hair fell loose, two emerald coated pins on each side. My sore palms from last night were still thumping and aching, wrapped in a white gauze under the white gloves covering the evidence. Pen said I looked beautiful, yet I still saw only grim shadows floating in the reflection.

Nia stepped inside my room leaning against the door just before I reached it. Her eyes jumped in hesitation about the room avoiding mine.

“Speak Helenia,” I demanded, annoyed.

“Whatever you do, do not kill anyone. Not yet at least,” she asked, carefully stepping aside, letting me exit my room.

I already knew whom she meant. “I’ll play dice for the decision.”

She scowled. “Snowlin.”

I rolled my eyes. “I wont kill them.” I pulled the door open. “Yet.”

Two tall figures resembling my fears stood afront my chambers. The dark-haired men bowed their heads. One had lush brown long hair to his shoulder half pulled up in a bun, brown eyes darker than most, his features strong, carved but gentle somehow. The other was striking, perhaps it was his grey eyes resembling starlight, a shimmering silver, same as that of my dress like dancing snow spirits or his jaw that curved so sharp it resembled a blade I wished to prickle my finger on; perhaps it was the resistance in his eyes and the hate he did not fear to hide. His short dark hair almost as dark as mine, features were strong and impeccably stern almost still. In his chin a dimple dipped when he twitched his jaw. He looked like a carved god sculpture, the same thought that had gone through my head the first time I had seen him at the trials in Kirkwall. I remembered them; it was not difficult to forget such faces. They were both dressed in deep black leathers and contraptions, hugging every inch of their muscular limbs, looking every bit the fanatic barbarians they were.

Directly upon my return from the north trip to Islines, I’d been summoned by my father. Adriata were to send two guards to accompany me till my marriage with their king, to assure my safety. He gave me a choice; accept two Adriatians to trail me or remain still inside the castle grounds. It was punishment—punishment for disobeying and leaving for the Islines, for challenging the general and entering his court and a plan to keep me away from his business. This was a game to him but to me, he’d gone too far and he knew it. I had chosen right when his eyes grew as wide as an oysters egg and his nostrils wide enough to suck all the air in the room. Had he though me stupid enough to fall for his tricks? Even if a whole army of theirs had trailed to guard me I would have allowed it since now I knew the extent he was willing to go to keep me away from his plans. These two men were the ones sent from the Adriatian King to keep me safe, a thought that had sent me in laughing fits since last night, but now that I was facing them it didn’t appear to entertain me all the same.

They bowed their heads slightly, both studied me carefully as though they had never seen me before, their eyes falling to my dress and gradually to my face.

“Do Adriatians name their dogs or just the snakes?” I asked, scrunching my nose playfully, giving them my most saccharine smile.

The silver eyed one flared in anger, his eyes unwavering into mine as the other stepped forward. “Malik, Your Highness, and Kilian, my brother,” he said calmly, motioning to the man next to him. Such normal names for such barbarians. “We will be your guards till your marriage with our king.”

I scoffed. “And after, my undertakers?”

I found it funny, but the two guards stiffened.

“After, you are to be our queen, princess, however we or you like it. There is no joking in that matter. We are to protect you with our life from this moment and after even more,” Kilian spoke harshly in a tight irked expression.

My jaw locked tight. “Is that so?”

“Yes, that is so.”

I studied his gaze, the lingering disdain behind. “It will eventually become burdensome you know, looking at me like I am inhuman all the time.”