Page 87 of Winter Gods & Serpents

What was this about? Why was Myrdur being mentioned, what did it have to do with this?

The princess’s blood had soaked the jacket on her left arm completely, the navy fabric shone a metallic bright ruby, her face had paled, she was losing too much blood.

“Remove your jacket, princess. I do not need you dead just yet,” I ordered, turning to ask the Adriatian mother for a bandage.

“You will not touch me, ever, and you think me so weak as to die from this. You will have to try harder when time comes,” she answered flatly, grabbing the bandage from my hand.

Her friend stepped forward to help.

“I can do it myself,” she said dismissing him.

“Stubborn woman,” he murmured under his breath, before taking position back to the wall.

Could have not agreed more, but I would add mad, angry, bloodthirsty, murderous, and psychopathic to that. She drove a dagger to her flesh to prove a point. She had to have known I would never hurt her; my reaction must have given her some satisfaction.

She removed her soaked jacket, the white undershirt clung tightly to her curves, it had matted to her left arm completely on the thick crimson fluid. She hurriedly wrapped her wound, around her shoulder then across her chest, tying the bandage to the front, almost as if she had done this before; wrapped wounds, just like a soldier would.

“Your children,” she continued quietly, “will not remain here, they will be taken care of from your own. You on the other hand are my prisoners till I find the Adriatians in Isjord. If any of them attempt any move in this kingdom that is not what you have told me, I will hold you two responsible, as hosting and aiding in criminal activity, accessory to their crimes. Then I will hold true to what was promised, all of that fun.” She then turned to me. “I need you to take them by the borders and offer them protection in your lands, the whole city will soon find out my reason for visiting here. I might have not killed them but can't guarantee they won't, and a promise was given from my behalf. They are also forbidden to enter these lands from this point on, even after the agreement. I will put them on the criminal records, all four of them.”

A long loud sigh left my lungs, and I rubbed my eyes at her excessiveness. “Is that necessary?”

“Are you still questioning me?”

My eyes deviating to the cut on her neck still streaming blood.

“You are bleeding.”

She huffed a laugh. “I thought you liked me bleeding?”

“I do not like you however way, especially bleeding.”

She scrunched her nose with tease. “Pretty liar, I could bet a good cheek I am your favourite ybris.”

I retreated rubbing my tired eyes before I would give in to her torture.

* * *

Nesrin and Larg approached the Zone of Peace, both of their expressions in shock and grimness at our sight. I explained to them both what had happened and the instructions of the princess regarding the children.

“At least she did not kill them, it would have not been beyond her. I have witnessed her judgments before, considering those, this batch have escaped completely unscathed,” Nesrin explained. “Be careful there Kilian, she could hurt you too. I will pray for your safe return.” Nesrin left, taking the children, greeting us goodbye.

Larg studied me and my expression. “I hope that is not your blood, but for Henah’s sake, please tell me it is not hers?”

“She lives, but she does tempt her ways with me more than I can sometimes bear.”

“Kilian, son,” he scorned loudly, “you went to protect her. However she behaves, you are not to harm her. You were the one who could not trust anyone else to go with Mal, and yet you are the first to hurt her.”

Tension built in my neck at his words, but he was right. “How are the border cities holding?”

His expression turned sullen. “Sitara has gotten worst, we have evacuated more than half the city in Amaris. None of our ships can leave five miles into Moor, but the unblessed have docked tens of theirs into our lands and…Sidra, five of our battleships were destroyed, dragged by the hightide directly into the storm. This wall needs to come down, son, hold the princess safe.”

* * *

The squadron had readied for return. The black morph circled the skies ahead and around. Her sight and tell. Smart, handy. I studied the soldiers and noted the missing two Adriatians.

I reached Caiden, the one she always left in charge. “Where are the two prisoners?”

Unbothered he checked his horse’s saddle. “Isjord has a no prisoner policy, they are Snow’s prisoners. If you still hope for that agreement I’d keep quiet.”