Page 98 of Winter Gods & Serpents

He frowned. “Why? Is not that you care.”

“I don’t like thinking I’ve been lied too when I have not. Next time tell me. I have enough hiding from me, don’t you become one too.”

The happy usual four sat in quiet when I made my way to my seat.

Fren huffed a laugh. “What has happened to you?” she asked in a teasing tone, proceeding to survey me.

“Do not worry, it is not from fucking Elias all night long, that would be another day,” I said fluttering my lashes and giving her a mocking tight-lipped smile. The bleached bitch.

Her eyes and mouth widened, face twisting in a cry. “Father, please.”

The man had stopped and rested a hand on his forehead, his eyes over me while his bastard wailed. His jaw tightening enough that the room echoed the gritting of his teeth.

I giggled at her helplessness and the delightful silence of my father. “Now, now, Fren dear, father cannot buy or gift you cock. You got to get out and find one yourself. I doubt Elias will find bedding you an alternative, also everyone knows about the Venzors and their lovers. Prepare for batches of bastards and half breeds like yourself to fly left and right,” I said motioning my hand back and forth.

I barely held a laugh at her sulked reaction, her eyes were almost popping out of their sockets. Instead I cringed at the ghastly sight she became. Father again did not speak, instead, he rubbed his hand on his forehead enough that I thought the friction would draw blood.

“Do not speak to my sister like that!” Reuben exclaimed smashing a fist to the table, making the cutlery jiggle.

“Oh hush Reuben, you can barely handle your own cutlery so do not go flicking a sword at me. Quite the sight you two, the ghastly spirit set to marry a Lord's son to keep the Lord from revolting, and a wannabe heir whose sharp tongue has only ever been over his own arse, cheers to that,” I said, toasting my goblet in the air.

Interestingly, I was really in the mood today, what had the healer given me? The strain of my tongue was unusually loose.

Moreen looked back and forth between me and father, my oddly silent father. “Snowlin, please my child let's have breakfast quietly as all families,” she finally interfered after seeing her tensed children ready to pounce at me.

“Moreen, you tend to stick your head in a lot of peacock arse, but stay out of mine,” I said, pointing to her hair while I munched on a plum jam toast.

“All done?” father finally spoke in a rough harsh voice. His face heated red and reflecting burning eyes, how much alike they were to mine but how very different they burned.

I stood taking an apple in my hand before bowing to him. “For now.”

“Have someone drop the report of your patrol to Kirkwall to my chambers. I heard you found Adriatians, how did that happen?”

I halted and turned to him, schooling my features down. “I put a reward notice, a private one, regarding anyone with information on Adriatians. Call me paranoid but I do worry for my wellbeing considering their government is tying an agreement with me as a pawn, probably not to their subject’s satisfaction. I was right to do so when a group of them attacked us yesterday. You see, I might not be your ybris, but I am still theirs.”

“A private notice?”

I scowled innocently. “W-what? Is there something the matter?”

He waved a hand and nodded. “No, you are right,” he said calmly before throwing an examining look. “Did they hurt you?”

Holding back a laugh I tried to let my fatigue resurface. “Well do I look fine to you?” I had to play sheep for the wolf to get close enough to stab a dagger through its ribs.

He sighed. “Make sure to see a healer.”

* * *

By mid-afternoon my lids felt heavy with fatigue and lack of sleep, and I headed to my bedroom, my whole body felt sore and in need of rest, but unconsciously I was fighting it away. I rustled around uncomfortably till I tangled in my bed sheets unable to untangle without the help of a dagger.

I had barely fallen to light slumber when I got transported to the dark void of my own head, my dreams had been again of Thora and Eren. Father held a sword to their throats, laughing as they laid slain beneath his feet, blood pooling around their bodies. They both looked in my direction as if they could really see me.

“Are we dead, Snow?” They said in unison and I jumped out of my dream sweating and panting.

Throwing a sweater and a cloak, I headed to claim rest somewhere dreams were chased away by the very same presence of them.

Nia and Kilian stood by outside my door in grave silence, I startled them more than myself.

Kilian leaning by the wall opposite my door moved forward to me all concern. “Is there something wrong?”