Page 104 of Season Warriors & Wolves

“Kilian is going to be so mad,” Nia said, bringing some goodies out of her bag. “He was so mad when you asked him about Golgotha. Imagine this.”

Well, the Isline Queen was no god at least.

“Nonsense. He loves me,” I said, chewing on the worst snacks I’d ever had. This was why Cai was my snack person, not Nia. What sane person snacked on dried grapes?

“You really think the Islines might really want to help us?” Thora quietly asked.

Nia shook her head. “The answer to that is definitely a no, Rora. I think Snow is thinking of something else.”

True, I was.

Thora stuffed her mouth with dried grapes and then gagged, spitting them on a piece of paper. “Like?”

“Throw our father off,” I said. “Cause some trouble in Isjord. His numbers are terrifying the more I think about it. He’s slowly encircling us all even before raising Aurora. Which means one of the two. He either fears Aurora will fail him. Or is prepared for us to put up a real fight with her. He knows you and Eren live, if he was worried about me finding a way to control it, he is now triple worried. Father has this thing despite his skill of war.”

My sister leaned forward, all curious. “What thing?”

“He doubts himself.”

“How do you know?”

“It took him so little thought to decide to make me an heir. I know that man inside out. He is weak. Like a turtle.”

“Oh god,” Nia mumbled, enjoying her dried grapes. “Here we go again.”

My sister blinked. “Like a…turtle?”

“Strong armour. Boneless flesh underneath. He’s got his beast, his witch, an old Ice Queen, and soon a whole guardian. Take the turtle apart. Strip the veils and the sun shields. Take away his four horsemen. Only a man with some decent powers remains underneath. Besides, his fourth horseman already rides for me.”

“I’ll speak to Mor about the Islines, see what she thinks. They’ve been neighbours for millennia, she will know to give us a clear view on this,” Nia said, nodding. “This could be dangerous, Snow. They are not nice people from all that I’ve heard and will probably use this opportunity against your bloodline. We cannot deal with two enemies.”

My little sister nodded. “I agree with Nia. But with you, too. This could work. Isjord thrives on meticulousness, a set of straight rules, and protocol. Imagine throwing them into chaos.”

“Exactly.”

The two went quiet all of a sudden. Both looked behind me over at the doors, so I turned as well. Kilian was only in his underwear, hair all over the place, his cheeks stained pink, and he was staring at me with the sleepiest eyes that made me feel all guilty for some reason. “You weren’t there.” Even his voice was all sleepy.

“I totally get it now,” Nia chuckled under her breath and Thora joined, giggling like hens.

“I’ll come back to bed in a moment, darling.”

He blinked fast. “How long of a moment?”

I got on my feet. “Is there something wrong?”

“Yes.”

Hells, had he heard us? I was not ready to tell him about it yet. “What?”

“You’re mine at night.”

A flush crept all the way down my face, neck and chest, his eyes dropping there. “I suppose it will be a short moment,” he said, lifting his eyes back at mine and walking away.

“Not a word,” I said to the two behind me who were already preparing to embarrass me more.

They pressed their mouths tightly, but the moment I sat down, Nia repeated in an almost perfect Kilian voice, “You’re mine at night.”

I winced.