Page 32 of Season Warriors & Wolves

She sucked in a quick breath when someone rasped a fist over the wood so urgently that the door shook on its hinges. “If they find you here, they will think I am your ally and this will be a farce. Go!” she whispered harshly.

“Play for my father, but win for me,” I offered. “Help me scare him, and I will help you get your revenge. I am particularly good at that. Unlike my father, I cannot offer you back your crown, but what I can offer is the head of who took it from you. If that is what you want and wish.”

Another loud knock.

She swallowed. “Scare him?”

“He will not be stopped, not with all that he has gathered, but he can be delayed.”

“I cannot bargain with you, Melanthe would know. She has marked everyone after what you did with the old lords.”

“No bargain. From one Krigborn to another, Skadi, an agreement.” I pulled a vial from my pocket and tipped it to her lips. After several seconds, I extended a hand to her. “Kha ramal arê khâz.” My word for yours.

She hesitated, her hands bunched in tight fists. When the knock rang again violently, she thrust a hand forward, bracing mine. “Khâz ramal arê khân.” Your word for mine.

When the fist pounded on her door again, she pulled away and shouted, “What?”

“General, you are being called by Demir,” someone shouted from behind the door. “To check on the princess.”

“The bitch can wait,” she responded and threw me a side glance.

I raised my brows at her and mimed an offended reaction, putting a hand over my heart. “Ouch.”

“General, this is urgent. Demir thinks she might be up to something.”

That made me smile. “Oh, dear,” I whispered. “Better hurry.”

“Let me get dressed,” she shouted back, rolling her eyes. “And I will be right out.”

“We will wait,” the guards answered.

Panicked, she turned to face me. “Windows. Use the windows to get out.”

I frowned, looking down at my attire. “That’s very unladylike. I will leave after you.”

“Princess,” she hissed. “Hell will break loose if I do not find you in your room.”

“There are shortcuts everywhere, Moregan. Relax,” I said, taking a seat on her settee. “No one will know I’ve even said a word today.”

I’d just laid down after my bath and opened my book when Demir burst through the front doors heaving and panting while he directed his scathing glare on me.

“Down boy,” I mocked, flipping my pages to where I’d been reading the other night. “No danger here.”

“Where are your guards?”

My brows flew up and I glanced at the doors before blinking up at him. “What guards?”

“Don’t play with me,” he growled.

Pushing up, I stood and looked out at the two guards stationed by my door. “There.”

“The ones this morning. They have not reported back, nor have they returned to their quarters.”

“How would I know?”

He neared me, almost chest to chest as he harshly whispered the words out between gritted teeth, “Do not fucking play me.”

My frown was slow and natural. “Something has happened,” I stated more than asked while dawning more confusion to my expression. The mask slipped on so quickly and effortlessly it surprised me too. “You know how loyal Adriatians are to their faith.” I clicked my tongue. “To trust them so profoundly only for them to run away with your secrets. Off to the other king or queen who will lead them to destroy what they fear and what their faith does not forgive. First it was me. And now, my father. One monster for the other. I’d say pray they’ve just run away scared not looking for another king to spy for, but who would you pray to?”