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“There is more to his ascension overbothclans.” Larsson looked to Skadi. “But it is inevitable.”
“Skadi,” I said. “Are you forced into this betrothal?”
She lifted her gaze. “You do not understand our ways, fae.”
“That’s right.” Arion rose. “Skadinia will be my kin; it has been arranged for turns.”
“Nothing was set, and true negotiations were not to be had for turns to come,” Skadi muttered, but the way she grimaced I wondered if she’d meant to speak at all.
“When fate opens the way,chridhe, it would be foolish to ignore the chance.” Arion turned his cold gaze to me. “There is unique power within kin bonds, and when she is truly mine, she will want for nothing.Allour agreements will be honored, if she is but loyal to her king. So, cease with your attempts to convince her otherwise.”
Hesh rose from the table, dabbing his mouth with a linen. “It is time for me to return. The sun has set.”
“You know not to be seen,” Larsson said, voice low.
“I know how to sail my ship without the notice of the palace.”
“Yes, but you don’t know where Bloodsinger has gone.”
Erik wasn’t at the palace? Doubtless he was searching for us, but Hesh would now search for him.Serpent? Please answer.
Nothing.
“My men will find him,” said Hesh.
“Like last time?” Larsson glared at the blade lord. “Remember? When you supplied your men, and the earth fae stabbed them with roots.”
I swallowed. Gods, Hesh had been involved in the assassins who’d attacked at the palace.
“A mishap that won’t happen again,” said Hesh, and he quit the hall in a thunder of heavy steps that echoed down the corridor.
Skadi spoke of the marked being able to breach Fione’s wards. Hesh must’ve been the marked, yet I saw no hint of any rune or talisman.
“Hesh was not pleased with your bout of brutality, Lady.” Larsson winked and took a bite of fish off his plate.
“Then my life is utterly complete,” I retorted.
Larsson chuckled. “I must say, I did not anticipate the heartbond to aid in healing my brother that day. I’d even dropped a few sleeping herbs in Murdock’s wine to ensure he would be worthless to the king.”
My heart split in two. The day of the attack, Larsson had looked so flustered, so ill with worry. Gods, now it was clear he’d only fretted that his plan would fail.
Larsson clapped his hands. “It is because of that heartbond that I brought you here, Lady. In fact, it is the whole reason I needed the Chasm to open. Gods, how surprising it was to realize what I needed was an earth fae princess.”
“Not near as surprising as how cowardly you turned out to be.”
“I doubt you’ll feel that way soon enough.”
A bitter scoff slid over my tongue. “I so look forward to the moment you realize what sort of monster you’ve unleashed. Erik will destroy you, and, gods, I hope he takes his time.”
“And I look forward to when you’re no longer so enamored by Bloodsinger.” In swift movements, Larsson rose, had a hand wrapped around my braid, then yanked me down until he forced me onto my knees.
Soft spoken and direct as she’d been, Skadi cried out. “What are you doing? You said you only needed her kept at a distance. You said you weren’t going to hurt her.”
One snap of his fingers, and Arion had elven guards surrounding the princess, holding her steady. Still, she cried out, pleaded.
“You’re going to take this, Skadinia,” Arion said. “It will not kill her, so stop fumbling about.”
Skadi’s eyes bulged. “No. I won’t. I won’t use it for pain. You know what happens.”
