Fires of War (War and Deceit #4) - Erin O'Kane Page 0,95
son, who’s watching me with a smirk. His comment makes my anger simmer and bubble, which is exactly why he said it. Without looking away, I extract my arm from Vaeril’s and hold out my hand, gently stroking the bond I share with Grayson, whispering a request. Within seconds, my mage takes my hand in both of his, raising it to his lips as he presses a kiss there, his eyes locked on his former king.
“They don’t belong to anyone,” I correct, arching a single eyebrow. “However, they ally with me now.”
My display only seems to have amused the king, who is smirking. “We shall see.” Dismissing me with a wave of his hand, he turns his attention to someone behind me, and glancing over my shoulder, I feel my stomach sink as I realise who he’s targeting next. “High Chief Revna,” the king calls out, and I see her freeze as he addresses her. Turning her cold gaze on him, she places her hand over her axe, and I know she would only be too happy to slaughter him on the spot.
“Now, it is a surprise to see you here,” he practically purrs, moving forward as if to walk right up to her. A few steps away from her, he stops, cocking his head to the side and reaching out as if to touch something. A blue light ripples through the air around us as the king jerks his hand back quickly, and I feel the thick sensation of magic in the air as he activates the shield around us. Somehow, he knew it was there. Narrowing my eyes, I watch him carefully as he cradles his hand to his chest, his gaze calculating, and I realise he didn’t know for sure, but he suspected.
What would the shield have done to him if he’d walked straight into it? I ponder, a dark little part of my mind wishing that he had. It would have saved us a lot of trouble.
Knowing he can’t get any closer to my aunt, I see a flash of something go through his eyes as he takes another step forward, getting so close to the shield, I can almost feel it sizzling. “I didn’t think you would ever leave the mountains. At least that’s what your sister told me,” he comments in a conversational tone, ignoring her hostile expression. With a sorrowful sigh, he places a hand on his chest and glances over at me before returning his attention to Revna, but I don’t miss the gleam in his eyes. He’s enjoying this. “It’s such a shame she isn’t here to show you around,” he jibes with fake remorse. Body stiff, Revna simply glares at the king, not bothering to respond, although I can see her hand twitching, longing to reach for her axe and settle this the way of the tribespeople.
Having failed to rattle the high chief, the king changes tactics, his body language changing in an instant. “Never mind, maybe I could show you around. I would love to spend some time with you this evening. Perhaps I chose the wrong sister.”
Hatred runs through my veins, and if it wasn’t for the two elves holding me back and whispering to me in elvish, I’m not sure what my actions might have been. Fool, my thoughts chide, that’s exactly what he wants you to do. Vaeril is still talking to me under his breath in his lilting language, and while I have no idea what he’s saying, it helps calm me. Eldrin, on the other hand, while also speaking in elvish, sounds like he’s making a promise. As I pull my gaze from the king to look at him, our eyes meet, and I see I was right. I don’t need to be able to understand elvish to know a promise for vengeance when I hear one.
A feral sounding growl catches my attention, and the thick push of magic fills the air. Revna has stepped right up to the king, the magical barrier between them glowing as she snarls at him. “My sister was too good for you,” she spits, visibly furious as her body trembles with rage. Tor is at her side, speaking to her in a low voice, too quiet for me to hear, but whatever he says makes her pause. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she steps back, her head held high. “I am here for my niece, and nothing else.”
My heart swells with emotions I struggle to put a name