Page 33 of Winter Gods & Serpents

I could see the contempt in Fren and Reuben’s features, the idea of my demise seems to still satisfy them, so I leaned toward Elias. “When are you going to ask for that other moment alone?”

His gaze eagerly followed me, too distracted to notice everyone had turned to our attention. “If I ask for a small one tonight?”

“Tonight you shall have it.”

He ran the tip of his tongue over his lip all satisfaction and nodded.

“How did my general get beaten almost to death and then thrown to the dungeons for hanging right after you fought him?” my father snapped in distaste, throwing glances between myself and Elias.

Questions, they come after, once you are comfortable in your win. He will make you think you have won, then dispel any trust he made you think you formed before catching you unprepared.

“You expect me to know, how?” I taunted, continuing to chew on fruit.

He narrowed his eyes, like hunter at his prey. “Strange coincidence, don’t you recon? Strange that his wife had found out he’d committed adultery, and she is not just an ordinary woman, her father is Kalius Modr.”

“Is she?” I asked, raising my brows. “Strange indeed. So, what do you expect to hear from me father?”

“How did you find out?” he snapped, impatiently.

“Find out what?”

Ice blistered his fingertips wanting to burst. “Do not play with me, Snowlin.”

Servants.

“Servants,” I lied, throwing a few grapes in my mouth. “They told me all sort of stories about him. He particularly angered me during our fight, called me a whore you see, and I decided his wife should hear how much of a whore he was.”

If he finds your threats, tell him servants spoke, place doubt about loose word around the castle, it will bring him out of the thought of your win.

“And who was this servant?”

I snorted. “You can barely remember your children’s names and you expect me to remember servants? What is the matter, you think I have a spy in your court?”

“Do you? Do you have a spy in my court?”

He will think you have your spy.

I smiled remembering Alaric’s words, everything had gone to his advice.

“I don’t need to, here even walls talk. Your expression is very giving too, means you had no idea about the general and have doubts about a particular servant serving as someone’s spy. Venzor? Oh, the Islines?” I jumped jollily in question.

He blanched. “That is enough.”

My mouth stuffed from corner to corner as I shrugged and said, “You started it.”

Bring up the Venzors and the Isline Krigborn, and you have checkmate.

No one knew my father better than Alaric did. He had spent years in Isjord, knew his very rotten core and every habit and dislike of his.

* * *

Samuel stood positioned between two training pits instructing and training his men. His moves more precise than any other soldier I had seen in Isjord. Sam was of Solaryan origin, a Glare Aura. Handpicked by my late grandfather himself and served under the crown of Isjord for more than six decades. He was an orphan from White bridge sent to a special regiment since barely a toddler. Trained, bred to kill and fight; a tool of regime, bargained back and forth armies, but his worth was one of the highest. If a human could be bought, no one could afford him. Samuel had seen poverty, destruction and lived war, one of the worst as well, the Ater battle’s. The longest war between the elementals and the spirituals, the roughest and hardest ever fought in the last two centuries. The continent had fought Eldmoor for three years in unition against the plague they brought. Dark crafters had been at their most greedy, their numbers not only were large but powerful. The 97th Grand Maiden, their leader, a Potioner, one experimenting with more than any had dared before, more than their god allowed. She created mutant creatures of human flesh and blood drawn from monsters in Celesteel’s realm that had no control and fed on human flesh. Adriata had fought against their fellow spirituals along with the other elemental kingdoms, Isjord included, to sustain and survive. The gods had listened, well Celesteel had, and drawn his power back from the Grand Maiden and all dark crafters who had not been true believers. I always doubted that had been where my father got his idea to sire hybrid Aura. Sam had faced real beasts and seen true horrors, if there was one general that I did not wish to fight it would be him.

His soldiers halted and bowed. His attention now turned to me, a smile wore his face at my presence. “Have you come to take me down as well?” he asked playfully, catching a glance of me from where he had twisted around a young man.

Soldiers laughed in unison and then dispersed at his order.

“I only deal with those who run their mouths as if it is their bottom, you are safe, Sam,” I said, pulling him in a hug.