Page 187 of Season Warriors & Wolves

It had not worked then.

Nia’s potion had not worked.

“It has worked,” Snow said, a stuttering laughter leaving her. “It worked. Skadi vomited the seedling last night.”

“It worked?”

I turned to Cai’s voice coming behind us. His face lit up with a grin when Snow flew in his arms, kicking her feet and writhing in excitement.

“I thought you didn’t want to save anyone,” I said.

She gave me an unimpressed look. “No matter how you look at this, it is a win against my father. Besides, I didn’t wish to lose Skadi. She is more valuable than all of you think. Silas’s personal guard is her. Probably even during the war she will be beside him. Give us an opening.”

I bought none of that, but nodded nonetheless.

Contrary to the rest of the people on the terrace, I knew she cried every time a tree was cut in Isjord because squirrels were left homeless. She’d fought hard for their property rights. When proposing to our father an agreement about it had not worked, she’d gone and stabbed the work men, nailed a warning on the city news post and officially made the whole of Tenebrose think she was a witch sent directly from the frozen hells.

“What now?” I asked.

“We sneak as many of these inside Isjord,” Kilian answered. “The rest we use afterwards. Whoever will remain.”

Atlas rushed to the terrace tripping over his robes and tumbling a couple of times. “V-Vrammetheni ships and Solaryan ships were seen entering Mahara’s channel. Sailing towards the Dravan Isle,” he said quickly. “Tristin sent me to tell you immediately.”

I backed away, blowing a sharp whistle for Jayre who immediately launched from a mountain cliff in our direction. “Will see they arrive safely to shore and keep whatever might have followed them back.”

Cai grabbed my arm when I went past him. “Tristin and her Skye are there.”

“I heard.”

He sighed, his hand moving from my arm to my waist, and he closed the distance between us. “Nia said you’re still unwell.”

Jayre landed on the roof, lowering his head so I could climb his back.

“That is my problem, Cai.”

His hold on me loosened and he nodded, backing off while I climbed Jayre and launched to disappear inside clouds.

The only place I could think and talk and feel without being afraid I was doing them wrong.

Chapter thirty-seven

White Knight to G3

Kilian

She got dressed rather languidly, alone this time. Black dress with several chains dangling over her shoulders, arms and chest, almost like armour. For some reason, she even put her gorgeous, long hair up, pinning it at the back and letting silver earrings dangle down her ears. Her eyes were on the mirror, but from time to time, they looked over at mine, almost in reassurance. The crown she wore was Olympian, but it might as well have been Adriatian. Silver spikes decorated all over with obsidian and diamonds.

Sliding behind her, I picked up the reddest lipstick I could find and turned her to me, pinching her chin to stain her lips till they looked like the most perfect sin.

She pouted. “Pretty?”

“Very.”

“Don’t let me strangle Magnus.”

“You wouldn’t do that to the sweet man who writes me love letters and lowers entire city shields to welcome me to his home.”

She hit me, kept slapping at my arms until I caught her hands and spun her till her back was to my chest. “I love you,” I murmured in her ear.