Page 5 of Clash of Kingdoms

There wasn’t an opportunity to crack a smile, not in the seriousness of the moment, so I walked behind Queen Rolfe down the hallway, out of the castle, and into the cold, and followed the torches down to the gate.

I stayed behind her, acting as her guard rather than her equal.

We eventually made it to the gate, which was still closed and locked since General Henry and the soldiers would arrive sometime in the morning.

“What do you see?” I called to the archers on top.

They stared through the darkness and the snow, taking a moment to identify the travelers who approached without invitation. “Two of the riders bear black-and-red armor. The other two…I think I see gold.”

My heart gave a burst at the information. “My brothers.”

Queen Rolfe turned to me. “You’re certain?”

“Yes.”

She turned to the guard. “Open the gate.”

We stepped back, and slowly, the enormous doors began to swing open, the gears in the mechanism creaking from the weight. They parted wide enough for the four riders to come through, and then minutes later, they arrived, their horses’ hooves loud against the earth.

They tugged on the reins and brought the horses to a standstill.

Up close, I could see the details of their armor, the snakes engraved on their chests, the serpents on their blades. I went to Larisa and gave her my hand to help her down from the horse. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s a looooooong story,” she said. “And we’re fucking freezing.” She unhooked a bucket made of sheep’s wool and handed it to me. “Fang needs to get warm. Even in that bucket, he’s turning solid.”

Kingsnake came to me next and pulled back his hood. There was no smartass comment from him because the cold and the famine had exhausted him too. “Of course, when we get here, there’s a blizzard…”

Queen Rolfe came to my side and regarded them, focusing on their eyes where their pupils were slitted.

“This is Queen Rolfe,” I said in introduction. “I don’t think you met previously.”

Kingsnake gave a slight bow. “Your Highness.”

Cobra and the others did the same. Cobra and Kingsnake wouldn’t have made that gesture in another scenario, but because they knew these people were important to me, they sucked it up.

I was quiet, letting Queen Rolfe take the lead because she was the ruler and I was the servant.

“Join us in the castle,” she said. “Any guest of Aurelias’s is a guest of mine.”

We walked the long path to the castle in the freezing snow, no one speaking because everyone was too cold to say anything. Once we entered the castle and the doors shut behind us, there was a sigh of relief from all of them. We traveled upstairs and entered the great room. Harlow sat in one of the chairs, and a fire had been made in the grand fireplace to light up the room.

Larisa placed the wool bucket in front of the fireplace so Fang could warm himself near the flames. He slowly poked his head out, his tongue slipping in and out, and then he slithered closer to the flames, curling up into a ball like a dog on the rug.

Thisss isss much better.

Harlow stared at the snake with wide eyes. “Is that…a pet?”

“Not a pet,” Larisa said. “More of a companion.”

More of a ruthlesss killing machine…

I always found Fang’s words refreshing. It’s nice to see you again.

And you.

I moved to Kingsnake and embraced him. I did the same with Cobra and Larisa. With Clara, I didn’t know her very well, and I still felt uncomfortable knowing she used to be an Ethereal, so I regarded her with a nod.

“Take a seat,” Queen Rolfe said. “You must be tired. Refreshments will be provided momentarily.”

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