Page 91 of What Lies Within Blood & Heirs

Rune seemed bored. Ankles crossed in front of him, leaning against the tree while his ice-blue hand held a knife. Chiseling splinters of wood and dust, whittling a griffin-like shape in the stick he held. If he was listening, if he even cared, he made no effort to show it.

Kyr started, “I’d rather not freeze my balls off eating scraps for dinner just to sit there and wave at their sentries like a damn fool. It’s pointless to be stationed at the Wall. Can’t fly over it. Can’t climb it. Hundreds of years and no one has made a starsdamned crack.”

Then the young male said, “Not with the High King testing his newest weapons. Dellisaerin’s Wall will fall. It’s only a matter of time. And I will be there again as one of those that bring it down.”

Alora froze, and she reamed in her starfire fit to explode.

The rumored impenetrable ice wall.

She’d heard stories of it. And at one time had wondered how Garrik was going to get her over it when she had first agreed to move with the legion until they arrived at the northernmost kingdom. Like Kennazar’s wall of flames as high as the skies, Dellisaerin’s kingdom, too, was concealed by great and ancient powers the day Magnelis stole his reign. Only, instead of the evilpowers abused by the High King, Dellisaerin’s king had saved his people just as the fire kingdom’s young king had.

“You?” Kyr cawed a mocking laugh. “Our little Arzen has been to the Wall?”

The young male—Arzen—snarled at the taunt. “Manytimes.”

“And?” Kyr asked dryly.

“AndMagnelis is going to need a lot more of my kind before we can cleave through an inch. There were three of us there last time. It made little difference. Nikolouse’s powers are too strong. But we are highly confident it will happen. Soon.”

Nikolouse.Dellisaerin’s king.

Movement by the fire drew her attention.

Kyr had turned sideways, a leg slung over the log, as he cocked his head at her. “Looks like we said something of interest to the princess.” Both blonds and Arzen turned their heads when Kyr asked her, “What’s that pitiful face for? Don’t worry. We won’t be taking you to the Wall.”

Perhaps she shouldn’t have said it. Shouldn’t have drawn more attention to herself, but it was too late. She couldn't stop the venom spilling from her lips as she snarled, “You’re all fools.”

Rune shrugged like he couldn’t care at all. “We’re not the one half dead on the ground with no one to come save us, are we?”

“The legion will notice I’m gone. And when they do?—”

Kyr burst out a deep, guttural laugh. Throwing his head back as Rune lifted a brow in her direction, still whittling his stick. “It won’t matter.” Kyr snickered before a thin smile curved up his ugly face. His gaze shifted to Arzen. “No one will find you. Not even the High Prince.”

That’s what you think.Alora breathed a dark laugh, blood dripping from between her teeth.

“Something you’d like to add, princess?” Rune’s glowing eyes speared her.

A wicked grin twisted across her face. “I’m imagining your heads roasting over that fire.”

Rune grinned. “It’s a shame we’re selling you. Could be some fun having you around.”

“Once I regain my strength, I’ll show you exactly howfunI can be,” she threatened, forcing a flippant grin, and pivoted her head against the dirt with a wince.

Kyr smiled. “Oh, I’ve already seen how fun you can be. You know, in the woods. When you whored yourself to the High Prince. Then imagine our surprise when his harlot returned for more. Didn’t think royalty stooped so low to village rats.”

They … thought she was from a nearby town … watched her and Garrik in the valley? Heard her moans. Watched her High Prince kneeling?—

“And then we found you stumbling home through the forest not long after. Fucking delicious. Serving yourself up on a silver platter, begging to be taken like the desperate bitch we watched get off on the High Prince whore’s tongue. And here we thought he only had a mouth for the snake bitch.”

Alora bit back her rising anger. “No.Youled me to the lake.,” she growled.

They burst into laughter.

Rune leaned forward. “You found us, princess. We had nothing to do with your little adventure.”

No… That couldn’t be true. She’d seen a darkened figure… Outside camp in the valley.

If it’d been Garrik, he would’ve known where she was. What happened to her. He’d have found her. And if the shadow wasn’t one of these males, then who had taunted her across the tree line?

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