Page 6 of Of Steel and Scale

“Someone who places no value on human life.” Damon’s voice was a low vibration of anger.

I could understand that anger. Could feel its echo deep within.

“There’s no livestock within the mound that I could see.” My gaze remained on the blackened fingers of wood rather than the bodies. “And none in the holding yards. Both the buildings in the industrial area and the houses surrounding the marketplace have been stripped of all usable items. Whoever did this came here, killed all its inhabitants, and then seized every single thing of value they could get their hands on.”

“And burned the rest to hide anything they might have left behind that could identify them.” My father swept a hand across his heavily plaited silver hair. “I wonder why they didn’t simply leave the bodies to burn where they were? Why go to the trouble of stacking them here like this?”

“I don’t think they were stacked. I think they were herded here alive, then killed and set alight.” Damon’s voice was flat and unemotional—at odds with the thick waves of his fury and disgust that rolled across my senses. “The way they have all fallen suggests they didn’t put up a fight.”

My gaze unwillingly swept the pile of bodies. Now that he’d mentioned it, therewassomething rather... planned... about the way the bodies lay. It was almost a crisscross pattern, as if those behind this atrocity had begun their killing spree at the back and methodically worked forward.

I rubbed my arms uneasily. “If they didn’t fight, it would suggest they were either drugged or mentally prevented from doing so.”

Damon’s gaze met mine again. Something flickered through his eyes—something that vaguely resembled distaste. It was, of course, possible I was imprinting my own emotions about our impending pairing onto him.

“I doubt there’s a telepath alive capable of controlling several hundred people at the same time—though you would, of course, know more about that than me.”

The smile that briefly twisted my lips held little in the way of humor. “My talent lies with animals, not people, as I’m sure you’re well aware.”

“I’ve certainly heard you’re more comfortable with the former than the latter.” His gaze returned to the pile, leaving me wondering who’d told him that and whether those stories were another reason for the long delay in our inevitable binding. “It’s possible they could have used magic. Therearespells that can sap the will.”

“But are those spells capable of entrancing a whole village?” my father asked.

“Yes, though it is not my area of expertise.”

I’d heard rumors that at least one of the Zephrine king’s many sons was a spell caster, though none had ever mentioned if it was either of his two legitimate sons or the dozen or so illegitimate ones. Nor had any rumor ever mentioned the type of magic Damon was gifted with. Which was decidedly odd given personal magic—aside from Strega—was usually celebrated rather than derided. “But you do know someone whose expertise it is?”

A cool smile touched his lips. “Indeed. I’ll scribe her this evening.”

Her. Maybe it wasn’t my lack of womanly assets that had delayed our binding as much as another woman. Or two. Which was to be expected, given he was two years older than me and the king’s heir, but it nevertheless annoyed me. I had by no means kept myself “pure” for our very delayed nuptials, but I’d also never really had a long-term relationship. I was a princess, even if not the heir, and there’d been more than one occasion where it was the supposed “prestige” that came with the title rather than the person that had attracted them. The last one had damn near broken my heart, and I’d basically sworn off attachments since.

Rion grunted, then turned to me. The sternness fell away, replaced by amused annoyance—an expression that was quite common when we weren’t in any sort of official situation. “Your mother has threatened to place an embargo on our bedroom activities if I do not get you home this evening.”

“But—”

“No,” he said, obviously understanding what I’d been about to say. “Rutgar will take you home. I’ll see you tomorrow, at the ceremony.”

I ground my teeth in frustration, though my banishment was not unexpected. He might be the king, but my mother ruled the family. This was her order, not his.

I nodded in acceptance, then turned and strode away. I was more than a little surprised to find Damon falling in beside me.

“You’re not staying here to help sort out the puzzle?” The question came out more terse than necessary.

“I am, but it would hardly be polite to allow my betrothed to wander a destroyed settlement alone.”

I snorted. “We both know you didn’t want said betrothal, Damon, so please feel free to be impolite. I don’t really care.”

“Oh, I think you care far more than you wish to admit.”

I shot him a glance. “In part, I suppose you’re right—Idocare about a great many things. Sadly, you’re not one of them.”

He laughed, a short sharp sound that hung warmly on the cold evening air. “That may well be true, but we are, unfortunately, stuck with each other. We need to discuss a means of making this situation work for us both.”

“Ah,” I said, suddenly understanding. “You don’t wish our commitment to hamper your womanizing.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I’m not entirely sure what you’ve heard about me, but that’s not what I meant.”

“You deny the womanizing?”

---