Page 104 of A Shard of Ice

The guard growls in anger and frustration. He is reaching forward to pick the old man up when I cleave his head from his shoulders. All of their focus is on Grigor and not on me. Not on protecting their backs, which serves me well when the first head rolls.

By the time they draw their swords, a second guard is dead, his leg twitching. His head is next to his body.

The other two turn to face me. “It’s you,” the emptyfae says.

The other one growls and leaps at me. “Don’t kill him,” he yells. The queen’s order not to kill but to capture puts me in a better position to win this skirmish.

Grigor scrabbles away to get out from underfoot.

I face the charging guard head-on, duck under his swinging sword, and deliver a swift kick to his midsection, causing him to stumble back. The other guard lunges toward me, but I sidestep his attack and counter with a powerful slash of my blade tohis chest. Cleaving skin and bone, I send him crashing to the ground, screaming. Blood spatters, hitting my oilskin.

The first guard is already back on his feet and coming at me. Our swords clash together. He’s stronger than he looks, but his movements are clumsy and predictable. I dodge his wild swings and strike him across the forearm, causing him to drop his sword. Then I dispatch him quickly, showing no mercy. I can’t have word of this getting back to the castle.

Grigor has a sword to the remaining guard’s neck. His chest is bleeding. It isn’t a mortal wound. The sword point is touching his neck; blood trickles down from the spot.

“Don’t kill him,” I say as I walk over there, my bloody sword still in my hand.

“Please, Taylor, I was always good to you at the mine. You know I was.” His eyes are big and filled with fear.

“Why are you here?” I growl.

“I was sent to find you and to bring you to the Ice Court.”

“That’s not what I mean. Why are you in the icefae kingdom? What are you doing here, Zeegar? You are far from both the salt mine and the emptyfae kingdom.”

“She sent for us.” He swallows thickly. “Queen Snow. She wanted the longer-standing guards, the ones who know you, the ones who were there when the snowstorm hit. She wanted us at the Ice Court. She summoned us and questioned us herself. She wanted to know all the details about you, about Kyrie. Your likes, dislikes, and then a blow-by-blow retelling of your escape. I had to tell her. I had no choice.”

“Who else is in icefae territory?” I growl.

“Hali, Simone, and me. We made the journey and arrived at the court yesterday. She questioned us immediately. I was sent with this party since I know you well.” He shrugs.

“What of the other two?”

“They were to remain at the Ice Court with strict instructions to search for both you and Kyrie. They are patrolling the Ice Court as we speak.”

My heart beats almost out of my chest, and despite the sweat on my brow, I feel chilled to my bones.

“I’m sorry,” I say before removing his head.

Grigor makes a face and looks away. “I never had much of a stomach for violence.”

“It had to be done. He would have brought more guards. As it stands, you are in grave danger, Grigor.” I help the old man to his feet. “These fae would have killed you. You should consider relocating for a while.”

Grigor shakes his head. “This is my home. I am not leaving. If I die, then it is my time. I miss my dear wife. I’ve lived a full life.”

“You weren’t going to talk, my friend. Even after we told you to tell the truth if your life depended on it.” I shake my head, looking at him with disapproval.

“I would never talk. I would rather die than help that tyrant.”

I pat him on the shoulder. “You are a good man. I must take my leave. Will you get rid of the bodies?”

He nods. “Of course, Sire.”

“Ranger and Missy are tied up in the forest just behind your cabin. Ranger hurt his right fore.”

“I will attend to them.”

I turn to the string of fae steeds tied to the wooden corral fencing. “I’m going to take one of their beasts.” It should be quicker that way. I need to make serious haste. “Make sure that the other horses are not here when the next group of fae arrives. And for the love of the gods, get rid of any evidence we were here.”

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