Page 145 of A Bond in Blood

I shook my head, hope rising in my chest. “Oh my Gods, they’ve come for me.”

“Brenna,” Ulrich’s voice sent a chill through my body. “If they take you it is an act of war. One that Iwilltake seriously.”

My gaze held his while silence enveloped the dock.

“You can’t.”

He gripped my chin, tilting it upward. “I will,Ursa. You. Are.Mine.”

His hand removed his hold while my blood ignited with hate once more. I had been so foolish. Allowing nights of naked embrace to cloud my judgement.

Olen stepped back, his arm out as though he intended to grab hold of me. I pulled my arms to my chest, refusing him.

“Don’t move,” he demanded.

The ship moved so much slower than Ulrich’s black vessel docked below the palace. But it was just as much of a statement in the water. Bright and a beacon of hope.

Ulrich’s fists were shaking at his side by the time the ship arrived at the dock, throwing down pure white ropes while Seelie fae slid down them, tying the ship in place.

One young one, a female, met my eyes and a look of genuine confusion went across her face. She glanced at Ulrich and Olen then back at me, but the slammed gangplank pulled her gaze from mine and she clamored back up before glancing in my direction once more.

“Don’t move,” Olen repeated.

“I’m not a child,” I sneered. “Or an animal to be kept in place.”

“You are right now.”

I held my tongue when a tall fae came into view. His copper hair was combed to the side while his turquoise blue uniform of Oberon’s guard caught my eye.

“Your grace,” the fae addressed Ulrich, bowing low but with a mocking grin in his eyes.

Ulrich’s power unleashed, filling the air with cold and shadows.

A look of disgust went across the fae’s face before he was snapping his fingers.

My eyes glanced around the dock for just a moment, finding every single surface filled with people. Possibly every citizen of Muspell was watching their king.

Part of me had expected Oberon to step on the gangplank. Or possibly one of his wives.

Nothing in me, however, expected the heads that hit the dock or the shrieks of rage that rang out behind me.

“Your spies,King,” the fae sneered.

“Oh my Gods,” I whispered.

“Do not look away,” Olen whispered. “Look at the truth, Brenna. Watch.”

Ulrich stepped forward with shadows licking at his fingertips. I bit my lip, noticing his skin becoming translucent.

“What is this?” he demanded.

The fae grinned again. “Did you not hear me? Are you too clouded by all of that fucking you and your monsters do?”

Ulrich was on him, pulling the fool up by the throat, lifting him for us all to see. Fear filled the arrogant fae’s eyes. The expression brought me sickening delight.

“The king found them all!” the invader squeaked. “Removed each of their heads when he was presented with them.”

“He had no right,” Ulrich snarled.

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