Page 14 of The Stolen Bride

“What’s so special about the key?” I asked my companions, all nobig deal, I don’t care one way or the other. Meanwhile, desperation frothed inside me. Must know! If I could find the key in this mess, I’d have a priceless bargaining chip.

Both men ignored me. “We captured six of his spies,” Bodi said. “They’re being questioned now. If any are working with our soldiers, we’ll know it soon.”

Viktor growled, “Not good enough. I can trust no one at such a critical time, not even you. I demand you execute yourself, then everyone else. Leave no survivors.” Eyes glazing over, he returned to the desk. “Oh, and when you finish with that, bring the bracelets for my guest. She’s earned a prize.”

I mean, I wouldn’t say no to jewelry. Also, did Viktor have any idea how thoroughly he’d contradicted himself?

Bodi gave no reaction to the command to off himself. He simply inclined his chin in agreement. “I will see everything done personally, majesty, almost exactly as you desire.”

Okay, this was officially weird. “At the risk of inciting further punishment, I’m going to insert myself again. You realize you just told him to kill himself, then kill everyone else after he’s dead, right?”

They looked at me as ifIwas the oddity.

Only Viktor responded. “I don’t hear the problem. I don’t see my key, either.” With a noise of frustration, he swiped his arm over the desk, sending everything hurling to the floor. An inkwell shattered, black dye soaking into the dirt. “Where is it?” he roared. “I must have it. The Valkara demands it. The time is now.”

Bodi flinched, rubbing the spot directly over his heart as I asked, “You always obey her?”

“Always,” Viktor said with something akin to pride. In unison, Bodi muttered the same word with derision.

Did the king love her and the price despise her?

“Majesty,” the prince piped up, strained. “Perhaps now is the proper moment to remind you that the key disappeared centuries ago.”

Sounded like they’d had this conversation before.

Mumbling under his breath, Viktor stormed out of the tent, leaving me alone with the prince.

I hoped Bodi would follow him, allowing me to do a little more snooping before hitting the bricks. Alas. The prince remained, glaring at me.

Since I was stuck, I might as well take advantage of the situation and try to learn as much as possible. If I needed to strike, I would. Pasting on my brightest smile, I shoved my hands into my pockets and gripped the hilts of my daggers. “So. Do you recall that time your king called me his exclusive property and threatened to hurt anyone who hurt me? Because I do.” Man, I hated stringing all those words together, and yet, they didn’t taste as foul as they should have.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

“I told you. I’m Clover. Clover Deering. Unwitting and protected prisoner of your king.”

“Judging by your accent, you’re American, which means you fall under Malachi’s domain.” He’d spoken in heavily accented English. Now he took a step forward, radiating menace. “Why is an American in our territory? What’s your purpose?”

No way I’d share any of those details with him. “Sorry, but that information is above your security clearance.”

“I will give you sixty seconds to convince me not to kill you.” He palmed the swords crisscrossed over his back. “Does that increase my clearance?”

“You berserkers and your timers.” His boiling hostility threw me. What was it about my presence that worried him so much? “Don’t you have some executions to oversee?”

The reminder only poured fuel on his anger. “When Viktor battles his beast, he cannot make sense of his thoughts. Unless he sees you again, I doubt he’ll remember you exist. That means I can do whatever I want to you, and he’ll never know.”

“So much for a soldier’s loyalty.” Well, looked like I’d be fighting my way out.

Inside, I dug for a bottle of rage. Heat pooled in my hands. I curled them into fists and got into punching position. An urge to strike now, now, now, bombarded me.

Whoa! I hadn’t experienced this sensation in years, though I’d never forgotten the last time. The day I’d hurtmy mom, breaking her arm. She’d bid me to clean up my room, but I’d refused, wanting only to play with a meaningless toy instead. When she’d attempted to take it away, I’d erupted.

I didn’t recall what happened after that. I only remembered waking to find my mother crying and in pain, with cuts on her face and one hand hanging at an odd angle. It was then that I’d begun to obsess about berserkers, and even adapted their methods for calming. Deep breathing exercises. Physical exertion to the point of exhaustion. Compartmentalizing.

Eventually, I bottled and buried my emotions instinctively, without thought. Now, I wasn’t sure how to react to these urges and feeling. I didn’t like them, but I also liked them far too much. I needed to protect myself.

“I am loyalonlyto my king,” Bodi spat,notattacking me. “He’s the sole original in power, his life the most important in this world or any other. Twenty-seven. Twenty-six. Twenty-five.”

I kept my dukes up. “Make a move, I dare you.”

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