Page 10 of Throne of Ice and Blood

However, before I can so much as lift my hand, Draven bows to his monarchs.

There are several other gestures that I would much rather be showing the Icehearts right now, but since I have decided to refrain from being stupid for no reason, I curtsy as well. Jessina snickers faintly, which informs me that my ability to curtsy properly apparently hasn’t improve while I’ve been unconscious.

I remain standing half a step behind Draven as we straighten again.

“Selena is awake,” Emperor Bane says without preamble.

I start slightly and snap my gaze to him. This seems like an important summons, so the fact thatthatwas the first thing out of his mouth takes me by surprise. His black eyes are still fixed on my face, and I have to resist the urge to fidget.

But Draven just nods and replies, “Yes.”

“Alistair and Isera are not,” Empress Jessina fills in. She narrows her eyes slightly as she holds Draven’s gaze. “Which means that you didn’t drain as much energy from her as you should have.”

“I know,” he replies. “Since Selena is weaker than both Isera and Alistair, I didn’t want to take too much the first time and risk having her unconscious for weeks.”

He turns to me and slides a hand up my throat. On instinct, I try to jerk back, but his fingers close around my throat, keeping me firmly in place. My heart lurches and then pounds hard against my ribs as a cruel smile spreads across his lipswhile he leans a little closer to me. There is no warmth, nothing compassionate, in his eyes as he locks them on me.

“That is a mistake I’m going to have to rectify later today,” Draven says, his voice as vicious as his smile.

My heart hammers in my chest as I stare up at him. Is he going back on his word? In that bedroom earlier, he said that he wasn’t going to drain my magic again. But one displeased comment from the Icehearts, and he’s already promising to do exactly that.

His eyes betray nothing as he holds my gaze for another second. Then he abruptly releases my throat and turns back to Jessina and Bane.

“But I assume that’s not why you summoned me,” he says.

Bane slides his dark eyes to Draven. “No, it’s not. Three high-ranking lords from our clan, all with important positions within our court, were murdered today.”

“Among them was Jonah,” Empress Jessina picks up. Her pale eyes burn with fury as she clenches and unclenches her hand. “He was the most competent Master of the Treasury we have had in centuries. I cannot even articulate what a devastating loss his death is for our administration.”

Bane nods in agreement while drumming his fingers on the armrest of his throne. “Three important people killedinsidethe palace… This can only mean one thing.” He clenches his jaw. “The Red Hand is back.”

It takes all of my willpower to keep a neutral expression on my face. But inside the safety of my own head, my mind is churning.

“Yes, it would appear so,” Draven replies.

Jessina grinds her teeth. “I thought you said that the Red Hand would never dare to show his face again after you almost caught him last time. That he would spend the rest of his life in hiding and that the human rebellion had been crushed for good.”

My heart skips a beat. Human rebellion? There are humans who are trying to overthrow the Iceheart Dynasty too?

“It appears as though I was wrong,” Draven simply says.

Ice shoots through the air.

A gasp rips from my lungs, and I throw my arms up to protect my face while I duck and twist.

But no sharp shards of ice hit my body. Glancing up, I find Draven standing in the exact same place as before. Seven blades of ice hover in the air a hair’s breadth from his throat. He just continues watching the two monarchs with that impassive expression on his face. As if he didn’t even flinch when the ice shot towards him.

Slowly lowering my arms, I straighten again and turn back so that I’m facing Bane and Jessina once more. My pulse still thrums in my ears.

“Find him,” Empress Jessina grinds out between gritted teeth.

Draven inclines his head. The move almost makes him cut himself on the ice shards, so Jessina flicks her wrist, making them vanish again.

“I will deliver his corpse to you at once,” Draven promises.

“No,” Bane interrupts. “I want him alive. I want him shackled and kneeling at our feet. And then I want to watch the hope die in the humans’ eyes when we publicly torture their greatest symbol of rebellion to death right in front of them.”

Draven lowers his chin. “Consider it done.”

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