Page 26 of With Fangs and Claws (The Wolf Queen 1)

“Every single one of you will march to the practise ground and stand in formation to await my judgement,” he said in the low, dangerous tone that had every knight in the place moving. He watched them go with a baleful eye and then turned it on me and Axe.

“My apologies, Prince Axe,” he said with a deep bow. “My daughter has always been a firm favourite with my men, and they are taking the news that she is to be wed hard. They are… protective of her, as I have always asked them to be.”

“Anyone who strives to keep my mate safe is a good man in my book,” Axe said in a hoarse voice. He was back in his human form again, but his eyes still glowed bright blue, his beast close to the surface. “Though if they could be better educated to determine friend from foe, that will make our stay here much easier.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” Father bowed stiffly at that. “Come, Darcy.”

“Lass…” Axe went to Poll’s side, helping me down. “I never want to see you do something like that again, especially for my sake. Those men were riled up and beyond reasoning with.”

“Poll didn’t reason with them,” I said.

“And you looked bloody glorious on his back.” He shook his head slowly then, smiling despite himself, unable to stop his eyes twinkling. “But it’d take more than a bunch of tin men with pointy little toothpicks to keep a two-souled down. I fight my own battles.”

“Then I claim the same privilege,” I said, narrowing my eyes before following Father to the training grounds.

As one, the knights all went down on one knee, or at least those that could. Some sat or lay on the ground, freely bleeding.

“Are you my knights?” he asked.

“Yes, Your Grace!” came the thunderous reply.

“And did I ask any of you to attack a valued guest within my walls, breaking the ancient compact of hospitality the gods themselves handed down?”

“No, Your Grace!”

“So who can explain what just happened? Because what I saw was a rabble of undisciplined idiots, not knights. Not noble men of good birth and character who are esteemed members of my household. I have no place within this keep for reckless hotheads who care to jeopardise the king’s own business for the sake of some ill thought out opinions. Darcy?”

I stepped forward then, taking my place by Father’s side, hands clasped in front of me.

“You were the voice of reason in all of this. You represented my will and tried to ensure this was carried out.” When he clapped a hand on my shoulder I jumped, but the men didn’t see that, their eyes still downcast. “And why did you do that?”

He looked at me expectantly and all of a sudden, my mind began to race, thinking of all the possible answers. But there was one that was foremost in his mind and therefore, mine.

“It is the king’s will, your will, that I marry the warg prince. We went out at your behest to get better acquainted. When the men sought to stop us, they were rebelling against the king’s explicit directive. I serve my king and my father and so should everyone here.”

Axe didn’t look pleased at all by any of this, all the persistent good humour scrubbed from his face. He just watched the proceedings with a steady eye and a grim expression.

“Well done, daughter,” Father said. “It is the Lady Darcy’s decision, it is my decision, and it is your king’s decision that this marriage take place. Anyone harbouring any doubts about that can pack their things and return home. I’ve no need for insubordinate men in my keep. Come, Your Highness, Darcy. Let us retire inside. A stiff glass of whiskey is in order I think.”

Just this once, I couldn’t disagree with him. But as the two men turned to go, I stared out over the crowd of armour-clad men and saw Kris’ head jerk up. Those brown eyes were stark in a pale face, his eyes boring into mine with some emotion I couldn’t identify.

So I didn’t try. The morning’s freedoms were quickly curtailed, and I was right back where I had been, following behind the men. But as I scaled the stairs, I could almost feel Poll under me, responding to my directions and striking out at the men, creating order where before there was none.

“Milady,” Dane said, the three princes rising to their feet and bowing to me, quickly taking in my state with a range of frowns. “Brother?”

“Don’t ask, not until I’ve got a whiskey in me,” Axe said, flopping down in a chair, “because it’s quite a story.”

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