Page 57

“What’s that?” Peder blinked.

“A virus inside the machine,” Ashburn said.

Peder paled.

“It only hurts machines,” Ashburn added.

“Oh, that’s good then,” Peder said as color returned to his face.

Kian’s Eidolon vibrated loudly. He took a look. “The king’s coming.”

“And the whole town,” Ashburn added.

Clement stopped in her tracks. Her lips started shivering. Peder’s teeth clattered.

“Mr. and Mrs. Fury, I’ll handle the king. Don’t worry about a thing,” Lucienne said and then turned to Violet. “You might want to stay in Ashburn’s basement.”

“I’ll not do your bidding,” Violet said. “I’m not your maid.”

“You’re not qualified to be my maid,” Lucienne said. “But the last thing the Fury family wants right now is you adding more drama. You’re not even wearing your own clothes. The prince, who has proved he has a vivid imagination, will surely create another situation for Ashburn. Would you like to add unnecessary complications?”

“I know what you’re after,” Violet said. “I’m not that easy to get rid of!”

She thinks I’m after Ashburn.Lucienne looked amused before a hopeless pang perched on her heart.If she knew I can’t have intimacy with any man, and I might never be able to, she wouldn’t be so nervous and defensive.

Ashburn watched Lucienne. He’d caught a flicker of pain in her eyes. Lucienne looked away.

“Violet, you must leave before stirring more trouble for us,” said Clement.

“I’m not the one who stirs trouble,” Violet said. “Besides, Ash needs me.”

“I hate to ask you to go, Violet,” Ashburn said, “but it’s the best for now. I’ll tell you everything later. Have some cake in the basement.”

Violet stormed off after tossing Lucienne a dirty look.

Lucienne turned back to the group. “My machine bird found Ashburn on the other side of the mountains. He was half buried under the snow. When we found him, he was unconscious. My medical team used the gods’ holy water to bring him back, and in the process healed his legs. That’s the story we’re going to stick to.”

Clement and Peder nodded gratefully.

Lucienne focused on Ashburn.

“I have no objections.” Ashburn gave a small shrug.

“All set then,” Lucienne said.

As Kian spoke into the radio to his men, shouts from the natives carried into the house. Torches cast shadows that chased each other across the windows. It looked as if the whole town was about to set siege to the Fury house.

Lucienne shared a quick look with Kian, and he gave her a nod. “We have seven men outside, four on the rooftops. We’ll shoot if the natives attempt to burn down the house.”

“No one burns down my house!” Ashburn’s eyes narrowed to slits, cold as the never-melting ice.

The front door exploded. Two of the king’s guards charged in, followed by King Henry, Queen Isis, and Prince Felix. Six guards brought up the rear, armed with hunting daggers.

Clement and Peder bowed to their king. Ashburn bowed slightly with a blank expression. The king’s eyes bulged at the standing Ashburn, who towered over all of them. The queen gasped, and Prince Felix fumed.

With a grim look, King Henry removed his glare from Ashburn to Lucienne and nodded an acknowledgement. “Queen Lucienne, what brought you here at this hour?”

“King Henry,” Lucienne said with a nod, “I was wondering the same about you. My men found Ashburn Fury and brought him back.”