Page 95 of Dance of Kings and Thieves

Elise sobbed, pleaded, then raged at Valen for agreeing to this risk.

“We do not know if it is even possible,” he said, a tremble of frustrated terror in his voice. “But if this is the way to protect our family, then I will do it.”

“Our family? You think, youactuallythink, losing you is what is right for our family?”

I winced at the hurt, the wretched pain in Elise’s voice. Taunt her as I did, I could not deny I cared for the Northern royals like they were part of my own bleeding guild.

Back and forth they went, tears, pain, raised tones that came from no other place but the fears burrowed deep in the bones.

“I vowed you would never . . .” Elise choked on a sob. “That you would never endure that pain again. You have no right to breakmypromises.”

Valen’s voice softened, but in their tirade, they’d unknowingly drifted closer to our shanty. We still heard their every word and every broken gasp.

“And I vowed to keep you safe. We lose this fight here, and it will come to you, my love. And the next war might take you from me. I need you, Elise. I need you to trust me that thisfeelslike the step to take. I cannot shake the thought, but I cannot do it without you.”

Elise’s next words were muffled. As if she spoke against a feather pillow. No doubt she was in her husband’s arms.

I dropped my gaze to Malin.

She gnawed on her bottom lip and nuzzled against my neck. “My heart breaks for her.”

Because beneath her guarded exterior, beneath the viciousness she’d learned in her turns scraping through the streets of Mörplatts, Malin had a devoted heart. Once someone earned her love, she never let them go. But this heartbreak, this came from something else. Something I’d known since the night the Northern longships had arrived on our shores.

Words did not need to be spoken when fear revealed the deepest thoughts of the soul to me.

Elise might’ve smirked and teased the night she arrived, but behind her brevity was a fear not for herself.

Tonight, Malin tried to conceal the same fear. She failed beautifully.

“Because of their little?” I whispered.

Malin’s eyes widened. “You know?”

“If I want to break Queen Elise with her fears, I need only do two things: kill her king, or her child. Since no one has mentioned a royal infant left behind, it did not take much to figure this child has not been born yet.”

“Sometimes your mesmer is—”

“Magnificent? Inspiring? Stunningly vicious?”

“Annoying.” Malin grinned, but there was no joy in it. “Fears have a way of giving up secrets, don’t they?”

“They do.” I drew the tip of my nose across her cheek, holding her, breathing the pine and earthy scent of her skin. Fears gave away the darkest secrets of the heart. Malin could not read my fears, but there was no sense keeping the truth of darker, drearier things from her. “It is the queen’s fear that has brought clarity to my mind about this step. If Valen goes into Felstad,” I said slowly, “I must go with him.”

“What?”

“I know Felstad the way I know the sun rises. I could lead them through.”

“Kase—”

“How do we ask this of a king who is not even the ruler of our kingdom? How do we ask him to risk everything for us if we are not willing to do the same?” I rubbed my hand along the soft skin of her arm. “If I help, we all have a better chance at returning in one piece.”

Malin’s eyes welled with tears, but she didn’t dispute any of it. She blinked, ignoring when tears finally fell onto her freckled cheeks, then held me a little tighter as she rested her head on my chest.

* * *

The timefor rest ended all too swiftly and soon found ourselves near the hidden sea coves off the shores of the Forest of Limericks.

Thorvald breathed in the briny winds of the Howl. The waves crashed against the rocky shore down from the beach, sending sprays of mist curling into the air. His lashes fluttered across his moss-toned skin, and his eyes watched as the waters succumbed to the swells.