Page 13 of The Stolen Bride (Kings of Fury #2)

Chapter

Thirteen

Dive In! When To Make Waves With Your Berserker

–HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BERSERKER

By Elizabeth “Elle” Darcy-Bruce

V iktor’s words reverberated inside my head as he led me hand-in-hand throughout the camp.

Find her, destroy her, and let myself be happy with her sister.

Was this the greater good I had dreamed of? Kneeling before him and allowing my death by sword to save Juniper?

But. No. That couldn’t be correct because…because!

He pointed out the new defenses as we went along, carefree and oblivious to my inner turmoil. This Valkara chick had told the king I would betray and kill him if he didn’t kill me first. She must have lied to get me out of the picture.

But. The dream. Which might be an echo of Juniper’s. I gulped. And what if the prophecy pointed to her death?

But. She wasn’t his firebrand. I was. I’d already proven it.

Unless we both were?

“This is particularly effective for skewering any and every turul-shifter who attempts to descend from the air,” Viktor said, pointing to the spears anchored into the ground, with their sharp tips aimed skyward. How delighted he sounded. “As you know, berserkers cannot fly, but we enjoy hobbling those who do. You’ll see.”

“You’re in a good mood again, and it’s weird.” Especially considering we’d just discussed my murder. “Excuse me for being unable to let this go, but how are you supposed to marry the Valkara and also be happy with your firebrand’s sister?”

“One will be my partner, the other will be my muse.”

His muse?! “That doesn’t even make sense!”

“Agreed.” He continued as if the incongruity was perfectly normal. “The pillory holds a shifter in place. Makes it easier to remove their hearts and heads. The only true way to kill a turul.”

I eyed the wooden frame made up of splintered planks and shuddered. A horizontal board slashed through the center, three holes designed to secure a shifter’s hands and neck.

We came upon another wooden frame, with a single long arm. Men rushed around, securing a basket to the end of the arm with thick, coiled rope. So this was what all the hammering was about.

“The basket is filled with hot oil, rocks, and tar that will knock the shifters out of the sky and ground them.” Delight turned to glee .

As much as I appreciated the tour of medieval horrors, I couldn’t help but lose track as my brain returned to the threat of my death. A concept I didn’t quite have the bandwidth to carry, but tried, hoping I wouldn’t glitch. Every time Viktor had chanted his mantra, he’d contemplated killing me, and yet, still, he’d saved my life and kissed me. Another incongruity.

How could I stay with him? But how could I leave him when I needed his aid? But how could I accept his aid, relying on him for my and my sister’s protection?

What if he decided to strike? I mean, could I change his mind? Probably. If he gave me a chance. But. I couldn’t, shouldn’t, shrug this off. She who did not deserve a “the” in front of her name would do whatever it took to get me out of the way. She’d wanted this man for centuries.

I’d had an enemy before I was even born, and I hadn’t known it.

“This,” Viktor said, motioning to a series of trenches filled with spikes that soldiers were currently covering with dense brush, “is where we?—”

“Wait,” I interjected, wrenching my fingers from his. “Normally I would be beyond curious about your war hobby, but I find I’m a little too perturbed right now.”

Frowning, he faced me. “What’s the problem?”

He did not just ask me that. “You! Obviously. If you think I’ll betray and kill you, why did you save my life by endangering your own?”

He shrugged, as if the topic were no big deal. “Never cut what can be untied.”

Great. Wonderful. “That’s a profound truth, sure, but it’s hardly reassuring. You can change your mind and decide to make the cut at any moment, ending my life. ”

“Ja. But only because the same can be said of anyone, anywhere, about anything.”

Argh! “Are you asking me to trust you or to suspect everyone else of plotting my harm?”

“Both.” A white lock fell over his brow, and a corner of his mouth curled up. “Perhaps this will reassure you. I find I…like having you around. You taste delicious.”

Double argh! He just had to go and mention my other conundrum. The hottest kiss of my life.

How could I have locked lips with a man who considered killing me on the daily? Who might chose another woman, as Benjamin had.

I admit, I wasn’t the easiest person to hang with. Or the safest. My wealth of internal bottles hadn’t shattered yet, but I now believed detonation was only a matter of time. Those cracks…

His men halted their work to watch us with unabashed interest. My cheeks heated. But end the conversation? No.

“While the sentiment is appreciated,” I said, “I need a stronger assurance of my long-term safety. I refuse to date someone plotting my death. It’s a quirk of mine. Cut Valkara from your life. Don’t speak to her ever again.”

If Viktor didn’t convince me that my welfare mattered to him, I might have to rethink Malachi’s offer. Which constituted a betrayal, didn’t it? I gulped. Maybe I’d present an un-pass-upable bargain to Bodi. Help me save my sister, and I’ll return to my old life, leaving Viktor in my dust. That should delight the prince.

My ribs squeezed, but I didn’t back down.

Viktor scowled. “She is a necessary part of my existence. But I can promise you that you won’t like what happens if you run from me again, drágá.”

And back to square one we go . Disappointment and anger engulfed me. “Keep making threats, and I’m guaranteed to run. I’d be a fool not to.”

He stepped closer, erasing my personal space. Bending, putting his nose level with mine, he grated, “You are arguing with a berserker king. I’d say you are already a fool.”

We remained just like that, close, so close, breathing in the other’s panting breaths. His intoxicating scent did its thing. Thoughts fragmented and blurred until a single urge lingered: Get another kiss.

What was wrong with me? How could I crave the male who hobnobbed with my greatest enemy?

Although… A teeny tiny sliver of hope flickered. As his firebrand, I wielded a considerable amount of influence. The most powerful ability any person could possess, in fact: the chance to change his heart, the only way to permanently change his mind.

If I took the time and applied myself, I could win him over. Make him see Valkara as his enemy too. She might be necessary to his existence, but I was, too. More so!

Calm him during a temper—check.

Wake him from a supernaturally induced sleep—check.

Snatch his allegiance from a supervillainess who whispered evil commands into his head—checkmate?

Of course, there was a good chance I was only deluding myself, rationalizing to obtain something a part of me had always desperately desired.

Viktor’s patience reached its limit. “Roland, tell Clover what I do to prisoners who attempt to escape,” he commanded without looking away from me.

“You disembowel them, Majesty.”

“Wow. Another threat. What a shocking development I never saw coming.” I notched my chin. “You need to get new material, baby. I’m only attracted to men who bring their A game.”

Low growls rumbled in the king’s chest. “You are only attracted to me .” He lowered his head, putting his narrowed gaze level with mine. “Say it. Say I am only attracted to you, Tor .”

“Agree to cut Valkara from your life.”

“Viktor?” Bodi called, distress dripping from his voice.

Still, the king didn’t attention his attention from me. “Whatever it is can wait. I’m in the middle of reminding my captive how big, strong, and scary I am.”

With a flick of my wrist, I flipped my hair over one shoulder. “I’ve seen scarier.”

His nostrils flared as if I’d kneed him in his happy zone. “That is a lie .”

“Viktor,” the prince repeated, all kinds of concern in his voice. “Something comes.”

Both Viktor and I whipped our focus to the right, where the soldiers stood statue still, fully alert, peering into the distance. When I spotted the object of their enthrallment, I blinked. A thick gray cloud rolled across the land, coming closer and closer. Pinpricks of crimson flashed within it.

A low buzzing sound reached my ears and foreboding crept over my spine. “What is it?”

“I am unsure,” Viktor replied, his tone as ominous as the cloud.

A herd of wild deer burst from a thicket just in front of the cloudy veil. The slowest of the bunch got swallowed by the haze, and its screams of agony pierced the air. My stomach bottomed out, the urge to sprint almost too strong to resist.

“Do I see…bees in the midst of the gloom?” Bodi asked.

Oh, no, no, no. The blood in my veins flash-froze. I’d bet my entire savings those “bees” were flesh-eaters . “Deco said he’d thought of everything,” I croaked. The shifter hadn’t just laid traps for us–he’d sent one. Had indeed planned for everything, as advertised.

“Go, go, go,” Viktor shouted, grabbing my hand and racing me through the camp. “You know what to do.”

We took the same path we’d used to get here, going in the opposite direction of the cloud. His men did the same and split off into groups of two, taking different routes.

“We need to get underground,” I said between huffing breaths. My heart pounded against my ribs with increasing fervor. “The trenches you dug. We can fit between the stakes and cover ourselves with dirt.”

“Nem,” Viktor growled as we sailed over the rugged terrain. “Grab any weapon you can.”

“Already did. I took yours,” I confessed. “There’s a dagger in my pocket.”

“Oh, yes. I remember.”

Ha! “No, you do not.”

Once we cleared the campsite, we picked up speed. Heading for the traveling stones, where turul-shifters probably awaited us? Nope. We veered right, entering a dense cluster of trees and thickets.

The sound of rushing water hit my ears, and his plan crystallized. I approved. We headed for the ice-filled river, our best chance for survival.

A tide of adrenaline surged through me, and I pumped my arms faster. My feet responded in kind. Viktor’s, too. We picked up speed again.

“Dive,” he commanded, following his own order.

I obeyed, crashing into the frigid liquid, losing my hold on the berserker as the shock of cold seized my muscles. A thousand stings pricked my skin. No need to swim. The current dragged me along a rocky river. I put up no resistance, holding my breath as long as possible. When I could tolerate the burn in my lungs no longer, I fought my way up, already bracing for the danger that awaited me. My head breached the surface. I sucked in oxygen.

No bug attacks. Had we passed the danger zone?

Took some doing, but I struggled against the dangerous current and twisted, glancing behind me. The line of fog had reached the shore but hadn’t braved the water. My relieved breath came out as near frost. We should exit the river now or die of hyperthermia. But where was Viktor?

“Oomph!” Pain reverberated through my entire body as the force of water slammed me into a boulder. Impact spun me around and around and around. I flailed my arms in a desperate attempt to grab on to something, anything. Icy water shot into my nose, clogging my airways.

I fought to inhale even the slightest tidbit of oxygen and failed. My limbs grew heavy and weak. My world darkened. With the last of my strength, I cut through the current and lugged myself onto a fogless part of the shore.

As darkness took over, I sagged over the dirt. Where are you, Viktor?

I awoke from a dreamless sleep with a start. Memories overtook my awareness. Approaching bugs. Long distance sprinting. A tangle with the river. Viktor! My gaze darted here, there. Still no sign of him.

Worry instantly gripped me. Where was he? What happened to him?

Using my elbows, I pulled myself up the riverbank edged with a layer of frost. A single animal track crisscrossed through the surrounding snow, but nothing human, err berserker, err birdlike. A light mist free of bugs hung in the air, and judging by the fading sunlight, hours had passed since we’d fled into the dangerous water. Where was he?

At least I could breathe. And the ring, my one connection to Juniper, hadn’t slid from my thumb. Wait! A crunch of brittle leaves and ice sounded. Footsteps. Someone approached. Viktor? A shifter? Another kind of predator?

Unwilling to risk it, I scrambled to stand, intending to hide…where? Too late. A grinning Deco strode from the shadows. Instant fight response. I palmed my pocket dagger and rooted my feet in place. No doubt his acolytes perched all around us.

“Hello, Clover.” Not quite as tall as Viktor but equally muscled, he painted an imposing picture. Like many of the other warriors, he’d opted to go shirtless, letting those solid gold wings arch over his shoulders freely. A hooked horn grew from each joint. Black leathers covered his tree trunk thighs. Metal spikes protruded from his combat boots. The perfect complement for the numerous weapons strapped to his powerful body.

“Where’s my sister?” I demanded, tightening my hold on the hilt of the blade.

“Not here,” he said, speaking in Hungarian as he stopped just out of reach. “Nor is Viktor, I see. Too bad. I so look forward to killing you in front of him. Well, no matter. I’ll relay a message instead.”

“Ah. Is the big, bad birdie still jealous that his second-in-command is stronger, more powerful, and so much hotter?” I infused each word with enough taunt to irritate even the most patient of souls .

His smug expression never altered, but ripples of irritation swept over the feathers in his wings. “Tune your ears. My message is dire–for you. Four of Viktor’s elite decided to join me rather than die at my hand. I’ll be unleashing them in the morning, letting them hunt you.”

Four? So. They’d traded their honor to keep their lives. That was gonna hurt Viktor badly, whether or not he admitted it. Especially if Bodi was among the four. Was he?

Deco continued with his taunts. “If your precious sentinel king wishes to save your life, he must come out of hiding to do it.”

Viktor wasn’t in hiding. No way, no how. He was an attack first and question later kinda guy. Which meant, what? Nothing good, that much I knew.

But no. Absolutely no harm had come to him. He was fine.

My hand curled into a fist. He better be fine.

“You’re lying to me. Trying to break me down.” My dream pointed to a future event. Therefore, Viktor still lived.

“I never lie sometimes,” Deco replied, nonchalant.

Anger uncoiled in each of my cells, and I snapped, “I believe you’re too afraid of hurting me to do the job yourself.”

What are you doing? Begging the villain to attack?

I didn’t know and wasn’t sure I cared. The words burst from my mouth before I could think better of them.

A fresh smile bloomed over the turul-king’s face. “Oh, sweet Clover. I can kill you, no problem. In fact, I’m eager to. Allow me to prove it.”

Blink. He stood directly in front of me, his fingers wrapped around my wrist, driving my dagger into the spot beneath my left clavicle. Searing pain exploded inside me, yanking a cry from my deepest depths.

Deco kissed my brow like a father to his daughter. “If I don’t get to witness Viktor’s anguish, I’ll be forced to live forever with regret. A fate I hope to avoid. But. If he’s a no show tomorrow, I’ll just have to ensure the horror of his firebrand’s death is a tale that haunts him for the rest of time. A worthy trade, I think. Ja, a worthy trade indeed.”

“You will pay for this.” I heaved the words between ragged breaths. Blood trickled from the corners of my mouth.

“Whatever you need to tell yourself, galamb.”

“Pigeon?” I grated.

He booped my nose with the tip of an index finger, yanked out the dagger and tossed it aside before sauntering off, whistling under his breath. “By the way,” he called. “If you survive, you’re invited to a ball I’m hosting. It’s black tie and lasts until I’m no longer amused by it. Hope to see you there. RSVP if you can.”

My knees buckled, and I dropped. With a hoarse cry, I pulled off my shirt. A Herculean task. Hands trembling, I pressed the material into the wound to staunch the flow of blood. The cold helped. But.

What was I going to do?