Page 4 of The Stolen Bride (Kings of Fury #2)

Chapter

Four

When You’re Just Not That Into Him: How to Say Goodbye and Survive

–HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BERSERKER

By Elizabeth “Elle” Darcy-Bruce

V iktor carried me through camp, his words rolling over in my mind. Me, supposedly the one he’d been “searching for.” A wild statement that had come from out of nowhere, considering I wasn’t his precious supposed firebrand, Valkara. There was no reason good enough for a berserker king to hunt for a once clueless human pet groomer.

But now I had to give more credence to Malachi’s claims. Maybe I did come from a berserker family. Maybe the kings were caught in a generational feud, and Malachi hoped to use me to oversee Viktor’s downfall. Now at least Viktor knew of the plan. Perhaps he intended to use me against Malachi. That wasn’t just a thing that happened in books and movies, I’d bet.

Or perhaps he simply meant he’d put an ad in The Immortal Times for a maid or whatever. No matter his reasoning, this revelation gave me leverage.

Which I needed. Look at all these real life berserkers, with their sinewy muscles rippling and eyes gleaming with primal intensity. Tattoos inked skin of every shade in a plethora of shocking places. I knew this because some males fought naked. All embodied untamed power.

I admit, I grinned at the sight. Basically, I was living a dream come true right now. If not for Malachi’s mission and Viktor’s, well, everything, I might’ve asked to vacation here. Except, my business. My bills and obligations. I sighed, my shoulders rolling in. Real life called, and I needed to answer.

Two guards stood in front of the largest tent. Viktor approached, and the pair stepped apart, separating the cloth that hung over the entrance. He soared inside without pause.

Oh, wow. A tapestry depicting an epic battle dominated an entire wall, the needlework so fine I almost smelled the metallic tang of blood and felt the fury of the warriors. A large, weathered wooden desk occupied the center of the space, the surface cluttered with maps and scrolls. The bed was surprisingly luxurious, with overstuffed pillows and genuine furs. Two curtains blocked off an area in the corner. A makeshift bathroom, I hoped.

A step up from the “shelter” in the forest.

Without warning, the king tossed me on the bed. I scowled and sprang to my feet. “Okay, we need to have a serious chat about your manhandling. ”

Prince Bodi followed us inside. He stopped at the door, still glancing between us.

“I’m Clover, by the way,” I told him. “Clover Deering. Freshly kidnapped and eager to return home.”

“How did you and Vik?—”

“Report,” Viktor snapped, cutting the poor guy off while striding to the desk and riffling through the papers.

The prince shook his head, doing the brain reboot thing again. “The turul-shifters have breached our parameters.”

“I know. I killed three of them after I acquired my excess baggage.” He pushed the papers aside, not caring when they floated to the floor. “Where’s my key?”

I was the excess baggage, wasn’t I?

Bodi cringed, radiating guilt and shame. “I’ll help you search. I’m sure we’ll find it.” With barely a pause, he added, “Commander Tibor and his team had eyes on Deco, but he?—”

“Deco is here?” Viktor forgot his precious key and strode to his comrade to grip his shoulders and shake. “Tell me!”

“Better be careful,” I piped up. “Any mention of Deco can end with the loss of your head. Or so I’ve been told.”

Viktor tossed me a menacing scowl. “Do not insert yourself into a private conversation.”

“Sure thing.” I held up my hands, all innocence. “For future reference, it’s not exactly private when you’re standing in front of me.”

He didn’t seem to register my point as he refocused on the prince. “Respond to my words.”

“He is here, ja. Or he was,” Bodi corrected. “He vanished inside the stones four hours ago.”

Oooh. The stones. What were they, and how did someone disappear inside them? And yes, I listened while feigning disinterest, acting absorbed in the task of giving myself a tour. But if this Deco character had escaped into those stones, I could too.

“For Deco to make it to the stones, I can only conclude I have a traitor in my midst,” Viktor grated, easing into a swift back-and-forth pace. “The shifter king must suspect I’m close to finding the key. He seeks to hinder me.”

I flittered here and there, picking up items. A Viking helmet with runic engravings. Bundles of dried herbs resting atop a metal first-aid kit. A ceremonial drinking horn beside another bottle of Brennivin. No, thank you. Various musical instruments scattered across the floor, even a Stradivarius. Oh, wow. That was a cool million dollars just sitting there. And hello, my beauties. There was a pile of daggers for anyone to pocket.

Don’t mind if I do . I plucked two of the smaller blades free of the cluster and shoved one in each pocket of my shorts.

“What’s so special about the key?” I asked my companions, all no big deal, I don’t care one way or the other . Meanwhile, desperation frothed inside me. Must know! If I could find the key in this mess, I’d have a priceless bargaining chip.

Both men ignored me. “We captured six of his spies,” Bodi said. “They’re being questioned now. If any are working with our soldiers, we’ll know it soon.”

Viktor growled, “Not good enough. I can trust no one at such a critical time, not even you. I demand you execute yourself, then everyone else. Leave no survivors.” Eyes glazing over, he returned to the desk. “Oh, and when you finish with that, bring the bracelets for my guest. She’s earned a prize.”

I mean, I wouldn’t say no to jewelry. Also, did Viktor have any idea how thoroughly he’d contradicted himself ?

Bodi gave no reaction to the command to off himself. He simply inclined his chin in agreement. “I will see everything done personally, majesty, almost exactly as you desire.”

Okay, this was officially weird. “At the risk of inciting further punishment, I’m going to insert myself again. You realize you just told him to kill himself, then kill everyone else after he’s dead, right?”

They looked at me as if I was the oddity.

Only Viktor responded. “I don’t hear the problem. I don’t see my key, either.” With a noise of frustration, he swiped his arm over the desk, sending everything hurling to the floor. An inkwell shattered, black dye soaking into the dirt. “Where is it?” he roared. “I must have it. The Valkara demands it. The time is now.”

Bodi flinched, rubbing the spot directly over his heart as I asked, “You always obey her?”

“Always,” Viktor said with something akin to pride. In unison, Bodi muttered the same word with derision.

Did the king love her and the price despise her?

“Majesty,” the prince piped up, strained. “Perhaps now is the proper moment to remind you that the key disappeared centuries ago.”

Sounded like they’d had this conversation before.

Mumbling under his breath, Viktor stormed out of the tent, leaving me alone with the prince.

I hoped Bodi would follow him, allowing me to do a little more snooping before hitting the bricks. Alas. The prince remained, glaring at me.

Since I was stuck, I might as well take advantage of the situation and try to learn as much as possible. If I needed to strike, I would. Pasting on my brightest smile, I shoved my hands into my pockets and gripped the hilts of my daggers. “ So. Do you recall that time your king called me his exclusive property and threatened to hurt anyone who hurt me? Because I do.” Man, I hated stringing all those words together, and yet, they didn’t taste as foul as they should have.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

“I told you. I’m Clover. Clover Deering. Unwitting and protected prisoner of your king.”

“Judging by your accent, you’re American, which means you fall under Malachi’s domain.” He’d spoken in heavily accented English. Now he took a step forward, radiating menace. “Why is an American in our territory? What’s your purpose?”

No way I’d share any of those details with him. “Sorry, but that information is above your security clearance.”

“I will give you sixty seconds to convince me not to kill you.” He palmed the swords crisscrossed over his back. “Does that increase my clearance?”

“You berserkers and your timers.” His boiling hostility threw me. What was it about my presence that worried him so much? “Don’t you have some executions to oversee?”

The reminder only poured fuel on his anger. “When Viktor battles his beast, he cannot make sense of his thoughts. Unless he sees you again, I doubt he’ll remember you exist. That means I can do whatever I want to you, and he’ll never know.”

“So much for a soldier’s loyalty.” Well, looked like I’d be fighting my way out.

Inside, I dug for a bottle of rage. Heat pooled in my hands. I curled them into fists and got into punching position. An urge to strike now, now, now, bombarded me.

Whoa! I hadn’t experienced this sensation in years, though I’d never forgotten the last time. The day I’d hurt my mom, breaking her arm. She’d bid me to clean up my room, but I’d refused, wanting only to play with a meaningless toy instead. When she’d attempted to take it away, I’d erupted.

I didn’t recall what happened after that. I only remembered waking to find my mother crying and in pain, with cuts on her face and one hand hanging at an odd angle. It was then that I’d begun to obsess about berserkers, and even adapted their methods for calming. Deep breathing exercises. Physical exertion to the point of exhaustion. Compartmentalizing.

Eventually, I bottled and buried my emotions instinctively, without thought. Now, I wasn’t sure how to react to these urges and feeling. I didn’t like them, but I also liked them far too much. I needed to protect myself.

“I am loyal only to my king,” Bodi spat, not attacking me. “He’s the sole original in power, his life the most important in this world or any other. Twenty-seven. Twenty-six. Twenty-five.”

I kept my dukes up. “Make a move, I dare you.”

Gold rings flashed in his irises. He stepped toward me, and I drew back my elbow. I’d go hard and fast. Hopefully, I wouldn’t lose my awareness in the process.

Bodi surprised me, abandoning the strike zone before I swung. “Perhaps I’ll remind him of your presence after all. If you aren’t his firebrand, he’ll end you on his own.”

“Apparently the firebrand honor goes to Valkara. Excuse me, the Valkara.”

A muscle jumped in his jaw.

Oooh. I’d noticed his dislike of her before, and this was confirmation. He wasn’t Valkara’s biggest fan. “I’d love to meet her. Just point me in her direction, and I’ll go say hi,” I said .

A commotion erupted outside the tent. Shouts for help. Grunts of pain. Rushing, thumping footsteps. The prince and I paused, momentarily frozen.

“Get Bodi!” someone bellowed.

He held my gaze, unfazed. “If you leave this tent, Clover Deering, I will come for you, and you won’t enjoy what happens when I catch you.”

I snapped my teeth at him. “Like I haven’t heard that one before.”

He hesitated only a moment more before pursing his lips and hurrying off, leaving me alone.

Okay. All right. A relieved breath seeped from me, and I finally relaxed my stance. Well, as relaxed as a woman like me could get. Obviously, I wasn’t letting either man’s promise of retribution dictate my actions.

Problem: I now knew more of those turul-shifters occupied the forest. Should I really take off and risk another run-in?

Might be better to wait, just a bit, amass supplies and weapons, and find a map of the forest. And shoes!

Also, what about Malachi’s offer? I still had no plans to cash in, but did I really wish to cut ties with the target right now? Although, granted, said target wasn’t exactly sane. Viktor flowed in and out of coherency, was execution-happy, and produced more mysteries than Hallmark.

The outside commotion increased in volume, certain Hungarian phrases crystalizing. “No, Majesty.” “Please, no.” “Don’t do this!”

What in the world? My injured, throbbing feet carried me out of the tent before my brain registered my intention. No guards stood at the door, so no one tried to capture me. Fading sunlight spotlighted soldiers congregated around an enraged Viktor, who tossed or broke anyone he could reach. He reached far too many. They toppled one after the other, broken and bleeding, unable to contain him, even as they worked in tandem.

The sight of him stopped me in my tracks, my heart thudding against my ribs. I’d thought him in a berserkerage before, but no. He’d told me he hadn’t yet raged and here, now I believed him.

This was a berserkerage.

He wasn’t just bigger; he was monstrous. His eyes were filled with those glowing golden rings, no hint of green remaining. His irises radiated deep cesspools of rage, yes, but mostly hatred. Thin black lines didn’t fork or flash beneath his skin, as before, but pooled and layered, resembling feathers. Like the turul-shifters, he brandished long, sharp claws.

Bodi stood out of striking distance, doing his best to calm the king with words. “Let’s talk about this, Majesty. I will make it better, whatever it is. Just tell me. That’s all you need to do.”

Viktor paused and sniffed the air. His attention swung to me and stuck.

The force of his notice sent me stumbling back, as if I’d been kicked. Guess I had a flight response, after all. I should run now. Yes, yes, I should.

Bodi spotted me, too. Anger pulsated from him, and he bellowed in Hungarian, “Leave, female!”

My cue. I spun on my heel and sprinted off. A vicious roar rang out behind me, sending chills down my spine. Fresh grunts of pain followed me, creating a terrible chorus. I picked up the pace, flying through the camp, scanning, scanning, searching for the wisest direction. Right. Definitely right. My breath quickened.

“Nooo!” I screamed when brawny arms clamped around me. With every ounce of my strength, I fought for my freedom.

A huffing, puffing Viktor hauled me against his powerful body and held tight, but…hmm. He never harmed me. In fact, he didn’t even prick me with the tips of his claws.

“Enough, drága.”

His delicious scent filled my nose, and I…settled. The danger must have passed. “We all good, Tor?”

“I told you not to run,” he rasped between ragged breaths. Once again, he spoke with two voices. His own, and that of his beast?

“Yes, well, I’m not exactly keen to stick around when you’re shredding your own men like cheddar cheese.”

“Don’t be dramatic.” The second voice faded. “I only removed a few organs.”

Soldiers slowly, cautiously approached us. Well, almost. They halted a good distance away, out of the strike zone. Many wobbled, injured and bleeding. All peered at me in shock. Murmurs of “firebrand” arose.

Not this again! I wasn’t Viktor’s soulmate, okay. Nope. Not this steel magnolia. Maddened had never been my type. And as he’d babbled earlier, I wasn’t his type, either. On top of all that, let’s not forget the Valkara, the real firebrand. But…

Viktor’s reaction to me. It did explain why Malachi would pick someone as normal as me for such a special, suicidal mission. Though how could he have known I might be in the running for firebrand of the year?

“Put me down,” I insisted, wiggling against Viktor.

A ragged moan left him, and I stilled. Either he was injured, and I just couldn’t see the damage, or I’d hurt him in some way. I didn’t like the guy, but I didn’t want him to suffer.

“Will you run again?” he demanded.

“Probably. But not right this second or anything.” Maybe not the best response, but honest. “I give you my word.”

He stiffened. “There’s nowhere you can go that I won’t find you.”

“Just FYI, you aren’t helping your cause when you get all supervillainy.” Not much, anyway. Because yes, a part of me might kind of…like it. But only a part! The worst part, clearly.

“Majesty.” Bodi bypassed those around us, his palms up and out in a gesture of innocence as he neared. “Perhaps you should place the girl under my protection. I’ll take excellent care of her, I swear it.”

I didn’t get a chance to shout, “Liar!”

“Mine,” the king snarled, nearly cracking my ribs as he yanked me closer. His nostrils flared, and he bared his teeth at the other royal.

Okay, so, maybe I was his type? I mean, I wasn’t unattractive, if I did say so myself. And I happened to dig my personality. Animal lover and violin enthusiast, with an indomitable spirit and an unwillingness to give up when things got tough. Talk about rare qualities!

But what if I was Viktor’s firebrand, and not the Valkara? Look how calm he’d become. And he’d only dialed up the protection factor.

I mean, it wouldn’t hurt to at least test the theory.

“Majesty,” Bodi said, gearing up to try again.

“Stay back, prince, I’ve got this,” I announced, then I did it. I made a move, patting Viktor’s cheek. “Focus on me, Snarls. Come on. Look at me. ”

He resisted my command, his chest heaving, and I wondered if he was close to losing his temper again. Well, I was already in the fire. I might as well dance.

“Hey! I told you to focus on me, and I meant it.” I snapped my fingers in front of his face until his dark gaze found mine at last.

“What?” he barked.

Are you kidding me? “Wow. I try to help, and this is the thanks I get.”

His lids slitted. From the corner of my eye, I detected movement. Suspected Bodi and a few others were slipping closer. I stretched out my arm, fingers spread in the classic sign for stop . All the while, I held Viktor’s gaze.

“Look,” I said. “How about we cancel all punishments and return to your place? I’m starving, and I’ve got some questions only you can answer.” I batted my lashes, giving him my best puppy dog eyes. “Take care of me? Please, with a cherry on top.”

Silence. Stillness. One moment bled into another, the crowd so quiet everyone might have been holding their breath.

Finally, Viktor scowled and nodded. “We’ll be in my tent. Bring us food, and a lot of it,” he bellowed, and carried me over the threshold.