Page 14 of Soul of Fire

“You can shove hisinstructionsup his royal ass,“ Jorgen grumbled, arms crossed over his chest in a posture that spoke of ease to anyone who didn’t know how quickly he could draw a blade.

“But—“

“No.” Arik’s command was final. “We will sleep here.Allof us. And the guards—“

“They must remain,” the steward begged. “For your protection.”

“For the king’s peace of mind,” Arik corrected, his face stony as he contemplated the guards, sizing them up. “Fine. They can guard fromoutsidethe door.”

“The king hascommanded—“

“Outside. The. Door.” Arik’s glare at the guards by the windows was sharp enough to cut glass.

“Very well.” The steward sagged in defeat as he nodded, waving the guards out and summoning a battalion of servants. They moved quickly and quietly, carrying in basins and bedding as they made the beds and laid out linens and washing supplies in each of the rooms.

One of the women had shackles around her ankles, and it took Arik’s vise-like grip on my hand to stop me from shifting as fury coursed through me.

Now is not the time for this,he soothed as Idunn’s fury roared through my chest.

I want to free them.

I know.

All of them.I turned to look up at my mate, and I knew that Idunn’s azure gaze peered out of my own.

Arik nodded, a silent promise.

The four of us remained at the threshold of the shared parlor until all of the servants had made a quiet exit.

“I will have a meal sent up,” the steward declared, his confidence seemingly renewed by the mundane task of ordering servants around. “You are to remain here until summoned.”

Arik raised a brow, but inclined his head just enough to be polite. “Of course.”

The steward withdrew, torch bobbing away down the stairs. The guards remained in the hallway, their backs turned to us as the door clicked shut behind them, leaving us standing in the quiet room where only the crackles of the fire interrupted the sound of our beating hearts.

“Well, that went better than expected,” Jorgen declared as he dropped his muddy pack in the middle of what was likely a very expensive rug. “I believe congratulations are in order, Dragehersker.”

Arik rolled his eyes as he dropped our packs next to Jorgen’s and moved to the wooden table. His brow creased as he examined the wine in the pitcher and gave it a sniff. “I’m going to need something much stronger than this.”

“Agreed,” Branka sighed, flopping down on the green velvet chaise beside the fire. “Accommodations could be worse, though. I thought your father hated you?”

“He does.” Arik’s tone was clipped as he downed a glass of wine and poured another, handing it to me.

His hands were warm as they brushed mine, and I didn’t bother resisting the urge to lean into him a little.You know you will be a great dragehersker, don’t you?

I’ll certainly do my best. Easier with you by my side.He tapped the lip of my goblet, a smile tugging up the corner of his mouth.Drink, Kjære. You’re pale.

I’m always pale.

More pale than usual, then,he amended, his voice warming me from the inside out.And since I can’t currently do what I’dliketo do to put some color in your cheeks, this will have to suffice for now.

I barely managed to turn my spluttered choke into a cough as his lips quivered in amusement.

“Will you two be doing that all the time, now?” Jorgen drawled, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched us from the fireplace.

“Doing what?” Arik asked, his steady voice revealing nothing as he returned to the table to pour the rest of the wine.

“Staring longingly into each other’s eyes while the rest of us wait around for you to remember we exist.” Branka glanced at her mate, who rolled his eyes theatrically as he took a glass from Arik. “It really derails the conversation.”