Page 86 of North Queen
She stood and eyed him coldly. She knew she’d dealt him a painful injury with the dagger, but it didn’t show. He stepped closer to her, but she stood her ground. He reached out and grabbed her wrists, inspecting the binding.
She twisted away. “As you left me,” she said sharply.
He towered over her, but she narrowed her eyes and faced him squarely. His face hardened, and he turned, leaving her alone once again.
Norah paused but then followed him out to find the palfrey from the day before saddled for her. She mounted as gracefully as one could manage with bound hands. The king mounted his destrier and reined up beside her. He held out a wrap of salted meat. She only shot him a daggered gaze in response.
“Eat,” he said irritably.
She didn’t want to accept food from him, but she was incredibly hungry. She needed to keep her strength, she told herself. Reluctantly, she took the meat.
He eyed her with a bitter smile. “Tell me, why come out now? Why come out freely after hiding for so long, where it was so easy for me to take you?”
Norah refused to answer him. She looked out across the hills as she bit the inside of her cheek, silently cursing. She’d been foolish for thinking the journey to Aleon would be an easy one, even if it was through Mercian lands. She’d been foolish for leaving the safety of the castle when the Shadow King wanted her dead, and for thinking he hadn’t yet known of her return. Now he had her.
They rode most of the day in silence. The sun was out, but it did little to provide warmth from the winter air.
The king’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.
“Who taught you to fight?” he asked.
She looked at him, her eyes narrowing. “Do you have some tips for me?”
He seemed surprised but surprised her back when he moved his horse closer to answer. “You let me get too close to you,” he told her. “Your advantage is speed. You need to protect it with distance.”
She scoffed. “Since you’re free with your advice right now, how might I get this distance?”
“You won’t,” he said darkly. “You won’t escape me, North Queen.”
“Who are you?” she asked.
“You don’t believe I’m salar of Kharav?”
Salar of Kharav? “I don’t believe you fought my father in the Battle of Bahoul.”
“I did not. Kings die. You should know this.”
Norah paused as the realization hit her. “You’re his son?”
He looked forward, ignoring her question. “Where have you been all these years?”
In turn, she didn’t answer.
“Why did you wait so long to wed the Aleon king?” he asked.
“I wasn’t sure if I liked him,” she said flippantly. “Where did your brute commander come from?”
He shifted in agitation.
“Are you the Shadow King’s son?” she asked again, not willing to give him information without receiving any in return.
“I am the Shadow King,” he snapped.
There was a long silence between them. Finally, he spoke. “I am Mikael Ratha Shal, salar of Kharav, or the Shadowlands, as you call it.”
“Salar?”
“Yes.King. I’m the son of Rhalstad Ratha Shal, who’s the man your father fought in the Battle of Bahoul. Now, tell me where you’ve been.”
