Page 173 of Shadow Queen
Norah’s heart raced. She’d kissed Alexander in the Wild, but the memory had been taken from Mikael. He wouldn’t understand the circumstance now. But the greater weight on her heart—she’d kissed Alexander in Mercia in the cave. Guilt riddled her, but she couldn’t tell him. It would only add to his mania.
“No,” she whispered.
Tears filled his eyes. “You lie to me,” he breathed.
A sob rose in her throat. She couldn’t speak.
His face twisted. “If he had been here, would you really not have chosen him for a child? He’s who you want, yes?”
“Mikael, stop,” she cried.
“And you’ll go to Aleon. I saw it. Freely you’ll go, under a marriage alliance, I’m sure. A rose petal welcome. Will the Aleon king be as tolerant a husband as I am, I wonder?” he seethed. “Will he protect your lover? Will he be patient, as I have been? Not make you choose?”
“Mikael, stop it!”
He pushed her back against the wall. “No longer. Now you must choose.” He bared his teeth with a trembling fury, pulsing fear through her. “You want me to send men to the North? I’ll send them.” His eyes were dark and full of hate. “And they’ll bring me back his head.”
No. Norah clawed at his hand to release her, but he held her firm.
“I’m going to kill him, Salara. I’m going to kill the Bear.”
Chapter fifty-two
Sorensatinhisstudy with his arms crossed, leaning forward onto his desk. He stared at the parchments in front of him, unseeing. He should have been present for Mikael’s return from the seer. He wanted to know what Salar had seen. But it was better, he figured, that he hadn’t been there. Better to let Salara calm him, reassure him. Soren might be able to better mend Mikael’s anger against him after.
Just then, Bhastian tore into his study, and Soren jerked his head.
“Lord Commander!” the guardsman called urgently. “Salara’s gone!”
“What?” he said, rising.
“She took her mare directly from the field. By the time the men got to the stables for horses to follow, she was gone.”
What had happened with Salar? But more concerning, Salara was gone. “She’s alone?”
“We think Cohen followed her.”
Rage rippled through him. “So a mute can follow after her, but not the Crest?”
“It’s a failure, my lord,” Bhastian admitted.
Soren forced out an exhale. “Where did she go?”
Bhastian shook his head. “We don’t know, but the men said she was upset.”
Soren cursed himself. He knew Mikael was troubled. Why had he let her meet him alone?
“Should I ready the horses?” Bhastian asked. “We could catch up to her before she even reaches the Canyonlands.”
The Canyonlands? No. She wouldn’t flee to the North. It would unravel everything she had fought so hard to keep together. Soren forced himself to think. Where would she go? Somewhere safe, somewhere she could get her mind back, figure things out—he knew a place. “Tell them to prepare my horse. I’ll go alone, after I tell Salar.”
Bhastian bowed and left to his charge.
Soren walked quickly to the royal chamber, where he found Mikael stripping off his armor. “What did you do to Salara?” he asked without greeting. “What did you say to her?”
Mikael glanced at him. “She stays in the sanctuary. That should answer your question enough.”
“She’s not in her sanctuary,” he snapped angrily. “She’s gone. Left the castle.”
