Page 114 of Omen of ice
It’s over in moments, and as the shaking form stills, I draw my sword and step in front of Valen. “I stand by what I said. I will not allow harm to”—another involuntary shiver wracks my body as the jalva oil fades from my system—“come to him.”
Aphelian shakes her head. Her lips lift in a knowing grin. “You need not protect him any longer, child.”
“But Valen—”
“Is the son of thetrueWinter Lord. As he was born of Delkin and Amoriel, he is not directly descended from a male in the Servis Icekeeper line. I will not harm him—for now.”
For now…
She focuses her attention on Valen. “With Liani dead, Orbik is no more. The sigil I placed upon the Fae of the Winter Lands to shroud the history of the Frostreaver line has lifted. If you choose to return and claim your throne, they will recognize you as their lord.” She smiles. “However, I would caution against it.”
She turns to Delkin. With a slight bow, she says, “You never treated me or my kind with disrespect, and I regret what happened to your court. For this, I will allow you and yours one single chance to avoid my wrath. Take your son and go back to your village. Live there in secret and do not get in my way.”
Challenge gleams in Delkin’s eyes. “And if we end up in your way?”
“The Fae of the Winter Lands must pay.” Her eyes spark with a hunger for retribution. “If you choose to align yourself with them, then you will pay as well.”
Another chill, this one stronger. There isn’t much time left. “I—” A blast of cold knocks the wind from my lungs and brings me to my knees. Valen catches me before I crumble completely, threading my arm up and around his shoulder.
“Only the future knows where we will all end up. Now, though, we are here. You are here, and you can help her.” There’s the smallest tremble in Valen’s voice. “Please.”
Aphelian studies me for a moment. “She’s a human trying to process Fae magic. We’re not made for that.”
“She is one of yours—your own flesh and blood,” Benj says. He’s been so quiet that up until now, I almost forgot he’s here. “Surely you won’t stand by while one of your druids falls.”
Desperation floods the bond between us, making me dizzy. Valen stands and meets her steely gaze. “Break the link.” Unflinching power, a command worthy of true royalty.
“And what will you give me to save her, young king?” She runs a finger across his chest, right above his heart, then taps it three times and smiles. “What will you give me to savethis?”
“The tear,” he answers without hesitation. “I will return the tear to you.”
Aphelian shakes her head. “Not good enough. You’ve already promised it to my protégé.” She flashes me a wicked grin.
“I’ve made no such promise.”
Aphelian clucks her tongue. “Ahh, but the intention is there. We both know you were always going to give it to her.”
“Valen…” The chill grows stronger, but I manage to lift my head to look at him. There, in his eyes, is everything I should have seen before.
“Of course I was going to give it back, Tania.” His fingers knot into a fist for a moment before the tension drains from him. “I didn’t have a chance to tell you before you stormed off.”
“I—” If he’d told me sooner, would I have simply accepted it? No. He was afraid of losing me, and rightly so. Granted, I probably would have come to my senses eventually, but I understand, now, his fear of losing me.
It’s that fear I feel through the link.
It’s that fear I worry will doom us all.
He takes my face in his hands and shakes his head. “Stubborn fungus…”
“Yes, yes. Very sweet. Shall we continue?” Aphelian snaps her fingers. “I’m not foolish enough to believe she’ll willingly hand over the power, so I’ll simply bide my time. No. If you want me to save her, you will need to offer something else.”
Valen glares at her, then turns back to me. Our gazes meet, and something sharp and overwhelming, a sensation that’s both warm and icy, shoots through the link. He turns back to Aphelian and says, “When the time comes, I will ensure you have no opposition inside the walls of the Winter Court estate. I will return and take the throne. You have my word.” There’s no hesitation in his voice, no uncertainty. He’s just offered his kingdom—his people—to the slaughter. He just sacrificed his own freedom…
For me.
Delkin gasps. “Valen, no—”
I shake my head. “That means you have to go back, Valen. That’s not what you want. All those Fae—”
