I fought both men, throwing down Mace and then punching the other in the face.
Then a metal shackle was locked on to my ankle.
I looked up, seeing Ian.
Ian stepped back, his face pale as snow.
“Take this off.”
He remained still.
“Ian.”
He looked away.
“Don’t you fucking listen to her.”
“She’s our queen—”
“And she’s fucking batshit crazy right now. Take this off. Now.”
He still wouldn’t meet my gaze.
“Ian, look at me.”
He wouldn’t.
“You know this is wrong.”
“Doesn’t matter—”
“Yes, it fucking matters. I’m your goddamn brother, and if you don’t let me go, I’ll never forgive you.”
He finally looked at me.
“Come on.” I pleaded with my eyes, knowing his loyalty to me was far stronger than whatever he felt for my mother right now. “I’m running out of time…”
He closed his eyes briefly then pulled the key from his pocket.
“Hurry.”
He kneeled and turned the key until the metal clicked.
I took off at a dead sprint, exiting the stone keep and sprinting down the snow-covered trail until I reached her cabin. I made it just in time because they hadn’t reached the front door yet. With both swords drawn, I barred the way.
Geralt halted then looked at Queen Rolfe for further instruction.
“Geralt has protected you for years, and I’m forever grateful of his service to my queen, but I will slice his fucking head off his shoulders if he comes any goddamn closer. If you don’t want me to kill your guard, you’ll order him to stand down. Now.”
She stared at me, her look almost bored.
“Or if he kills me, you’ll lose your eldest son.”
Geralt waited, prepared to fight me if he was ordered to.
After a long showdown of stares, she excused Geralt with a nod.
He fell back and retreated.
Both of my swords were sheathed in my belt.
Her blue eyes took me in without blinking for a long time, as if it were the first time she’d ever really looked at me, and then she came closer, one foot in front of the other, her boots leaving prints in the powder. She was in a thick white gown the same color as the snow, matching feathers in her hair, and wore a cloak thicker than mine. “Will you take your father’s place at the top of the cliffs? Will you take back what has been in our blood for generations?”
“Yes.”
“Will you avenge me?”
“With pleasure.”
Her eyes shifted back and forth as she looked into mine.
“My loyalty is to my family.”
“Then you understand there’s no future with this woman.”
“Yes.”
“Yet, she’s worth this stand.”
“Even if she meant nothing to me, she would still be worth this stand because this isn’t who we are. This isn’t what we do. If it is, then we’re no different from him. Surely you must see that.”
Her eyes remained steady.
“You’re the strongest person I know—and the most compassionate. You’re fair and just. You rule with respect, not fear. You have no idea how much it hurts me to know how much this hurts you…how much it still hurts you. If only I’d been the man I am now, I would have killed all of them and protected you. I’m so sorry I didn’t.”
She dropped her chin. It was the first time she’d ever done that.
“I won’t fail you again. You have my word.”
She kept her gaze on the ground for a long time. “It wasn’t your job to protect me, Huntley. You were a boy…”
“Now I’m a man. And I will slaughter him.”
“I know.”
“Don’t ever question my loyalty to you, to our family, to what we’ve worked so hard for.”
She raised her chin once again. “Does she know you feel this way?”
“Yes.”
“Does she feel the same way about her own family?”
“I’m not sure how she feels, honestly. When I told her the truth, she didn’t believe me. But I think she believes me now…”
She took in my gaze for a long time, her mind working. “You’re a grown man who can make his own decisions. If this is the woman you want to sleep with, then that’s your business. But you can’t trust someone whose blood is the enemy to your own.”
“Never said I trusted her.”
“Good. Keep it that way.”
I nodded.
“I will spare her. Perhaps you’re right. Perhaps I’ve lost my mind-set. But make no mistake, she’s our prisoner. We will use her to get what we need. You can’t let your feelings compromise everything we’ve worked so hard for. Do you understand me?”
“Yes.”
“Promise me.”
“Yes.” I said it without hesitation. “I promise.”
FIFTEEN
Ivory
The door opened—and revealed Huntley.
I’d only been in there for an hour, maybe two, and I was relieved it wasn’t any longer. I hated this place every time I returned to it, not having anything to stare at besides the dark. Every time I lay on the bed, it hurt my back, so I chose to sit up.
“Let’s go.”
I didn’t need to be told twice. I came to his side, and we walked back to the cabin.