Dragons Against Them (Kingdoms of Fire and Ice #2)(33)

Though confusing, Helena doubted not her sister’s words. Ella had a kind heart and pure soul—never would she lead her sisters astray. Which meant a battle was coming, one of great import. Helena needed to get Zayne home, now, before it was too late.





Chapter 17





Try as she might not to sit around fretting about Zayne’s safety, Addie still did. After an hour or so, she wandered back downstairs, eager for a distraction. As it was another sunny day, she found herself drifting toward the door and then toward the stable. If she couldn’t be with Zayne, at least she could be with his horse. Maybe, if she was lucky, she’d even stumble across Brom. Because if anyone could get her laughing, it was her fiancé’s most trusted—and curmudgeonly—friend.

The stars must have been aligned for at least thirty seconds that day, as she soon found him leaning against a wall outside the castle’s training yard, watching a dozen or so warriors engaged in swordplay. Shouts and clanking metal filled the hot summer air, as did the smell of the men responsible. Brom stood with arms crossed tight over his bear-sized chest and a deep scowl etched into his jowls.

In other words, he looked like he always did.

“Trying to pick up some new moves, are we?”

Brom snorted. “No more skilled than children, this lot. ’Tis no wonder King Jarin sought a peace treaty.”

“Oh, come on now.” Addie rested her arms upon the rustic fence that sectioned off the training area from the rest of the courtyard and scanned the group. Her gaze was soon drawn to a loud exchange of grunts and shouts in the far corner. “Those guys look like they’re pretty good. And their swords are bigger than the ones you all use.”

“’Tis skill, not size which matters, Princess.” Brom stepped forward to lean on the fence as well. He tipped his chin toward the pair and lowered his voice. “The man on the left grips his hilt too high and loses power in his swing. His opponent stands heavy on his feet and makes for an easy target.”

Brom pointed out other pairs and their flaws. Bad form. Too fast, too slow. Too distracted. Too bloated. Addie nodded at his commentary, not understanding much of it but happy for the distraction.

“You’re going to teach me all that, right? How to pack the most punch and still be light on my feet?”

“No.”

“But Zayne said—”

“His Highness asked that I train ye in ways of defense, and indeed I gave my word.” He glanced in her direction, resignation on his face. “But no’ with swords.”

“Okay. Yeah, I’m cool with that. So…something else then. Archery, maybe?” Please say yes, please say yes.

“No.”

“No? What else is there?”

“Ye shall see.” Brom turned from the warriors and began walking away. “Come, lass. If ye want to learn defense, I shall take ye to the place where the best warriors’ training begins, before a single weapon is touched.”

Addie hurried after him, excitement brewing. “Oh? Where’s that?”

“The stables. A queen must learn to ride, my lady.”

“To…ride?”

Addie skidded to a stop. Riding dragons she could do, mainly because she trusted Zayne implicitly to get her safe to wherever they were going. But on horseback?

A shiver shook her from head to toe. Did queens really need to learn to ride? Zayne’s mother had looked regal upon her chestnut mare when she’d come to help rescue Addie from Rosalind and Quinn a few weeks back…

“Come on, then.” Brom took her by the elbow with a rare smirk. “All ye need to do is learn to mount. Will shall do the rest. Even our four-legged beasts understand that often the best form of defense is retreat.”



Darkness. Utter darkness.

Zayne pushed against it, unsure if he were yet alive or already cast into the pits of hell. For hell was anywhere his sweet Adelaide was not, and he was quite certain she wasn’t here. He tried to see past the darkness, to escape this everlasting night, but nothing he did seemed to free him from the pain that rendered him paralyzed. Muffled voices floated amid the night he could not shake.

“Careful, men. Harm him further, and we shall answer to more than the king.”

“Aye. Princess Rosalind will surely like to take a crack at him.”

“Princess Rosalind? Bah, I worry more about the wrath of Princess Adelaide. She has a mighty temper, that one.”

“Keep talking around our prisoner and I shall see that both princesses unleash their wrath on you, you ungrateful hounds.”

“Yes, sire.”

Ah, he would live to see another day, or so it sounded. At that, Zayne ceased his struggles against the darkness. It swallowed him whole yet again, though in his heart was a light neither the pain nor darkness could extinguish.

A light named Adelaide.





Chapter 18





Though the queen had seemed wary and then almost fearful of her the prior day, once the initial shock of Rosalind’s arrival wore off Giselle had become quite amicable toward her. Dinner last evening had been a veritable feast, with the village’s elders all in attendance. And rather than sequester their visitor to one end of the table, Giselle made certain to introduce Rosalind to each and every one of them.