Dragons Against Them (Kingdoms of Fire and Ice #2)(62)

“Shh!”

Everyone froze at Tristan’s voice. Up ahead, footsteps crunched through twigs and bramble. A snap of fingers sounded to her right, and the footsteps ceased.

“As you were saying?” Berinon asked, turning from the sound.

“I called for you last night, but you didn’t come. My father—he totally wigged out. Locked Zayne up and tortured him.”

Helena gasped and reached for her son’s cheek. “Are you all right?”

“Aye. Haelan assisted with my healing.” He turned and met Addie’s gaze. “And Princess Adelaide.”

Addie couldn’t help but notice the speed at which Berinon’s head snapped in her direction. He studied her for a long moment, eyes narrowed, and Tristan stepped closer to her. An act that, though her twin could likely do very little to protect her if the wizard was up to anything devious, she found rather sweet.

“Giselle is up to no good, I fear,” said the queen. “She tricked Berinon with her illusions, causing him to believe she was me last night.”

“But why?” Zayne asked.

“I shall explain later. For now, we must go, as the time is nigh.”

“Nigh?” Addie shook her head. “Nigh for what?”

It was Haelan who spoke next, his gaze focused on the path ahead. “For us to teach the meddlesome witches it is unwise to dabble in the magic of wizards.”



Zayne ran toward the center of Weston flanked by Brom and Quinn, with Adelaide tucked safely amid the three men. Around them was a band of Edana’s most trusted warriors, who had accompanied his mother and Berinon on their quest to stop Giselle from performing whatever spell she had tricked the wizard into sharing with her the night before. How she had tricked him, Zayne did not care to know. Especially upon hearing that Giselle had used illusion to make Berinon believe she was Helena.

He had always suspected a closeness that extended beyond mere duty between his mother and the high wizard, but had never been given reason to believe it was anything other than his overactive imagination. Now he had little doubt as to Berinon’s feelings toward the queen. What was left to be seen was if she held similar feelings toward him. Feelings that, if they truly mirrored the wizard’s and she chose to act upon them, could put both her marriage and her life at risk.

A rush of protectiveness flared within him. No matter her choices, Zayne would see that his mother remain safe from harm. His father had been a difficult husband, cruel to her at times. But to fall for Berinon?

He cast a glance toward his kingdom’s high wizard, whose green eyes glowed with a fury Zayne had not witnessed before, and knew his mother would be safe in his protection until the end of her days. Still, his were not the arms she had been bound or married to, and he doubted she would break the trust of her subjects to leave King Robert’s side. Unless…

“Halt! Who goes there?”

Zayne looked toward the sound. Ahead stood the village square, a formerly grand manor house just beyond. A motley crew of armored men stood guard before it.

Zayne’s group slowed to a walk but continued forward, causing Giselle’s men to draw their swords.

“We must speak with your queen,” called his mother. “Step aside and we shall not—” Flashes of lightning shot forth, knocking the guards off their feet in quick succession. “—harm you.”

Helena cast a look of impatience at Haelan, whose hands were extended toward the downed men. The wizard shrugged as he passed her by. Berinon scowled at his rival but took Helena by the hand and urged her forward.

“Not a lot of love shared between those two, is there?” Addie whispered beside him.

“The wizards? No. Though neither king has given the other much reason.”

“Good point. Do you think she’s really in there?”

“Rosalind?” Zayne turned to meet her gaze as they came upon the manor home’s front entrance.

Addie nodded. “Because if she’s not and we try to return home empty-handed…”

Haelan raised a hand to silence them, then stepped forward and placed his palm on the door’s rough-hewn wood. “I sense her not.” He turned to throw an appraising look at the other wizard. “It seems you are not the only one who has been playing with the darkest of magics.”

“We can discuss the matter later,” Berinon replied with a growl. “The one you seek is indeed through that door.”

“But shall we perish if we follow?” asked Haelan.

“Would someone like to tell us what the hell is going on?”

Zayne felt his chest swell with pride at the commanding tone in his betrothed’s voice.

“There is no time,” said Berinon as he reached for the door. “If you wish to save your sister—”

“Stop,” bellowed a deep voice from behind them. “Or so help me, I shall kill her.”

Zayne spun to see King Jarin flanked by a small army of swordsmen and archers, each with their weapons drawn. The king had one hand wrapped tightly around the sword he’d nearly used to take Zayne’s hand only weeks before. His other arm, however, was wrapped tightly around something else entirely.

The neck of a woman.



“Ella!”

Tristan flinched from the half cry, half scream of Queen Helena, who stood quaking to his left.