Sacrifice (The Snow Queen #2)(2)

Farrin kept his expression passive, but he couldn’t stop his hands from curling into fists. The inevitable clash of his affection for Rakel and his loyalty to Tenebris had arrived. “I see. Shall I take you to your quarters, sir?”

“Yes, thanks, Runt,” Tenebris said, moving to walk shoulder to shoulder with Farrin. Sunnira still held his arm, and Bluff, Bunny, and Dryden fell in line behind them.

“Released,” Farrin shouted.

The foot soldiers and the rest of the magic users broke out of formation, moving on with their duties as Farrin escorted their leader to the best tent.

“I must say, Runt, I am upset,” Tenebris continued. “It isn’t like you to leave an enemy alive.”

“I regret that I have disappointed you,” Farrin said.

Tenebris slapped his shoulder again. “Don’t take it to heart. You haven’t ever failed me before. You were bound to do so eventually—though I must admit, I didn’t think your lesson of humility would come from a thin-skinned, worthless princess.”

“With all due respect, sir, no one who has met Princess Rakel would call her thin-skinned or useless,” Farrin said.

“We’ll see,” Tenebris said. “In the meantime, I’ve changed my mind about the Verglas citizens.”

Farrin dared to hope for a moment. “Oh?”

“Yes. We’ll have to cull most of them.”

“Cull?” Bluff asked. He swallowed hard when Tenebris glanced back at him. “I-I beg your pardon, sir.”

“No harm, boy. I meant we’ll have to kill ’em. They’re too stubborn and too prone to hope. They’ll make lousy slaves unless we limit their numbers,” Tenebris said. He wore a smile and spoke in a pleasant tone—as if they were discussing plans for a celebration.

Farrin stopped outside the black tent he had ordered to be pitched for Tenebris. “Do you really think it is necessary to found our country with such slaughter?”

“Necessary? No. But it will make it easier.” Tenebris swatted his free hand through the air. “And with the way this war has carried on, we need all the help we can get. I planned for us to hold the entire country by now. As my officers were unable to achieve that, we’ll have to cut corners where we can.”

Farrin looked at Tenebris as if seeing him for the first time. I have always known Tenebris is a man without mercy to those who oppose him, but this—the slaughter of thousands of innocent people?

As if sensing Farrin’s thoughts, Tenebris arched one of his eyebrows and gave Farrin a toothy smile. “Next time don’t fail me,” he said.

“Farrin did his best,” Sunnira said diplomatically. “The problem is Princess Rakel. She was much stronger than any of us could have predicted.”

Tenebris shrugged. “That’s an easy fix. Once she’s killed, the resistance will run out of traction.”

A muscle twitched in Farrin’s cheek. He made his expression apathetic and hoped no one noticed.

Sunnira shook her head. “You need to be careful with her, Tenebris. Farrin did well against her because of his magic, but she could trample anyone else.”

Tenebris grinned and pinched Sunnira’s cheek. “You think she’s better than me, you impudent brat?” he asked, his voice warm with affection.

“I think she’s a monster,” Sunnira said.

Farrin wished she would stop talking.

“Well, it’s a good thing I am one as well.” Tenebris pointed to the tent. “Is this it?”

“I hope it meets your expectations, sir,” Farrin said.

“I’m sure it will. Give me a few hours to get settled, and I’ll meet up with you and your little trainees for dinner,” Tenebris said. “That means you, too, Sunnira.”

Sunnira kissed Tenebris’s cheek. “You don’t need to tell me—you aggravating man. I have patients to attend to.” She winked at their leader, waved to Farrin, and drifted off in the direction of the medical tent.

Farrin bowed. “Welcome to the First Regiment, sir.” He turned to his subordinates. “Dryden and Bluff, you’re on scouting duty.”

“Sir?” Bluff said as Dryden stamped her feet and rubbed her gloved hands together.

“I want you to make a wide circuit of the camp and see if you can sense Princess Rakel. Dryden will be your escort.”

Bluff squinted. “You think she’ll attack us?”

“It is unlikely, but with Tenebris in our camp, we will take no chances,” Farrin said. And if she is near, I need to know so I can stop her.

“Yes, sir!” Bluff and Dryden saluted.

“Bunny,” Farrin continued. “We’re—”

“Say, Runt, what is that shining spot?” Tenebris asked. He held the flap of his tent open, but his gaze was on the distant, glittering smear that rested against what the people of Verglas called Ensom Peak.

“That would be the ice-castle Princess Rakel constructed during her exile,” Farrin said.

“She made that?” Tenebris asked. His voice was odd. It lacked its usual pleasant tone.

Farrin hesitated. “Yes.”

“I see.” Tenebris disappeared into his tent without saying anything more.

Farrin stared at the tent for a moment, then motioned for Bunny to follow him. He made his way through the camp, wondering at Tenebris’s reaction. He wasn’t angry. But his voice, it was…off. And he seems much darker than I remembered.