So I Married a Sorcerer (The Embraced #2)(109)

With trembling legs, she rose to her feet.

“We should go,” Stefan said, glancing up at the dragon. “We’re too exposed here. It could shoot more fire and roast us alive.”

Brigitta shook her head. “It won’t hurt us. It saved me.”

Brody snorted. “It may have been trying to save the bear. We’re the invaders here.”

“We should go.” Stefan reloaded a saddlebag.

Brigitta glanced up at the sky as the dragon disappeared from sight. Was it true what they said, that the dragons stole children? But this one had saved her, she was sure of it. Could she stop Rupert from killing one of them? But if he didn’t, he would fail the quest and be executed, along with the other losers who were waiting in jail cells back in Lourdon. He would also lose his chance to win back the kingdom. And she would be forced to marry either Captain Mador or General Tarvis.

She wandered back to the horses. “We need to talk to Rupert.”

Brody winced. “He doesn’t want to see you.”

She jolted to a stop. “What?”

“I told you he would be pissed,” Brody muttered. “He wants us to take you back to Tourin. He said it was an order.”

Brigitta scoffed. “I’m not very good at following orders.”

Brody smiled. “Neither am I, actually.”

Stefan shook his head. “If he ever becomes king, he’ll make you eat those words.”

“We have to keep him alive for him to be king.” Brigitta took a deep breath. “Then we keep going?”

“Aye.” Stefan mounted his horse. “Let’s go.”





Chapter Twenty-Nine

High up on a cliff, Rupert watched Captain Mador and General Tarvis urge their horses up the ridge on the northern side of the valley.

He’d been happy when Brody had appeared earlier and grateful to hear that Stefan was following him. But when Brody had mentioned that Brigitta was also coming, Rupert had immediately reacted with shock, then anger. So much anger that he’d caused a strong wind to whistle down the valley, shaking the trees.

Even now, on the cliff, he fumed whenever he thought about how much danger she would be exposed to. Had Stefan and Brody lost their minds? Dammit. Dead leaves fluttered on the ground as his power threatened to erupt with the full force of his fury.

Control, he warned himself. If he lost control here on the mountainside, he could cause a rockslide or avalanche. And that would endanger Brigitta even more.

There had to be a dozen reasons why she shouldn’t have come. Wild animals, dragons, Norveshki warriors, and dangerous terrain that either could smother her with snow or boil her with hot mud or steam. And what would Gunther do to her if he suspected she had allied herself with Seven?

Dammit, didn’t she realize that putting herself in danger would terrify him? He’d already lost everyone he loved. He couldn’t bear to lose—

He stiffened with a jerk. Holy crap. He loved her.

All the yearning he’d been feeling for her, all the joy he felt in her presence, all the desperation to protect her—it should have been obvious to him days ago.

He loved her.

With a groan, he lowered his head. Loving her just made all of this worse. She believed he was an honorable man, but in all likelihood he would be forced to kill a dragon. When the captain and the general tried to ambush him, he would have to kill again. And then when he returned to Tourin, he would have to murder Gunther. Hell, he would have to kill everyone who stood in his way of taking the throne.

Holy crap. For years, avenging his father had seemed like a noble quest, but now … he wasn’t sure what to do. If he murdered his way to the throne, then he was no better than Garold—who had destroyed his family.

And Brigitta was here in the valley. How could he be this person in front of her?

Dammit, she had to leave. If he didn’t lose her to the dangers surrounding them, he might still lose her love and respect when he was forced to kill.

He trudged back to the clearing he’d found earlier with Brody. Even though it was high on the mountainside, there was a small triangular-shaped area that was flat enough to make camp. Surrounded on two sides by a high ridge, it was protected from the cold winds. Three feet of snow sat on top of the ridge, and a steady stream of snowmelt had carved a small basin in a granite slab on the ground. At the apex of the triangular clearing, a narrow cave had formed in the ridge. Inside the cave, more snowmelt had seeped through cracks in the roof to form another basin of water about waist-high.

Brigitta might be safe if she remained hidden in the cave. His nerves tensed once again. But it would be better if she left. He had to convince her to leave.

He stiffened as he heard them approaching. So Brody hadn’t succeeded in chasing them off. Instead, he was leading them straight to the camp.

“Here we are,” Brody announced as he led their horses into the clearing.

Rupert’s heart twisted at the sight of Brigitta smiling at him. Dammit. He glared at Brody. “You were supposed to make sure they left.”

Brody shrugged. “We didn’t want to.”

Rupert clenched his fists, and a wind whistled through the trees.

Stefan glanced up at the swaying branches. “Is that you being pissed?”

“Shouldn’t I be?” Rupert gritted his teeth. “I gave you orders to leave!”