“If hewantsa living heir,” Niel growled, “he can fucking send the men. Up to him.”
“Do not bluff. Youknowyour father.”
“Yes. I do,” Niel said. Niel had been certain his father would send an army. Now that it was a matter of Nieldisobeyinghis father instead of simply failing him, that was no longer a guarantee. The duke, in his temper, was just as likely to let him die.
“And what?” Vulmar asked, with a scowl. “This Hannes you so badly want your revenge on. You’re just going to give up and die like a coward, because you didn’t get your way with father dearest?”
Niel exhaled slowly. His eyes shut for a long moment as he grappled with that very question.
At last he looked back at Vulmar, his jaw firm and his eyes steady.
He’d sworn to kill Hannes. Sworn to remove that blight from the world, and have his revenge. But was there a cost at which Niel would become the very villain he’d vowed to destroy?
“If I leave dozens of men to die just to save myself,” Niel said quietly, “I’m not much better than him, am I?”
Vulmar gave him an odd look, like Niel had lost his mind.
“Lad. Saving your own skin from a lost cause is a world apart from drugging a beardless boy so you can f—”
Niel was out of his chair so fast he knocked his plate to the floor, where the ceramic shattered. He lunged across the table to grab Vulmar by the throat. Niel’s calloused thumb pressed against Vulmar’s windpipe. He could squeeze and crush it.
Vulmar hadn’t gotten his position by being slow. The man’s arm was extended across the table just as fast, a blade pressing against Niel’s throat, above the metal of his armor breastplate.
Niel did not give a fuck. He could barely see straight.
“Donot,” he growled, his voice low and ragged, “speak of that.Ever. Again.”
“Touchy,” Vulmar said, his eyes dead and hard. Niel could feel the man’s throat moving beneath his fingers. Just as he could feel the sharp cold of Vulmar’s blade.
“Get out of my castle,” Niel rasped.
“Niel. Son. You’re overreacting. Don’t throw everything away.”
“Get out,” Niel repeated. “Tell my father if he wants an heir, he’ll send reinforcements. Or he’ll make a new one.”
He stepped back as he let go of Vulmar’s throat. Vulmar drew his own knife back, hands raised.
“Fine. Your mother says hello.”
“Is that athreat?” Niel hissed, eyes sparking and hand twitching for his sword.
“No,” Vulmar said calmly. He sheathed his knife, then started tucking the uneaten food into his pockets. “It’s just a message.”
Niel glared.
“Tell her I say hello back,” he growled at last. “And try to keep her safe from him, won’t you?”
“You know I always do,” Vulmar said. With a shrug, he popped a piece of cheese into his mouth, then turned and left the castle.
It took Niel’s rage a full hour to stop burning beneath his skin. When it did, there was nothing left but cold reality.
Like as not, nobody was coming to save them. They were on their own.
Snow Games
Gemshorn hung his dapple-gray head over the door to his stall, whuffing hot air in puffs of steam. With a smile, Ayla held up two fists to the gelding. He snuffled at one, then the other, the whiskers of his velvet muzzle grazing her bright-blue cloth mittens. With a giggle, she opened her left hand, showing him the empty fabric covering her palm.
“Not there,” she murmured, as he lipped her hand.
