‘I will mind,’ said Alarik, pointedly. ‘Tell me.’
‘It’s just that …’ Greta didn’t know what loosened her tongue, whether it was the lingering edge of her sadness or the genuine concern rippling in the king’s eyes,the muscle that tightened in his jaw as he waited for her to go on. ‘Sometimes when I speak, it would be helpful for them tolistento me and not laugh at what I say or dismiss it outright. Every beast comes with its own risks and any order I give is for the safety of your soldiers …’ She frowned, her voice turning rueful. ‘I know I’m not one of them.’ She looked at her boots, hating the heat that stained her cheeks. ‘I don’t pretend that I am.’
‘I don’t need another soldier,’ said Alarik. ‘You are far more valuable to me.’
She looked up at him. ‘But I’m not my brother.’
He snorted. ‘Oh, I’m well aware of that. What does it matter?’
‘I think it matters tothem,’ she admitted, and then immediately regretted it when his eyes darkened. What was she doing, singing like a canary for the king? What good would come of any of this? She had caused enough trouble already. The other soldiers would only hate her more now. ‘I’m just … I’m just trying to do my duty here, Your Majesty. I’m not trying to get anyone—’
He raised a hand. ‘I understand. Consider the matter escalated.’
‘No! I didn’t mean to escalate anything!’ said Greta, desperately. ‘I was only trying to explain—’
‘The complete lack of respect you’ve been shown by the soldiers who are supposed to work alongside you?’ he said, raising his brows.
‘Please don’t tell them I said that!’
‘Very well,’ he said, mildly. ‘I’ll say Saga filed the report.’
Greta groaned, wishing she could take back every part of this terrible morning and do it all over again.‘Please, just let me handle it. If I’m to earn the respect of your soldiers, I have to fight for it myself. And I intend to.’
Yes, she would simply come up with a plan to scare them into line. She would show them the measure of her worth before they cast her aside for good.
‘You may do as you like. Just as I will.’
She raked her hands through her hair, tugging at the strands.
The grass crunched as he moved closer. Slowly, and with surprising gentleness, he took her wrists in his hands and tugged them away from her hair, until all her focus fell on him, standing right there in front of her. ‘Look at me, Iversen.’ And she did, raising her chin to find herself snared in the light of those searing blue eyes. ‘It’s very simple. I do not suffer insubordination in my ranks, and neither will my wrangler. Not while we are on the verge of war.’
Greta stared at her wrists in his hands and felt a curious flutter in her chest. ‘I’m sorry for yelling at you back there.’
‘Good. Anything else?’
‘And for threatening your life.’
‘Technically, you threatened your own life.’
She grimaced. ‘I should not have done that.’
‘Correct.’
She frowned. ‘My adrenaline got the better of me. When I get fired up, it’s hard to think straight … it’s hard to …’
‘Bite your tongue?’
‘Something like that,’ she mumbled.
‘That kind of bravery is useful in war … but lethal at court. Perhaps you should have been a soldier, after all,’ he said, smiling faintly as he let her go. Greta raked her hands through her hair to dampen the urge to reach for him again.What on earth was wrong with her today? ‘Though who’s to say you wouldn’t turn on your own commander if they looked at you the wrong way?’
She jerked her chin up. ‘I know how to follow orders.’
‘I look forward to the day when you begin.’
She ignored the barb. ‘So, I’m not dismissed, then?’
He scrubbed a hand across his jaw. ‘It seems to me that dismissing you from your post would bea terrible waste of resources. As you like to point out.’
