All of a sudden, I feel a little woozy, and I’m grateful Warden still has hold of me.
“I’m going to kill the Thegn first,” Warden says. “Before we can return to your castle and reunite our mates with each other.”
“You won’t be doing any such thing.” A deep growl comes from the corner of the room. The corner where I thought there was nothing but a mess of clothing and ancient weed.
Now, the Shellycoat stands there, the items pooled around his feet. Was he in the heap? Did he emerge out of it? I can’t possibly tell.
Warden snarls at him and Linton flares his wings with a hiss.
My sword twitches but doesn’t seem to want to do any damage.
“I knew you’d be involved somewhere, Beal,” Warden spits. “You’ve never been able to keep away if power and magic are involved.”
“I was the one who got you away from Long Meg,” Beal growls, his shell coat rattling. “Or did you forget?”
“I recall you trying to take my mate from me,” Warden responds.
Linton growls louder. “No one takes mates from the mated,” he says.
“Gods! Don’t tell me thiscreature”—Beal stares, disbelieving, at Linton—“is mated.”
“I am,” Linton replies. “I have use for my spicket after all,” he adds, unnecessarily and proudly.
Beal makes a face before glancing back at Warden.
“You, of all the creatures, dishonoured yourself. The Yeavering should not give you a mate.”
“That’s where you are wrong, Shellycoat.” Warden squares his shoulders. “Because my mate is from the Night Lands, a place you hardly acquitted yourself.”
“I did what I needed to do,” Beal retorts. “We all did.”
“Even I only did what I was forced to do,” Linton rasps. “And as soon as I could, I made sure the Faerie were my targets.”
Beal huffs at him. “All of you think you were better than me. But you were not. I went because I refused to be coerced. I fought because I enjoyed the fight, and I have no qualms in admitting it.”
Water sluices over his body as if it has a mind of its own, pooling and beading across his chest, bare save for a single iridescent string. The strange trousers he wears glitter in the light from the big open windows. He bares his teeth, and it’s like looking a shark right in the mouth.
Not advisable.
“I know,” Warden intones. “And you will face your justice soon enough. But for now, stand aside while I deal with the Thegn and then take my mate from this terrible place.”
“I can’t let you,” Beal says. “The Thegn owes me, and until his debt is paid, he is under my protection.”
A shiver of ice goes up my spine. What I thought was the relationship between the Thegn and Beal is, apparently, not it.Instead there is something worse. Two terrible creatures vying for the top spot.
Which is when it hits me.
“The throne,” I say out loud. “It’s yours, isn’t it?”
Beal moves his gaze from Warden to me, sharp teeth included.
“This is my sea fortress, little female. The Thegn may believe he can try it out for size, but he will not take it from me.”
“Whatever it is the Thegn owes you, it cannot be in any way similar to what it took from me,” Warden snarls. “I won’t ask you to stand aside again.”
Beal doesn’t move. Instead he seems to grow larger, and the sound of rushing water fills my ears.
“This is my fortress, Brag,” he snarls. “You have no power here.”
