Somehow I manage not to growl in frustration.
Classic Siegrid move, making me hunt for a way to put us on the same footing. I drag one of the spindly wooden chairs from the dining area over to sit across from her.
She’s tactical at all times. Often, I get the sense that she sees other people—me, especially—as nothing more than pieces to move around a strategy board. She would’ve made an excellent Strategos, if her astounding ruthlessness didn’t so clearly mark her as Daemos.
“Queen Meryn…” I consider what to share. I need to be honest, but I don’t want to give her too much, either. Siegrid is hard to trust. “She’s rough, vicious. She has a sharp tongue and only a bare minimum of self-control.”
And despite that, she has the potential to be a just and fair ruler, if I can keep her away fromyou.
Siegrid narrows her eyes, tipping her head back. “I know the type.”
If I’m vicious and rough, it’s only because that’s what she made me. But I ignore the cheap jab.
She reaches her arms above her head, knuckles cracking as she leans into the stretch. “Hmm. I suppose she’s young. Still…”
She pauses, thinking through something. It looks like she’s communicating with Genicos, although he’s seated in front of the fire, his eyes closed.
“Perhaps it’d be better to dispose of her and train the younger sister instead? We could do that if we wanted. The younger they are, the more you can mold them. Plus, the younger one’s been less in the public eye. We’d be more likelyto create a persona from scratch, something that would go over well with the populace.”
Dispose of her?Violence tears through me at the suggestion, and I stand so quickly that my chair clatters to the floor. Before I can take so much as a step in her direction, though, the door to her chambers bursts open, wood splintering across the floor.
Cratos is crouched in an attack position, his fangs bared and dripping saliva. He lets out a fierce growling bark at Siegrid, who steps back, startled. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her this surprised before.
Good.
Genicos leaps to his paws, growls back, and lunges toward Cratos. The two start to wrestle, black fur flying as they nip at each other. They knock into a tea table, snapping it into pieces. Genicos is taller than Cratos, but my direwolf is thicker, more muscular.
Cratos pins Genicos, eyes wild, and clamps his jaw around the other wolf’s neck. Then he looks to Siegrid and lets out another low warning growl.
“What is the meaning of this?” Siegrid shouts shrilly. “Cratos, what are you doing!”
Her disheveled, shocked appearance is delightful. “You casually suggested killing his mate’s rider. He does not approve.”
If possible, her brows shoot even higher and her jaw drops open, just for a moment. Then she shuts her mouth, shakes her shoulders, and stands up straight again.
“My apologies, Cratos,” she says directly to my wolf. “I wasn’t aware, and I will change strategies. Your mate will not be harmed.”
Cratos gently gets off Genicos, who quickly butts him in the head and snarls, then retreats to the far side of the room. Still, I scoff.
Change strategies. Because that’s all she sees Meryn as: a strategy.
Heat creeps up my neck. I know only too well what happens to those Siegrid sees as a tool instead of as a person. After all, I’m her most carefully craftly instrument.
I might be worried about myowninfluence on Meryn, but the Sovereign Alpha would be so much worse.
Siegrid slides smoothly back down into her chair, and I right mine, sitting as well. “So Cratos is mated to Meryn’s direwolf, hmm? How interesting that you’ve neglected to tell me that piece of information.”
Cratos lies down at my side, his eyes still fixed on Siegrid as if waiting for another threat. Clearly, this is more important to him right now than guarding Saela, and I don’t blame him.
“Grigore,” I think, reaching out to my packmate.“Cratos had to leave his post, please get back on guard in front of the queen’s chambers immediately.”
Then I run a hand down Cratos’s back, trying to calm him. “Forgive me for thinking that the womanbondedto Cratos’s mate deserved to learn of it before anyone else. Since when have you taken an interest in my life, anyway?”
Siegrid’s face twists in a scowl, and for a second, it’s like looking in a mirror, which just makes me more on edge.
“You know this is bigger than just you,” she snipes. “She’s the queen, Stark. Were you aware that historically, the wolves of Sturmfrost Queens have always had mates? And that the riders are typically involved with each other?”
A chill runs through me. “No, I was not aware of that, since you keep so much information to yourself, Sovereign Alpha.”
