Fraleigh’s mouth formed a tight line and suddenly that calmness in my body dissolved.
The moment my eyes found the glint of the golden Lycaster crown, I stopped breathing. He wore his Hyton Blue cape over Alastar the Conqueror’s steel armor. The Taurus shield was on his arm and the Conqueror’s spear was in his hand.
The Duke of Lycaster had come to conquer Nordingaard…and I found nothing recognizable in those beautiful Hyton Blue eyes.
Heartbreak had hardened him, from the harsh cut of his jaw to disdain burning on his brow.
And it was all my fault.
Then Alastar’s voice invaded my mind, shredding at any sense of peace I had left.
“Mine. Mine. Mine.”
My heart pounded in my ears, counting down the seconds of freedom I had left.
The morning wind ruffled my hair, and I swore I could feel Alastar’s claws around my neck. Riyan’s footsteps thundered on the stone steps as he joined me at the top of the Bloodstone Fortress gate.
He looked down at the Lycaster army that had appeared out of the trees. Our bond strained with worry the moment he found his father, but then lit up with fury when he saw Derrick at the front line.
Riyan might not have known the terms of my bargain, but he must have pieced the fragments of my emotions together, just as he had when he was in the place West of the Moon and East of the Sun.
His hand wrapped around mine and his touch pushed the low heat of primal rage into my skin.
Though Derrick was merely in front of the gate, he matched Riyan’s building disdain brick by brick.
“I will give you one hour to surrender what you have stolen, monster!” he shouted. His black horse shifted from the tension, but Derrick’s glare remained firm. “If you fail, I will roast you alive!”
Brietta glided to the top of the gate. Her shoulders were back and her red hair was radiant amongst the dark sky. She positioned her body between two battlements and looked down at her husband.
“We willneversurrender,” she said. Low mumbles rippled through the army. “And I was not stolen. Iranfrom you.”
Alastar’s rage echoed in my mind.
“And you think you can threaten me?” Riyan shouted with a wicked gleam in his eyes. “You think you can threatenher?”
I nearly jumped out of my skin as he raised my arm, my fingers still laced with his.
“She is now more powerful than Fraleigh ever was,” he yelled through the thick morning air. “And we have asealedblood bond.”
Derrick’s eyes widened. Alastar roared and sent shivers down my spine.
I could not let Riyan antagonize him any more. I could not let anything get worse. “Riyan—”
“Behold!” General Hyton’s voice boomed. “My son! The rightful heir to the House of Hyton!”
Warmth passed through Riyan’s hand to mine as he lowered my arm. “My son” echoed through our bond. He held his breath and I held mine, but for a different reason.
General Hyton was not claiming a son at the edge of a battle for sentimental reasons.
My eyes flitted amongst the rows of soldiers. Swords were still sheathed. None of the archers had notched their arrows. Even from the top of the gate, I could still spy Grigory Thornebow’s smirk.
The General was not going to siege the fortress, he was establishing a line of succession. He was about to depose Derrick.
Ice trickled down my spine as Derrick’s eyes shifted to General Hyton. He gripped the Conqueror’s spear.
Did he have enough sense left to know what was happening?
General Hyton turned his horse to the army, facing the line of Barons specifically. “He is the Hero of Lycaster and he blood-bonded with a sorceress even more powerful than Fraleigh!”
