Frost Bound (Entangled with Trickery #1)

Dahlia

Chapter Twenty-Four

Dahlia

She woke with her lungs on fire and her throat feeling like it had been torn to shreds.

Her head ached, and she squeezed her eyes shut harder.

It felt as if she’d gone on a bender for days and then had been beaten with a club.

A groan escaped her. She shifted, pressing farther into the warmth that blanketed her entire back. She blinked one eye open, and a blurry hearth swam into view, the flames dancing merrily.

A fire.

Lia lifted her right hand and winced, setting it back down on the thickly knitted blankets. Her shoulder didn’t like that and her palm was bandaged.

Where was she? How did she get here?

The stags, the trip, and the river…

She sucked in a sharp breath. The last things she remembered was Arun, and wanting to sleep.

Something tightened around her waist and Dahlia stiffened. She slowly glanced down to find a blue, muscled arm draped over the curve of her hip, a clawed hand pressed possessively to her belly. Her pulse leapt and she forced herself to peek over her shoulder.

A scream burst from her lips.

Eyes as dark as hell popped open and locked on her a moment before the giant sprang up, caging her in with his body. A blade appeared in his hand while he scanned the room.

Arun .

Dahlia stared at his jawline and tried to wiggle away. His attention turned to her and the snarl on his lips disappeared. He sighed, and sheathed his blade before rolling away from her. Lia sat up quickly, the world spinning for a moment, before she yanked the blankets up to her chin, as if they could shield her from him.

“What are you doing?” she rasped, her voice almost gone. Screaming hadn’t been her best idea.

He climbed to his feet, all feline grace, and moved to the window, sunlight pouring in. She gaped at the mottled bruises that covered his entire back. How had that happened?

“I asked you a question,” she stated, trying to put some command into it, but falling short.

The frost giant faced her and leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his muscled chest that led to a tapered waist. Heat filled her cheeks, and she jerked her gaze back to his face.

“How are you feeling?”

The question surprised her.

“Like I’ve been put through the wash, dragged across coals, and beaten by a club,” she rasped, coughing. Her chest ached . It was as if she were trying to breathe through a wet rag.

Arun walked to a stool and plucked up a cup that had been set on it. He prowled around the mattress and squatted down, holding the cup out as if he would help her drink. She jerked her head back and held out her hand.

They stared at each other for a long moment before he silently handed over the rounded wooden cup. Her hand shook as she brought it to her mouth, sloshing some of the liquid onto her chest.

“Stubborn valles ,” he whispered under his breath before his warm hand settled over hers. He cupped the back of her head with his other hand to steady her. Warm savory liquid flowed over her tongue and down her throat. It felt like heaven. She took another gulp, and mewled when he pulled the cup away.

“Just a little at a time. You haven’t been able to eat. We need to get something into that stomach of yours first or you’ll vomit.”

She watched him as he stood and walked back to the stool. Why was he here instead of Flyka?

He placed the cup on the floor next to the stool, his bruises once more on display.

A vague memory from the river surfaced. A rock.

“You took that blow for me.” If she had hit the rock, it would have killed her. She scanned his face as he straightened and took a seat on the low simple stool. “Thank you, Arun.”

“That’s not my name.”

Lia frowned, fingers sinking into what felt like woolen covers. “What do you mean?” The king, Flyka, and Olwen, had called him Arun. “Of course it is.”

Unless it was a nickname?

He placed his hands on his knees and leaned his angular jaw on one hand. “I have something to admit to you, my lady.”

My lady. If he was using an honorific, it must be bad.

“Our people have been enemies for centuries. When I wrote to your parents, I was shocked when they replied so quickly.”

That’s because they’re greedy. Lia kept that thought to herself. And he wrote to Allium? Was he some sort of scribe too?

He straightened and rolled his neck, his blue-black hair shining in the light from the lone window. “While a peace treaty between our kingdoms was the goal, I didn’t trust the Asteran monarchy.”

She blinked at him.

He waited as if she would defend the king and queen.

“That is very wise. A few traded goods and a piece of inked paper does not make a friendship. It is always wise to be cautious but innocent,” she admitted.

The giant cocked his head. “My thoughts exactly. Which led to my deception.”

Her stomach sank and her mind raced through possible scenarios. Had he discovered the truth? Or had the treaty hidden some sinister agenda?

They’re going to torture me for information I don’t have.

They plan on holding me for a ransom they won’t get.

They will kill…

“Loriia needs to be protected at all costs. The king is the kingdom.”

“Every kingdom needs to be protected,” she drawled. What was he getting at?

Arun looked her straight in the eye. “I am the king.”

She stared at him, before bursting into laughter, which led to another round of painful coughing. Once she’d managed to curb the fit, she wiped her watering eyes. Lia flinched at the seriousness on his indigo face. A sinking feeling rose in her gut.

“I don’t understand, Arun…”

“Arun is my mother’s clan name.” He straightened on the stool, holding his chin high. “My name is Neve Arun Winterborne, King of Loriia, Blade of the Frost Throne. The vallos pretending to be me is my cousin Eyri.”

Lia swallowed hard, not believing her ears. Just what sort of game was he playing?

You can beat him. You’ve dealt with the Giver.

She took a moment to really study him.

He’d always seemed more proud and edgy than the rest of the delegation. Chafing even at using her fake honorific. Each time she tried to put distance between them and put him in his place, he came back more willful.

If what he said was true, the Asteran monarchs expected her to spy on this giant? To cause upheaval in his court? To kill him ?

You’ll never get close. He’ll kill you first.

“Why tell me this now?” she whispered, her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth. She fiddled with the emerald ring still blessedly on her finger. “You know I’ll be returning to my family once my stint among your court is over. This information will start a war. Why tell me?” It didn’t make sense.

His brows lowered, making him look even fiercer. “Returning home?”

Fear curdled her stomach. Why did he look surprised? “Yes, when my trip is over, I will return to Astera.” Unless he’d lured the princess of Astera to Loriia for another reason. Unless he’d guessed the truth that she was really a spy, an unwilling assassin.

“No, niliave , you will stay here indefinitely.”

A lump rose in her throat and the world spun. There wasn’t enough air. “Why?”

“Because you are the reilleve, lae neilave .”

Those words sounded familiar. “What does that mean?” she rasped.

He crossed his arms. “You’re the queen, my wife .”