So I Married a Sorcerer (The Embraced #2)

The door opened, and Rupert stepped in front of her.

A man strode into the room, dressed the same as the other soldiers, except for the four brass stars embedded in his leather breastplate. He looked about the same age as Rupert, but even taller. He appeared unarmed except for a sheathed dagger strapped around the thigh of his brown leather breeches. His black hair was pulled back into a queue and tied with strip of leather. His eyes, a brilliant green, scanned Rupert and then Brigitta. He motioned for the guard behind him to leave.

The door closed, leaving them alone.

The man spoke, his voice deep and confident. Rupert didn’t understand Norveshki, but he caught the word Dravenko. So this was the general.

Brigitta answered as she moved to stand beside Rupert. He heard her say her name, then the name Umberto Vintello, and the word Eberoni. So she was sticking to his false identity as an Eberoni nobleman.

The general motioned to the table, then took a seat and filled three brass cups from the pitcher.

Rupert moved a chair close to Brigitta’s and whispered to her in Tourinian as they sat down. “Don’t eat or drink anything till he does it first.” He watched the general’s face for any sign that he had understood, but the Norveshki warrior’s stoic expression remained the same.

The general asked a question, which Brigitta answered at length until he interrupted her with a few lines that made her stiffen with shock.

“What is it?” Rupert whispered.

“He already knows about the competition,” Brigitta muttered. “He even knows that you’re Seven. But he doubts you’re who you say you are.”

Rupert shot a wary glance at the general. There had to be a Norveshki spy at the Tourinian court. Dammit. He would put a stop to that once he took the throne.

General Dravenko took a sip from his cup, then sat back to watch them with an inquisitive look. He said something to Brigitta, and she quickly replied.

“What now?” Rupert whispered.

“He knows I’m the princess and Gunther’s sister. I had to explain that I hardly know him and have no loyalty to him.”

The general said something, and Brigitta blushed as she answered.

“What?” Rupert wrapped a protective arm around her. “Was he rude to you? Do I need to punch him?”

“He asked if I was in love with you,” Brigitta whispered, her cheeks still pink.

Rupert stiffened. “What business is it of his?” He glowered at General Dravenko, then leaned close to Brigitta. “You said yes, right?”

“Of course.”

As Rupert patted her shoulder, the general muttered something else.

Brigitta winced. “He just said Gunther is an ass.”

“Well, that’s true.” Rupert snorted. “Apparently, it’s an acknowledged fact over all of Aerthlan.”

Dravenko’s eyes glinted with humor before he took another drink.

Did the general understand Tourinian? Was the jackass playing with them? Rupert asked Brigitta a question in Eberoni. “Does he know why we’re in his country?”

“You’re here for the head of a dragon,” the general answered in excellent Eberoni before setting his cup down with a clunk. When they stiffened in surprise, his mouth twitched. “Did you think the barbarians from the north are uneducated?”

“How much do you know?” Rupert asked in Tourinian.

“Not everything, or I wouldn’t be talking to you,” Dravenko replied in the same language. He motioned to the food and drink. “It is safe. I need you alive to answer my questions.”

Rupert sat back. “I have questions, too. Why have you taken us prisoner?”

“You are our guests.” The general’s eyes hardened. “But that could change depending on how you answer.” He leaned forward, propping his elbows on the table. “Did you blow away a dragon?”

Rupert tensed, not willing to admit he had such a power.

“It was very odd, what was happening at the gorge,” Dravenko continued. “According to the reports I received, the two men shooting arrows were the captain of Gunther’s personal guard and his general. Naturally, one would assume they were skilled archers. And yet all their arrows made an abrupt plunge into the gorge. Our dragon made multiple passes to verify the situation, and in each case, you made a hand movement as if you were manipulating the arrows.”

Rupert winced inwardly.

Brigitta leaned close to him. “They must be able to communicate with the dragons.”

Dravenko nodded. “Some of us can.” He arched a brow at Rupert. “So I’ll ask you once again. Did you blow away a dragon?”

Rupert took a deep breath. “Yes.”

“Was it an attack?”

“No. I was trying to save it.”

The general’s eyes narrowed. “You expect us to believe that when you were ordered to bring back a dragon head? You invaded our country fully armed.”

“I never intended harm to a dragon. That’s why I jumped off a cliff rather than blow the dragon’s fire back at it. I didn’t want to burn it.”

Dravenko’s mouth curled up in amusement. “You can’t burn a dragon. The scales are impervious to fire.”

“I … didn’t know that.” Rupert took a sip of apple cider.

Dravenko picked up a piece of cheese and bit into it. “Are you Embraced?”

Rupert exchanged a look with Brigitta.

Dravenko waved a hand dismissively. “I won’t kill you for it. I’m just curious if harnessing the wind is your special gift.”

“I am Embraced,” Rupert admitted.

“Ah.” The general tilted his head, watching Rupert closely. “I’ve heard of only one person on all of Aerthlan who can control the wind. He’s called a Wind Sorcerer. The Tourinian pirate called Rupert.”

Brigitta inhaled sharply, and beneath the table, Rupert squeezed her knee. He cleared his throat. “I believe that pirate was captured and killed.”

Dravenko smiled. “I heard the same thing, but apparently Gunther isn’t convinced, because he asked the Eberoni king to send him the body. The dead pirate should be arriving in Lourdon in the next day or so.”

Rupert shrugged as if he wasn’t interested, but now he wondered if the Norveshki had a spy at the Eberoni court, too. This damned general knew far too much.

“It’s very curious how you have the same gift as the sorcerer Rupert. Also curious that for years, Rupert has targeted only Gunther. He even kidnapped Gunther’s sister.” Dravenko motioned to Brigitta. “Yet here she is with you. The competition has gone on for only a week, but she is already in love with you. It makes me wonder if she knew you before the competition. Whoever you are.”

Rupert’s mind raced. If he admitted who he really was, would this Norveshki general be on his side?

“It would seem that this Rupert has a serious grudge against Gunther,” Dravenko added.

Rupert shrugged. “Everyone hates Gunther.”

“Not enough to become a pirate in order to steal from him. Or to join a competition where failure means death.” Dravenko frowned at him. “I know you must be Rupert. What I don’t know is why you’ve been risking your life to be a thorn in his side. Who are you really?”