So I Married a Sorcerer (The Embraced #2)

Rupert eyed the king carefully, remembering Brody’s warning about the Chameleon. But Gunther was acting the same as always.

Captain Mador burst into the tent. “Your Majesty, I made it back first! I’m the winner of this round.”

Gunther scoffed. “How can you be the winner when you didn’t bring back the head of a dragon?”

“There was no way to do that!” Mador exclaimed. “The dragons were vicious! They kept attacking us with fire, and they burned Tarvis to death! I was lucky to get out of there alive.”

Gunther’s mouth twisted with disdain. “So you failed the quest.”

“The quest was impossible!” Mador shouted.

Gunther glowered at his captain, then switched his glare to Rupert as he motioned to the enormous bag. “What do you have there?”

Rupert opened the sack. “The head of a dragon.”

Mador gasped.

Gunther jumped to his feet and peered inside the bag. He straightened with a huff. “This dragon is long dead.”

“It’s still the head of a dragon.” Rupert motioned to Mador. “He came back empty-handed. Since there are only two of us left, and I won the quest, I wish to marry the princess immediately.” And never be separated from her again.

Gunther snorted. “You think I would have an Eberoni fathering the heir to my throne?”

“There was supposed to be one more quest,” Mador said. “Allow me to prove myself. I will not let you down.”

Gunther shot him an annoyed look. “Beg.”

Mador’s mouth thinned, and Rupert thought he saw a glint of anger in the captain’s eyes before he ducked his head and fell to his knees.

“Please, Your Majesty,” Mador murmured.

“Louder,” Gunther growled.

“Please!” Mador shouted.

With a smirk, Gunther circled around his desk and sat in his golden chair. “All right. One last quest. The one who brings me the lost royal seal will be married to the princess.”





Chapter Thirty-Two

“Are you all right?” Sister Fallyn asked. “I was so worried about you.”

“I’m perfectly fine,” Brigitta whispered in their tent. Even though she missed Rupert so much that it hurt. They’d confessed their love to each other and had become one, only to be separated once again.

She sighed. “Gunther yelled at me for wandering off during the storm, but he was relieved that I made it back.”

Sister Fallyn lowered her voice. “Wasn’t he suspicious that you were missing for so long?”

“Yes,” Brigitta admitted. “He had soldiers combing the forest, searching for me, so he wondered why they didn’t find me. I told him I stumbled upon another campsite, and they let me sleep there for the night. Brody overheard my excuse and left. I’m hoping he went to Stefan’s camp to warn them, so their story will match mine.”

Sister Fallyn nodded. “That would be good.”

A bark sounded outside their tent.

“Oh, he’s back.” Brigitta let Brody in, then she and Sister Fallyn waited outside while he shifted.

“Is Stefan all right?” Sister Fallyn whispered.

“Aye. He asked about you.” Brigitta looked over at Gunther’s tent. She’d spotted Rupert being escorted inside a few minutes ago. Had he delivered the dragon’s head? Would he be declared the winner?

Brody called softly for them to enter, and they found him dressed in breeches and buttoning his shirt.

“I flew over to Stefan’s camp,” he whispered. “When Gunther’s soldiers go there to ask about you, they’ll confirm you were there.”

“Thank you.” Brigitta poured him a glass of wine. “Do you know what happened in Gunther’s tent? Was Seven announced as the winner?”

“I lurked around the back of the tent, and luckily, they were yelling loud enough that I could hear.” Brody took a sip of wine. “Gunther is too pissed to acknowledge Seven’s win. He decided on one last quest to determine which of the final two will be marrying you.”

Brigitta groaned. “What does he want now?”

“The royal seal.” Brody winced. “Unfortunately, once he gets his hands on the royal seal, it will be even harder for the House of Trepurin to regain their power.”

“The seal is missing?” Sister Fallyn asked.

Brody nodded. “When King Manfrid was assassinated, his queen took the seal and the young prince and fled north. From the stories I’ve heard, she hid the seal before they fell off a cliff. Since then, no one has been able to find it. The contestant who presents it to Gunther will be the final winner.”

“And my husband,” Brigitta added as an exciting idea struck her mind. No one could find hidden objects better than her. “I need to see Gunther.”

“Why?” Sister Fallyn gave her a worried look. “What are you up to now?”

“I’m taking control of my own destiny.” Brigitta strode from the tent. She would choose her own future and her own husband.

The guard at Gunther’s tent announced her and let her inside. Rupert was no longer there. He was probably being held somewhere under heavy guard. The large sack containing the dragon head had been shoved into a corner.

Gunther was seated behind his desk, using his fingers to flick gold coins off the polished surface. Whenever a coin flew across the tent, Mador scurried after it as if he were a dog playing fetch.

“Hurry, Mador,” Gunther growled as he flicked three in rapid succession. “You’re falling behind.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Mador scrambled about the tent.

Gunther gave Brigitta a passing glance. “Go and pack your things. We leave at dawn to go north.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” She bowed her head. “If you recall, I was given permission to participate in the competition.”

“I’m letting you tag along. That’s enough.” With an annoyed look, Gunther flicked a coin and it hit one of his giant golden candlesticks with a ping. “Don’t get in the way, Brigitta. And no more getting lost.”

“Yes, brother dearest … I mean, Your Majesty.” When he snorted, she continued, “I heard the last quest is a search for the lost royal seal.”

Gunther jumped to his feet. “Where did you hear that? Who has a loose tongue around here?”

She winced inwardly. “I … overheard some soldiers…”

“Ha!” Gunther glared at Mador. “They should be better trained than that! Dock their pay for a week.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Mador bowed.

Brigitta edged closer to her brother. “If I could speak to you in private…”

Gunther scowled as he sat behind his desk. “Mador will be your husband. You can speak freely in front of him.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Mador gave her a look that was both heated and possessive.

She repressed a shudder. He’d never looked at her like that before. “I’m not sure if you know this, Your Majesty, but as one of the Embraced, I have a special gift.”

He waved a jeweled hand in the air. “I don’t care as long as you can squeeze out an heir.”

Mador’s eyes narrowed. “You’re Embraced?”

Gunther threw a tied-up scroll at Mador, hitting him in the head. “Sit!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Mador sat on the rug.

Brigitta ignored the captain and turned to her brother. “My gift enables me to find lost items. I am your best hope at finding the lost seal.”