“I would love nothing more.”
She placed her hand at the crook of his arm. Her touch both rattled and grounded him. The woman had the strangest effect on him. He led her along the ridge toward the sparring pit. Brennalyn and Dmitri walked down the hill toward the ring where Helena and Beatrice stood off to the side. Dmitri positioned himself a yard behind Helena, hands at his back, eyes watchful. He’d been protective of her ever since they’d saved her from King Dominik’s prison fortress. Mikhail wondered at that, then Mina broke in.
“So, the Bloodguard is training the human army for the Black Lily.”
He brought her to a stop as they watched Gavril wielding a thin-bladed short sword, demonstrating in slow motion on Yuri where to stab a vampire through at the back of the neck and into the skull in order to kill with one strike. Gavril and Yuri were two of his best men.
“Not entirely,” he answered. “Nikolai has already taught most these men both on Cutters Cove and those we’ve recruited here the essentials of hand-to-hand combat as well as battle strategy. My men are also training them in deadly force and use of weapons.” He pointed off to the right of the sparring pit, where a group surrounded it. The burly human, Ivan, had his brother in a choke hold as they demonstrated evasive moves in slow motion for newer recruits. “Do you see those two men down there?”
“Yes.”
“That’s Ivan and Evan Barrow.”
“Yes, I know them. They were kind to me when Arabelle had me kidnapped.”
Mikhail slid his gaze down to her. The chilly wind lifted strands of her white-gold hair, a tendril gliding over her lips. She swiped it away, then looked up at him, a sweet, innocent expression softening her face.
“You didn’t know Arabelle had abducted me when I was sent here to the Glass Tower for my wedding?”
He flinched at the thought of her marrying Marius. Of her marrying any other man.
“Yes. I heard.” He watched the sparring session, Friedrich’s boys leaning on the wooden fence surrounding the small arena. “I suppose it’s difficult to imagine, seeing where we are now.”
“Yes, you’ve all been hard at work since I’ve been…gone.”
His heart clenched at where she’d been the past months. “So, you learned archery growing up at Briar Rose.”
“I did.” She smiled with confidence.
“And what else did you learn with such proficiency in the south?”
Her smile faded. “Nothing else very exciting, I’m afraid.” She heaved out a sigh. “The typical makings of a lady. Embroidery. Dancing. Painting. Music. Though I did enjoy riding. Did you know the Arkadian horses are considered the finest breed across all four kingdoms?”
“I did.” He liked hearing the pride in her voice. “Friedrich has two Arkadians.”
“Really?” She glanced down at the fields, stopping their leisurely pace. Soft flakes of snow began to fall. “Where does he keep them?”
“One of the men is a farmer who has a sizeable barn on his homestead nearby, just outside Hiddleston. Harrison keeps a few horses for the Black Lily. And there are others who are doing the same within the vicinity of the forest.”
She nodded. “It seems you’ve all been planning well for quite some time.”
“We have.”
“And everyone’s playing their part. Even Sienna and the hart wolves.”
“Yes. Nikolai and Sienna risked their lives recruiting toward the north. That’s when they heard from Friedrich about you and where you were. And Sienna, she…”
She gazed curiously up at him. “What did Sienna do?”
“She had a sort of vision, actually. She’s, well, I’m not sure how to say this. She’s been gifted with prophetic sight…among other things.”
“I see. And apparently she had a vision that involved me, didn’t she?”
He gave a stiff nod.
“Well?”
Clenching his jaw at the vision Friedrich told him of, one he’d be damned to hell before he let come to fruition, he stared down the hill. “The full vision is disturbing, to say the least. She remembered a dark fairy tale her grandmother once told her. But this time, she saw the faces of those within the tale clearly. She saw you.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You were married to King Dominik. You bore him a child. And the queen—” he forced himself to face her—“she took your newborn babe and killed him. Drank him dry.”
Mina’s eyes widened in horror, but Mikhail would withhold nothing from her. She must understand all that was at stake. Not simply the breaking of the caste system and equality among human and vampirekind.
“She used black magic and sacrificed the pure-blood vampire child to plunge our world into eternal darkness, where she would reign supreme, unfettered by laws or rules. Where she could spread her wickedness and the blood madness far and wide until all who lived were slaves unto her.”
Mina wobbled. He gripped her shoulders.
“But that was Sienna’s vision, you said.” Her face paled. “That doesn’t mean it will come true.”
“No. It won’t come true. I promise you that.”
He smelled a friendly scent and heard someone approaching in a run.
“Your Highness!” Allora shouted.
They both turned to see her step from the woods. She ran to them, her buckskin coat with fur hood protecting her from the falling snow. She panted puffs of white when she finally reached them.
“Marius and Arabelle have returned. They called for you as soon as they arrived. And you, too, Captain. They’re with Friedrich at Brennalyn’s cottage.”
“We’ll join them immediately,” said Mikhail.
Allora nodded and swept down the hill toward the sparring pen.
Soft flakes were sticking to Mina’s hair. He reached up with both hands and lifted the dark green hood of her cloak. Though a vampire could withstand the cold, he couldn’t bear the thought of her being uncomfortable in any way.
“I hope they bring good news,” she murmured.
Tucking his hands back in his pocket, he crooked an arm for her to take to escort her back. She did so, leaning softly toward him as if they’d walked side by side a thousand times. He wondered what that would be like. For this to be commonplace, to walk beside her.
“I do as well.” He heaved out a heavy sigh. “But I doubt it will be.”
“You don’t think King Agnar will support his brother?”
Mikhail gave a tight shake of the head. “I have sources who tell me the king is unlikely to side against his mother.”
Mina’s grip tightened on his arm. Her eyes narrowed. “That witch has put the fear into everyone, hasn’t she? Not just the commoners she tramples on. But even her own kin.”
“Yes. She has.”
Her steps quickened, meeting his long strides, quickening their trek back through Silvane Forest.
“You don’t appear to be afraid.” He pushed a low-hanging branch aside as she passed under it.
“I’m not. I’m furious.”
Mikhail smiled. She caught him.