*Ongoing - slow updates*
THIS IS BOOK 3 IN THE CLAN OF THE RIM CHRONICLES. IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE FIRST ONE, IRON FROST, OR THE SECOND ONE, IRON KNIGHT, PLEASE REFER TO IT BEFORE READING THIS ONE.
The outcome of Eerika's choices has finally caught...
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-3RD PERSON POV-
WALKING THROUGH THE DARK courtyard, the man shook the snow from his shoulders and hair in silent disgust. Going past the already fair number of iron statues, faery and horse, he kicked the snow from his boots onto the stone walkway and entered the palace.
The icy chill immediately engulfed his surroundings, much colder than the outdoors he had just scouted. Huffing out a white puff of breath from his lips in irritation, the man took a narrowed glance around him as he made his way to the throne room.
The pleading cries of the captors were not too far out of reach the closer he came, and as he approached the door he witnessed another masterpiece about to be added to the courtyard display.
"Please! Don't kill me! I beg you! Please!" the male victim screamed, struggling in the clutches of two knights.
"You beg?" Sylvi spoke with a light chuckle after. She leaned back against Eerika's throne that was now her very own, encased to look like some type of sharply pointed ice sculpture.
"That seems like a thing of weakness, don't you think? Especially from a knight of your stature," she continued, now slithering her gaze over his muscular body and biting her red lip.
The man averted his gaze with a clench of his fists at his side, jealousy pricking every heated vein in his body.
The good knight was not sure how to respond, so he kept his mouth tightly shut, fear washing pale over his dirty, blood stained face.
"It is a simple question I have asked you, I do not know why you fail to answer it," Sylvi told him. "Do you swear your allegiance to me as your queen?"
The man hesitated, his breath shaky from nerves. Several moments passed in silence, the only sounds being the other whimpering prisoners waiting in chains on the floor to be asked the very same thing. Would they forgo their allegiance to Queen Eerika and bow down to Sylvi. . .or die?
"I. . ." the man began, swallowing hard. "I can't do that."
"Brynjar," Bryndis cried from where she huddled with her group of maids on the ground. A knight kicked her that quickly made her go silent.
Sylvi stared at him a moment, and the man knew this meant Brynjar's demise without even thinking about it. Sylvi sighed, leaning forward in her throne to come closer to Brynjar. She stroked his face, running a hand down his muscled arm.
"Such a waste," she sighed, harshly taking his face in her hand and crashing her lips hungrily against his.
Again the man turned away, waiting for the job to be done before he looked again.
Sylvi released herself and Brynjar began to choke, his insides and out turning to cold iron. Once he became one of the statues Sylvi was creating to the ones that defied her, she had the knights drag him away while Bryndis wailed.
"Shut up!" the man screamed at Bryndis, grabbing Sylvi's attention to him.
"You've returned," she acknowledged, "What news do you have for me?"
"He got away," the man said angrily as he approached, bowing at Sylvi's knees. "But do not worry, My Queen. I will find him, and the fallen queen too, and I will kill them with my own hands. I vow it."
"Do not bother yourself. My son cannot hide from me. I will find him, in due time. And the little bitch he has bonded himself to."
"You couldn't find them for years, before," the man pointed out, immediately regretting his unfiltered mouth as Sylvi slapped him across the face.
"Do not point to me what I am already aware of," she spoke coldly as she leaned back in her throne. "I will have my way in the end. No matter how long it takes, this kingdom is mine now. Eerika and Calder think they have no kingdom to return to. That will serve our cause until the time has come to destroy them once and for all."
"And I will be the one to help you end them," the man said proudly. "You know I want her slaughtered just as badly as you after what The Arnesens did. She will die and it shall be you and me to rule. Forever."
Sylvi smiled softly at the man, bringing her hand up to caress his cheek and feel his warmth.
"You are the only one I can trust," she said.
Smiling the man grabbed her hand and kissed it, beaming at his queen in adoration. She leaned in and he met her halfway, grabbing her head and passionately kissing her. She hissed against his hot lips, pulling back and touching the now slight raw skin of her mouth.
The man's eye now widened, gently touching her to show his sympathy. "I am sorry. . .My Queen."
"Enough distractions," she waved off, removing herself and standing. She let something fall out of her sleeve into the man's hand, making him gaze at her in surprise.
"Your motivation," she told him, slowly walking over to the group Bryndis was huddled with, watching with pleasure at them shaking in fear.
"I shall need numbers for my next stage of action."
