“Well now, isn’t that precious sight?”
I jerked awake at the sound of the familiar voice and glared fiercely through the bars at Raghnall, standing there with Reginald and two guards at his side.
I thought a day had passed, perhaps two, but there was no way to tell how many hours passed down here in the darkness of the cells.
“What the hell do you want?” My arm was already tightening around Kate’s shoulders protectively.
She’d fallen asleep with her head on my shoulder before I passed out from exhaustion, too.
“A father can’t visit his son?” he leered.
“Cut the shit, Raghnall, we both know you never considered me your son.”
His face went blank, and I braced, waiting for him to command for them to open the cell, so he could come in and take his anger out on me—or Kate.
I wasn’t about to let him lay a finger on her, but he remained safely on the other side of the bars.
Not that it was too comforting.
“What were you doing at the Darrah ruins?” he demanded.
“Since you asked so nicely, I’d be happy to tell you,” I answered with a smile.
His eyes widened for a split second and then they narrowed again. “Insolent bastard!”
“But I’m your bastard,” I shot back, still grinning.
He grabbed at the bars, shaking them in his fury, but the two guards moved closer as if ready to drag him back if he went too far. “You will tell me what you were doing with the prince and a damned Darrah, and you will tell me, now!”
“Why? It won’t change anything, and before you try to lie to my face, I know you too well, Raghnall. I’m not telling you a damned thing.”
“Open this door,” he growled, but the guards refused to move. “Do as I say!”
“Kadin has given us strict orders not to allow you near him,” one of the guards replied firmly. “The prisoner is still under his protection and his guard, King Raghnall.”
I smiled wider at his being denied what he wanted, watching the veins bulge at his neck in his rage.
He ground his teeth, and I hoped it would be enough to send him on his way, but that would be too easy.
“I know we’ve had our differences,” Raghnall said, and I fought the urge to laugh in his face at his sudden attempt at a gentle tone. “However, I can help you with this quest of yours.”
That caught me off guard, and I froze. What game was he playing at? “Help me?”
“Yes, with finding whatever it is you’re looking for.”
“And why are you interested now, when for years I tried to tell you what was happening, and you refused to listen? What’s in it for you?”
He said nothing, but his demeanor shifted to a more aggressive stance, and I caught his eyes dart to Kate then back to me.
I was on my feet in a shot, blocking his view of her, and snarling in his face at the bards.
“You will never lay your hands on her,” I growled in warning. “I will kill you first.”
The guards moved in closer, too ready to act, but they weren’t fast enough.
Raghnall’s hand shot out too fast and grabbed me by the throat, yanking me forward as he choked me.
I clawed at his arm, but he didn’t seem to feel the pain as he squeezed.
The guards yelled, aiming their spears at him, but they weren’t the ones who got him to let go, as dark spots filled my vision, and I started to go limp.
A roar that reverberated off the stone walls and shook the floor erupted behind me, and a bright flash of blue-green light shot out, surrounding me and sent Raghnall flying back against the bars of the other cell.
His head bashed into them as Reginald and the guards struggled to stay on their feet.
I sank to my knees, hacking harshly as I held a hand to my bruised throat.
My vision was blocked when Kate stepped in front of me, the runes on her body pulsing with power.
“Touch him again,” she snarled, “and I’ll rip your heart out and shove it down your throat, Raghnall the Weak. Raghnall the Betrayer.”
That voice… that was not Kate, but I wasn’t about to stop her. The guards helped Raghnall to his feet, but he angrily shoved them away with a curse.
“You, you will regret this,” he snarled at me, but I saw fear in his eyes for a second when Kate continued to growl at him, but it was all she could do since Magnus had bound her dragon.
He should feel so lucky. He brushed the dirt from his black shirt and turned to leave.
“Who was Broden?” I croaked, forcing myself to stand.
Raghnall’s steps paused, and he threw a glare over his shoulder. “Who?”
“You know damned well who.” Every word hurt, but if he was so interested in what we were doing, he knew something, I was sure of it. “Who was he?”
Raghnall stormed off with Reginald behind him, not saying a word.
Behind me, I heard a curse and whipped around in time to catch Kate when she started to fall.
“Damn it, love, will you stop doing shit like this?”
She managed a weak smile as we sat down together, her fighting to catch her breath as the runes stopped glowing.
“Saved your ass again, Craig. What am I going to do with you?”
Her lips curled in a teasing smile, but I was wondering the same thing about her, and I wasn’t smiling. Not anymore.