Chapter 17

Nikolai

She was angry. Her dark gaze was flaring with such a deep, burning rage that Nikolai had to admit he was impressed.

Except, he did not realise how angry Noora was as she started charging him. The guards were there in seconds but he quickly raised his hand, telling them to stay away.

“How lovely to see you again.”

“You filthy bastard tricked me.” She started to hit his chest but he was solid as a rock, not moving an inch as fury dripped from her every pore.

“Are you mad to insult the king—“

“Leave it, mother,” Nikolai said as he quickly got ahold of Noora’s wrists and drove her arms behind her back, twisting them painfully.

“I want everyone to leave the room.”

“But—“

“Now.” His voice boomed across the vast chamber. The contestants scrambled to leave, the royal guards right behind them. Only his mother hesitated, throwing him a worried look. Nikolai nodded, still holding the cursing Noora in front of him.

His mother left the room, the sound of the closing doors echoing around him. He suddenly let go of Noora, making her stumble a few feet forward until she turned dramatically.

Her eyes were narrowed, so dark he could not decipher her pupil from her iris.

“You told me you were a royal guard!” she growled.

Nikolai arched his brow. “I don’t remember telling you anything like that.”

She hesitated then, her eyes growing distant as if going over their encounter and coming up with the only result. He never confirmed her suspicions.

Her eyes met his again and he could not stop himself from tilting the corners of his lips up. “You were saying?”

“You told me your name was Kai.”

He waved her off lazily. “My mother called me that when I was younger, so technically that was not a lie.”

“A white lie is still a lie. I saved your life, the least you owed me would be your true identity.” He started to circle her, taking in the torn soles of her boots, her slender legs, and narrow waist.

“I am the king, I do not owe anyone anything,” he said.

She narrowed her eyes at him again. “So it was a ruse?” She was quick.

“You pretended to be a stumbling idiot who did not know how to fight so you could what? Make me participate in this stupid tournament?”

Nikolai stopped right in front of her, watching her chest heave a little too quickly. She was cautious. Good.

“I do not think I owe you any answers.” He picked lint out of her snow-coloured hair and she swatted at his hand. The audacity this girl had. Now that she knew he was the King of Oy Frossen, she did not treat him any differently than when she thought him to be a mere royal guard.

“Though,” he went on, “I consider myself a kind ruler so I will grant you with the truth.”

“Whatever that means to you,” she grumbled, crossing her arms in front of her body. It was impressive, the strength those arms held, the precision of a hunter that she carried inside her.

“I saw you in the forest, hunting. And I was, let’s say…intrigued by your skill. A normal villager would not know how to use a bow with such precision. The tournament was an idea I had much earlier on, so I would not pride myself in thinking I created it just because of you.”

She straightened slightly at his words.

“Judging by your outer appearance I thought it would be a pleasant opportunity to gain a bit of gold—“

“Did you just insult my clothes?” Her eyes narrowed again and something jumped inside him. Amusement.

“I did not. And if we are trading any insults you should be the greater evil.”

She sputtered. “I did not lie to you about anything!”

Nikolai raised a brow again before lowering his head and whispered in her hair, “You may not be a liar but a thief.” Her body froze before a shower of goosebumps covered her skin. Satisfied by her reaction he drove back. “My ring, sweetheart.”

Her eyes flew from his lips to his eyes. “I do not know what you are talking about.”

He nodded. “That is quite all right. You can keep it, as long as you participate in the tournament.”

“Definitely not,” she said through clenched teeth.

He looked at her surprised. “Is that not what you wanted?”

He was of the impression that she liked the idea of the tournament, she knew of her skills, and no one was as confident as she was while hunting.

“I could not say goodbye to my—“ she hesitated, clenching her jaw before straightening her shoulders. “Someone remained in the village and I cannot leave her alone.”

“So?” He asked.

She grew angry again. “So I cannot partake in the tournament for your amusement, Your Majesty.” The title sounded more like an insult coming from her lips.

“Then she will stay with you, here in the palace.” She opened her mouth to protest, only processing his words a few seconds later.

“What?”

“You want her here, I will get her here for you. If that is the only thing holding you back from partaking in the tournament.”

Her eyes gave him a suspicious scan. He entertained her with it, waiting patiently, even though his insides were squeezing so tightly he did not know how he was still standing in front of her.

“She is underage, the orphanage will not let her go.”

Nikolai scoffed. “I am king, they will do as I say. Now that that is settled.” He turned to leave but she did not let him.

“Hey!” It was rather a rude way to talk to him but he turned slightly to look at her.

“Wouldn’t it be easier for you to just choose a new contestant? The people are angry that someone like me gets the opportunity.”

“Someone like you?” His eyes danced over her figure, trying to look for the peculiarity that drew her apart from others. He came up empty.

“I am a half-breed.” Her voice quivered slightly at the end but she held her chin high. Nikolai nodded and he watched her shoulders sag just a tiny bit.

Then he turned fully and took a few steps toward her, crowding her space.

“You could be a damn bear with two left feet and I would not care. I did not sit a whole evening at my desk, writing your name over and over to have enough notes in the vessel to make sure you would be picked.”

A breath escaped her lips, it drew his gaze toward them for a moment.

“You are lying.”

“Why would I?” he asked with glinting eyes. He was having fun with this.

She shook her head. “I don’t know but it is really pathetic.”

“You call me pathetic?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I believe I am. Are you going to flog me for it?”

There was a challenge in her eyes, coldness blazing like blue fire.

“This is a chance for you too, you cannot be that prideful to pass up 100,000 Gulls.”

She stepped closer to him and the guards shifted at the doors, Nikolai telling them with a small movement of his hand that it was all right.

“You know nothing about me, so do not pretend you know what I want and what I don’t.”

A small smile spread on his lips. “I do not need to know you, to know what humans want, generally. We are greedy creatures, striving for power.”

Her eyes narrowed further. “Well, isn’t that a pessimistic way of perceivingyour subjects?”

“I am not excluding myself from that rule,” he said quietly, taking a step closer until the tips of their boots touched.

His of the finest leather, polished so the tips glinted in the candlelight, hers were tearing from the sole, strings barely attached anymore, flecks of mud crusting around the edges.

They stared at each other for a moment, the air growing stuffed between them. He was waiting for her to ask why he would want her specifically to partake in the tournament but the question never came.

Instead, Noora grabbed his wrist in her hold and he froze.

Her other hand dove into the pocket of her tight pants, pulling out a silver ring. A jade stone was embedded into the heart of it.

Turning his hand she placed the ring into his gloved palm. He looked up at her face, fascinated by the sudden determination set onto her delicate features.

He cleared his throat, drawing his hand back, the familiar weight in his hand making it easier to breathe.

“All right,” he said. “Let us pretend for the sake of your pride that you are not greedy and won’t do this for the gold.”

She scoffed but let him go on.

“I will not only get your little friend here but I will make it possible for you to be her guardian, no matter of her or your age.”

Her face went slack and Nikolai could barely contain his triumphant smile. He had captured her on his hook.

A dark cloud cast over her gaze and she pondered over his words. He knew what she was doing and he gladly let her. Noora was only a means to the end that he needed. The moment she won that tournament, he was free of his torment. She looked up at him, jaw locked and shoulders drawn back. He did not care what he sacrificed for his needs, though a small pit of guilt formed in his stomach, knowing that the witch could do nothing else but agree to this arrangement.

When she spoke up she was the cold hunter again, knowing that she was the only one who would strike her prey right in the heart.

“Get Lulva here and I will win this tournament.”