204 Threat

SeraI walked back into the room alone. The heavy oak door groaned on its hinges before the iron latch clicked, sealing the mess inside with me. Fenris had gone to handle the elders, leaving his scent behind—iron and that dark musk that usually settled my nerves. Right now, it didn't help. The air in here was thick. It carried the metallic sting of blood and the sharp, medicinal bite of the healer’s camphor. Feathers from the sliced mattress were still drifting through the air, settling on the floorboards and sticking to the red stains around the chair.My mother sat there, propped up with pillows. Her face was pale under the layer of sweat, her blonde hair matted and messy. She didn't have her crown. She didn't have her dignity. She only had the bandage wrapped tight around her ribs.I didn't go to her. I stood by the table, staring at the shredded silk of her crimson dress."We didn't do it," I said. My voice sounded flat in the quiet space. "We didn't cut him open."Irina’s eyes na

205 Seraphina Volkov

SeraIrina’s smile vanished. She sat perfectly still, her chest rising and falling in short, pained hitches. The arrogance drained out of her, leaving something hollowed out. She stared at the crystal, her pupils dilated with the realization that she had no cards left to play. She was trapped.I watched her process it. I saw the moment she accepted the cage. Keeping Torin alive was the only move that kept her head on her shoulders."You wanted us to kill him, didn't you?" I asked, pocketing the crystal, and crossed my arms. "You were pushing Yvara. You were taunting them. Because you knew killing Torin would undo the face graft on Bram. You wanted the illusion to fail. You wanted the council to see the guard’s face."Irina didn't say anything. She just stared at me, her eyes hard as flint.I let out a heavy breath, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "Thank the gods I stayed patient. If I’d used my exhausted brain to just go on with the plan, everything would be chaos right now. That was e

206 Crying

SeraMy mother’s eyes flickered, the pupils contracting as if I’d shone a torch in them. She didn’t scream. She didn't throw another judgment. A small, thin smile pulled at the corner of her mouth—a ghost of the woman who knew how to survive a king's temper."Good luck then," she answered.I reached for the iron latch, my fingers wrapping around the cold metal. I paused. I looked back over my shoulder."I actually have a surprise for you," I said. I let a bit of the ice bleed into my expression. "You'll love it."Irina shifted against her pillows, the movement making her wince as the fresh stitches pulled at her skin. "What is it?"I shrugged, the wool of the tunic rubbing against my bruised ribs. "It wouldn't be a surprise then, would it?"She gave a single, jerky nod. I turned away, the latch clicking as I prepared to step out into the hall."Seraphina."The use of my full name stopped me. I turned around, my spine rigid.Irina was struggling to her feet. She pushed the furs aside,

207 Plan For The North

KaneThe iron head of the club clipped the top of the white ball with a sharp, dry thwack that echoed off the limestone cliffs bordering the eastern edge of the field. I didn't watch it fly. I didn't need to. The vibration that traveled up the shaft and into my wrists told me everything I needed to know about the shot. It was shallow. It was weak. It was going to end up in the mud.I stood there, the weight of the club dragging at my right shoulder, and watched the grey mist roll across the grass. The air carried a heavy scent of wet mulch and the sharp, metallic tang of the river. It was a cold, oppressive morning, the kind that settled into your bones and stayed there."Twenty yards short. Again," Jace remarked.He was standing ten feet to my left, leaning on his own club.I didn't turn my head. I focused on the red flag fluttering in the distance. "The wind shifted.""The wind didn't do shit, Kane," Jace countered. I heard his boots scuffing the damp grass as he walked toward me. "

208 Rogue Beast

AldricThe steward had sent word the moment the carriage rolled through the gate, so I'd had time to finish what I was reading before they came up.The door opened. Irina first, then Elias behind her pulling it shut. I looked at them, and then I looked at the space behind Elias where the door had closed.I set the letter down."Where's Torin?"Irina's composure held — just — but I saw the moment her body went rigid. And her eyes hovered away slightly from my face. Elias was the one who answered."He didn't make it back, my King."I looked at him. "What happened?""Rogue wolves," Elias said. "On the return journey. Two days out from the border." He paused. "They hit the carriages. Torin and the guards — they didn't survive it."I leaned back slightly in my chair. "Rogue wolves.""Yes, my King.""In the North.""Yes."I looked at Irina. She was watching me with her careful, level eyes. Her coat was still on. She'd done her hair before they came up — I could tell, the pins were fresh. Sh

All Chapters of My Second Chance Mate is a Barbarian : Chapter 201 - Chapter 205

204 Threat

205 Seraphina Volkov

206 Crying

207 Plan For The North

208 Rogue Beast