Gilded Serpent by Danielle Jensen (top 10 novels txt) 📕

No.

Tears flooded down her cheeks as she maneuvered herself around, dragging at the vines covering the woman’s face.

It wasn’t Malahi.

Wherever the Queen of Mudamora was, it wasn’t here.

 76KILLIAN

“How pretty?” It was a struggle to keep his voice steady, his heart thundering like a drum.

Agrippa made a tsking noise, then shook his finger at Killian. “It’s a good thing your Gertrude isn’t here. What would she say to such a question?” Not waiting for a response, he added, “Very pretty. And she’s got bigger balls than Baird, although apparently that doesn’t take much. Screamed at Rufina that she’d die before hurting her country. The look on our dear queen’s face would’ve had most men, myself included, shitting their pants, but that little lass was pure defiance.”

“Leave my balls out of this sad story,” Baird grumbled, draining yet another pint of ale.

“Sad?” Killian’s stomach dropped. Please don’t let me be too late.

“Rufina took her back across the Liratoras to her fortress in Helatha.” Agrippa took a sip of his drink. “Knowing our queen as I do, my money is on her breaking the girl. And I rarely lose a bet.”

Anger and darkness rose in Killian’s chest, threatening to consume him. Making him want to lash out at these bastards who’d stood by and done nothing while Malahi was brutalized.

Instead, he picked up his cup and drank until the emotion faded. Malahi was on the far side of the Liratoras, in wherever this Helatha was, which meant that was where he and Lydia needed to go. And these two likely knew how to get there. “That was probably a sight to see.”

“One that will stick with me,” Agrippa said. “But on a more favorable topic, what’s your plan now that you’ve returned to Deadground?”

“There’s nothing here for us,” Killian said. “I want to go home.”

“That will cost you,” Agrippa answered. “Just before we flanked the Royal Army, Rufina”—he spat onto the floor—“blew up the xenthier path leading back across the Liratoras. Didn’t want us to have an avenue for retreat.”

Killian scowled. “How did she do it?”

“Called down the skies,” Agrippa answered, then gave a side glance at Baird, whose cheeks reddened as he said, “She didn’t give me much of a choice, you know.”

Confused, Killian stared at the giant for a long moment, and then realization dawned upon him, many pieces coming together, including why the giants of Eoten Isle hadn’t started a war since the sacking of Serlania when Killian was a boy—they only fought when they had their even twenty-four Marked. “You’re a summoner.”

Baird shrugged. “I’m sure there’s a darker word for what I am, but aye. Rufina had me call lightning down on the stem, and it shattered the damn thing. Surprised you didn’t feel the quake all the way at the coast.”

Killian shook his head. “No. And we weren’t told.”

“No surprise, that,” Baird said. “She wants what remains of her army here, ready and waiting for her next move.”

“Worked out well enough for us in the long run, no?” Agrippa elbowed the giant in the ribs, Baird groaning and clutching his side even as he nodded.

“How so?”

“In our queen’s absence, we’ve formed a side business,” Agrippa answered. “We escort those who want to get home back across the Liratoras. For a price.”

“There are better ways to gain yourself customers than accusing them of cheating at cards and challenging them to barroom brawls.”

Baird chuckled, tapping his glass against Killian’s. “We don’t want you as a customer, Tom. That was more of a … trial.”

“Lots lurking in the Liratoras,” Agrippa added. “We need good men to get our paying customers through, and thanks to that Mudamorian bastard Calorian, the best are ash on the wind. We’ve not been able to convince anyone on the Derin side to take up the work.”

They were offering him a gods-damned job? “And why would I be interested in taking on such a risk?”

“One,” Agrippa said, lifting a finger, “we’ll pay you five pieces of gold if you survive to the far side. Two, you’ve got a girl you’re enamored enough with to fight a giant over. Three, a town like Deadground is no place to make a life with a lass like your Gertrude, which is why we’ll let you bring her along.”

Swirling the contents of his glass, Killian pretended to consider the offer, which was better than he could have hoped for—a guided route into Derin. “I might be interested,” he said. “But it will be weeks before I’m fit to fight.” He gestured at his broken arm with his glass.

Agrippa gave a sour look at Baird. “Why can you never control yourself?”

“He insulted my balls—would you have had me let such an insult stand?”

“That was after you broke his arm, you stupid lump.” The young man cast his eyes skyward. “As recompense for Baird’s eagerness, we’ll get you fixed up well enough to fight.”

There’s only one way for them to do that.

Killian frowned and took a sip of the whiskey one of the servers had brought over, pretending to be unconvinced. “Maybe I take the girl back into Mudamora. The Liratoras are dangerous.”

Annoyance flickered across Agrippa’s eyes. “Ten gold coins. And I get you fixed up tonight.”

Killian lifted his cup. “Deal.”

Rising, Agrippa went to the rear of the room and opened a curtain to reveal a table full of gamblers. He bent to talk to a man whose back was to the main room. Despite not seeing the man’s face, Killian’s skin crawled, his gut telling him what his eyes did not.

Corrupted.

Shrugging a slender shoulder, the corrupted rose, sauntering over to their table. His eyes were black pits, though the flames that flickered around the irises were muted. He made a soft tsking noise at the sight of Killian, shaking his head. “This will be an expensive repair, Agrippa. Are you sure?”

“Just the arm and the ribs,” Agrippa answered flatly, slapping a gold coin down on the table. “You get greedy, Sly, and I’ll