Winter Queen by Amber Argyle Read Free Book Online

thought.
    That only left one option. She stopped and slid her knife from her belt. Lanna noticed and did the same. Ilyenna nodded, and Lanna nodded back. Pivoting, they held out their knives.
    The two men slowed, circling the women tentatively. Both had blue eyes, copper beards, and thick builds. Brothers, Ilyenna realized. She’d seen these men before, but she was too frightened to recall when or where. She stood back to back with Lanna. The man facing her rested his hand on his axe hilt. “My name is Hammoth. That’s my brother Darrien. We don’t want to hurt you. Put down your knives and we’ll bind you and take you back to your village.”
    She instantly recognized the names. They were the sons of the Tyran clan chief. Ilyenna’s palm was slippery with sweat against her knife hilt. “Just like you didn’t hurt the Argon women?”
    The Tyrans exchanged glances. “They fought beside their men. What would you’ve had us do?” Hammoth said.
    “Leave the Argons alone. Leave us alone,” she hissed. She felt Lanna trembling behind her. Two small knives against axes. They had as much of a chance as a mouse against a fox.
    Very slowly, Hammoth shook his head. “I can’t do that.”
    “And I can’t put this knife down,” Ilyenna said.
    He eased his axe from its loop. “One last chance, Shyle clanwomen.”
    Ilyenna thought of the Argons she’d tended—her father and brother, the young girl with the broken arm, the old man, and all the others who would be buried when the ground thawed. Then she thought of the babies who’d likely die before tomorrow, and her fury burned hotter than her fear. Steadying herself, she lifted her knife.
    In response, Hammoth hefted his metal studded wooden shield and slid forward. Ilyenna’s gaze flicked to the bloodstained blade. Was it from the other two boys she’d sent to guard the canyon? Enraged, she lunged toward him, but he blocked her with his shield and clocked her in the side of the head with his axe haft. She stumbled forward dizzily and he caught her, almost gently.
    She drew back her knife. He hefted his axe, no doubt planning to kill her, then hesitated. She didn’t. She drove in her knife, just under his ribs. It sank easily to the hilt. Blood gushed, pulsing hot over her hand and down her forearm.
    His mouth gaping, he stared at her as he sank to his knees. “Darrien!” he gasped as he reached toward the other man.
    It was shockingly easy, no harder than killing a goat. Ilyenna felt no sorrow. Nothing. The Balance protect her, what was wrong with her?
    “Hammoth!” Darrien cried. “No!”
    Ilyenna whirled to see Darrien behind Lanna, his face frozen in horror. She heard a soft flop as Hammoth collapsed into the snow behind her.
    With a shriek of rage, Darrien swung at Lanna. She threw herself backward, landing flat on her back. Ilyenna rushed forward, putting her knife between the Tyran and Lanna. He jumped out of range and slammed her hand with his shield.
    She felt her bones shatter and pain lance up her arm. The knife slipped out of her useless fingers. Before she could react, the axe sliced toward her. She tried to jump back, as Lanna had, but she wasn’t fast enough. Cold metal drew a line of fire through her belly. She smelled the unmistakable scent of bile mixing with blood. She sank to her knees, propped up by one hand, her injured arm wrapped around her belly to keep her bowels from spilling out.
    The healer in her understood, even if the rest of her couldn’t. She was going to die—a long, agonizingly painful death.
    She glanced up as Darrien lifted his axe again. Lanna jumped in front of her and threw her knife. He blocked it with his shield. Redirecting his blow, he slammed his axe into Lanna’s shoulder, splitting her from shoulder to belly. With a sickening sucking sound, he pulled it free.
    Lanna was dead before she hit the ground. Ilyenna stretched her bloodied hand toward her friend. The movement shot barbs through her belly. She doubled