Prisoner by Megan Derr Page A

lifted it off someone.
    I did not! Anyway, don't you think it's pretty?
    It has gems.
    Diamonds are what the white ones are called, and the red one is a... ruby, I think.
    You can't have that. It's against the rules.
    It wasn't always. And I only kept it because I knew you'd like it.
    I don't want it. Gems aren't allowed.
    But they will be again someday. When we finally find the Breaker.
    If, Iah.
    When. Here, hold on to it for me, at least, if you don't want it. Maybe I'll give it to my wife instead someday.
    You! With a wife! Don't make me laugh.
    Stranger things have happened .
    "You're all set, my lady. Best get a move on."
    "Thank you, Trul. Take the night off, won't you? I shouldn't need any help undoing all this. But don't drink too much."
    Trul winked at her in the mirror. "I only ever drink just enough, my lady."
    "Enough to what?" Esta asked.
    "To get into trouble."
    Esta sighed. "Get on then. I will see you tomorrow. See that I'm awake for breakfast."
    "Yes, my lady. Don't think too much, hear? All that brooding scares the men away, and if you keep scaring them away you won't have a way to refuse your prince!"
    "Oh, yes I will." Esta shooed Trul out the door, then locked it and wandered over to the window. The sky was pitch black—no moon, no stars. Perhaps there would be snow as early as the next day. Esta made a note to double check that Trul has pulled all her winter wear from storage.
    Was it cold where Iah was? Did he have a jacket? Somewhere warm to rest? A horse? What was he doing? Thinking? She was going to kill him when he returned. Then she was going to hold him and never let go. Stupid brothers. Her eyes burned, and Esta forced her thoughts to the people waiting downstairs. She had duties to attend. There would be time for sentiment and fear later.
    Duty before all else.

Chapter Five
    Stars above he hated snow.
    At least, he hated snow in Kria. It was nothing like the snow he knew back home. Snow usually only fell in the northern section of Salhara, so he had seen it only when winter was particularly bad. It was soft and fell only briefly. It dusted everything, but usually was gone by the following morning. At worst, it was ankle-deep and lasted a few days. Beraht recalled an ice-storm from when he was a child, but even that had melted away quickly.
    Kria was something else entirely. The snow fell thick and heavy; he swore some of the flakes were nearly as large as the tip of his finger. It was a mystery to him how anyone survived in this weather. He shivered, wishing desperately for a fire and a vast quantity of blankets.
    Of course, he seemed to be the only one so affected by the weather. He'd swear the bastard and his horse were enjoying themselves. That probably shouldn't have surprised him. Was von Adolwulf even feeling the cold? It certainly didn't seem as if he were. Beraht refused to relax against his captor, even though the heat that seemed to pour from him was all that kept Beraht from freezing entirely.
    Well, that and his cloak. Beraht had secured one of his own—and a great deal more in winter wear besides—from the strange temple they'd rested in for two days. However, his cloak, though warm, was nothing like von Adolwulf's. Where had he obtained it? It was heavy and made from at least two layers of thick wool, and the end and shoulders were trimmed with what Beraht had realized were at least two or three overlapping rows of wolf fur. It had been made with no small amount of skill. Beraht swore the snow just fell from it.
    Maybe it was melting away. Von Adolwulf was certainly enough of a bastard that Beraht could see even the snow hating him. Beraht hunched his shoulders and glared at the road ahead. Not that he could see it, but he knew it was there.
    Or hoped it was, anyway. It was a mystery to him how von Adolwulf knew where they were going. The logical thing would have been to take shelter until the weather cleared, as Krians and the Illussor were pretty adamant about doing once the