Brood of Vipers by Maggie Claire

Author:Maggie Claire [Claire, Maggie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: World Castle Publishing, LLC
Published: 2021-05-05T15:57:54+00:00

Chapter 8

This pounding in my head will be the death of me, Wolf sighs, rubbing his temples as he sits in the only good chair on the porch of the House of Piranhas. The roar of the ocean tunes out the clattering swords as soldiers spar in the sand. He can’t even hear Lynx’s child whimpering in Wren’s tent. Yet Wolf feels his jaw tighten as another wave of nausea overpowers his stomach. He swallows hard, fearing he will lose the contents of his stomach in front of his men. Such a weakness cannot be tolerated. All because of that damned woman! Now I have to relieve the withdrawal symptoms from losing her. Why couldn’t she just stay with me?

“Sir? Everything all right?” Jackal questions, stepping up onto the whitewashed porch. “You look ill.”

“If I wanted your opinion, I’d ask,” Wolf snarls, the blinding sunlight forcing him to squint. It feels like thousands of razorblades slice into his eye, hammering into his orbital socket in a reckless, relentless march to shred the fibers of his brain. Turning his face away from Jackal, he wheezes, “What do you want?”

“I was told you had orders for me,” Jackal replies, his brow furrowing in confusion. “There was a notice on the table in my tent saying I was to report to you as soon as I could. Did you not leave it for me?”

Wolf struggles to recall sending for Jackal. Searching his memory, he draws a complete blank. Yet rather than admit his mistake, Wolf states, “I decided to send Wren on my errand instead. Leave me, Jackal.”

Jackal rocks back on his heels, his face a mask of rage as he challenges, “Was it really wise to trust that outsider? And why did you feel like you had to when you have me and Coyote and Hyena? We’ve been on your side since the very beginning.”

“You dare to question my decisions now?” Wolf raises his voice, clutching the arm of his chair to keep his anger in check. If he should try to stand or make any sudden movements, Wolf knows he will pass out from the pain in his head. “If I decide Wren is an ally, then I expect you to do so as well. Is that understood?”

***

“Fine,” Jackal hisses, stomping off without another word to his leader. He marches over one of the nearby communal campfires, grumbling to himself as he pulls a pot of stew from the fire. Serving himself, he plops down into the sand and slurps at his meal greedily. Only when he lowers his bowl from his chin does he realize he’s sitting across from his enemy. “So, I see you’ve managed to get in good with the big boss, hmm? What’s your secret, Wren?”

Wren keeps his face stoic, a difficult task when a wide smile of delight threatens to spread across his features. “I have no idea what you are talking about, Jackal,” he replies, feigning innocence.

“I just can’t figure it. You show up here

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