Copper Veins Read Online Free Page A

not bothering to look at us. “Why would you have a need to defend yourself from Grey?”
    â€œDo you not recall the many messages that were sent to you stating that I was unwell?” Micah countered. When Oriana nodded, he continued, “Sara’s family and I had reason to believe that her father was at the Goblin Market. We traveled there to intercept him, but instead of locating him we were attacked, kidnapped, and drugged as part of a ransom attempt. Once we escaped our captors, Farthing Greymalkin approached us. The five of us were alone on the road, and he was accompanied by nearly a score ofiron warriors and orcs. I believe that he was the one responsible for our kidnapping.”
    â€œAnd what makes you hold Grey responsible for that incident?” Oriana asked.
    â€œAs I stated, he met us on the road, iron warriors in tow. Why would one of stone be accompanied by those of iron? How would he have known we were at the Goblin Market if he hadn’t been privy to the plot? Moreover, how would we have been captured if Greymalkin hadn’t offered his resources? I can assure you, those orcs were no mercenaries,” Micah said, a hint of desperation in his voice. I wondered what the penalty was for killing another Elemental lord.
    â€œSo, instead of bringing your concerns to me, you killed him.” Oriana raised her head then, and we saw her eyes were red from crying. “I do not like those close to me dying.”
    â€œMy lady, I promise you I had no choice!” Micah approached the dais and knelt before it. “I did not intend to kill him. Greymalkin lashed out at Sara, and my first instinct was to protect my wife.”
    â€œWife?” Oriana regarded me for the first time, her head cocked to the side, birdlike. “When last we met, she was naught but a consort.”
    â€œShe is now my wife,” Micah stated. I stood beside him, my hands on his shoulders. I probably should have knelt, but the crazy queen didn’t seem to care one way or the other.
    â€œI was once a wife,” Oriana murmured.
    â€œI remember,” Micah said. “Your husband was a great man, and a great king.”
    â€œDidn’t Ferra kill him?” I blurted out. Micah shook his head slightly, but the words were already said. Oriana descended the dais and walked a slow circle around us, her fingers trailing across Micah’s shoulders and my hips.
    â€œFerra did indeed kill him.” She sang the words like a nursery rhyme. “She wanted to punish me by using him as her plaything. Even after his head had been severed, she animated his body, made it dance before her. But she was too rough, and his form did not last long under her iron touch. Then she threw me into the oubliette, so Grey couldn’t have me.” Oriana took up a length of my hair and began plaiting it. “It’s why Ferra had Selene killed.”
    â€œSelene?” I asked as Micah shot to his feet.
    Selene Silverstrand. Ferra wanted to eliminate all of the female royal Elementals so Grey only had her to lie with. Selene was quite lovely, you see.” My stomach dropped to my feet, but the queen went on plaiting my hair as if we were friends at a sleepover. “She even tricked Grey into doing the deed himself. Surely you knew this, Micah?”
    â€œI did not,” he said, his voice hardly audible. “She… my mother ordered the silverkin to protect me. I saw nothing of the attack.”
    â€œNow you are aware.” Oriana dropped my hair and regarded Micah, her hands on her hips. “May I haveyour word that you’ll kill no more of my advisors?”
    â€œAs long as they do not threaten my wife, they are safe from me,” Micah replied.
    A smile touched the corner of Oriana’s mouth. “That is a good response, Micah. A good response, indeed.” She began another, slower circle around us and murmured, “I trust you understand how damaging this is for