CHAPTER 10
Erin decided to broach the subject of Kat’s new boyfriend over breakfast.
“I’m just putting the final touches on the seating plan for Arianna’s banquet. Is there anyone you want to invite?”
Kat shrugged her shoulders and played aimlessly with her croissant. “No. If you remember, I don’t associate much with that back….place.” She amended her choice of words as her father entered the room.
“But surely you must have at least one friend from when you liked Lokranor? Male or female, it matters not.”
“No, Mum,” Kat snapped. “There is no-one in that Realm I wish to associate with.”
“You will show your heritage more respect, young lady,” Wilhelm’s voice echoed across the kitchen.
“Or what,” Kat stood up with hands on her hips. “Will it be the dungeons or the hot oil?”
“I still have the ability to ground you,” her father barked back.
“I already live in an isolated, mosquito infested hell-hole. How could grounding me make that any worse?” Kat stomped towards the door.
Wilhelm started after her but Erin held up her hand. “Let her go. She is angry.”
“So am I, damn it,” Wilhelm bit back. “The girl needs to learn respect.”
“Yes. But she is a hormonal teen. Shouting at her will have no effect whatsoever.”
“This is what happens when children get brought up in this soft Realm of yours.”
“If you are going to start to blame me for childhood hormones, you will have a very close encounter with blue energy.”
“Is that a threat?” he scowled.
“No. Just making a statement,” Erin flicked through the magazine on the table trying to keep her temper under control. “What you should be doing, instead of barking at your daughter, is trying to found out what caused the rift between the two of you.”
“She’s female. How could I possibly try and understand what goes through her illogical mind.”
“Perhaps my daughter is particularly intuitive after all,” Erin flipped the magazine shut. “To quote my favourite expression of old. You, my dear, are behaving like a total dick.”
Erin flounced out the room. It amused her that whenever Wilhelm was losing an argument, he came over all domineering. At least he tried to. The result was usually him being put on his butt. One thing he could never do was overpower his wife.
She tracked her daughter down later that morning in the library with Jasper. The pair were looking decidedly guilty. Then again, Kat in a library was an unusual sight. “I’m off back to Lokranor. I’ll see you in a couple of days,” she kissed her daughter’s forehead.
“Sure,” Kat grunted.
“Will you at least try and make it up with your father? I know he can growl and hiss, but under that thick Viking skin he cares deeply for you.”
“Why should I apologise for being myself?” Kat shrugged.
“He’s Viking, he’s not had to deal with hormonal teenagers before.”
“I think there must be a few in Lokranor.”
“Yes. And they are usually married at sixteen. So count yourself lucky you are of both realms.”
“I can’t contain my joy,” Kat responded.
Erin shook her head and looked at Jasper for help. “I really couldn’t have been this bad.”
“Accordingly to Birdie you were,” Jasper sniggered.
“Birdie did not come into my life until I was almost eighteen.”
“Magnus knows. He had to watch your back for a few years.”
“Unless he snuck into the girls’ dorm at school, he’d not have the faintest idea either. Come to think of it,” Erin chuckled. “There was that one very unfortunate-looking girl in our room. Poor thing was covered in dark hair. It could possibly have been Magnus in drag. If that is the case, he makes one hell of an ugly woman.”
Much to Erin’s delight, her daughter laughed.
“With a mother like that, what chance does the daughter have,” Jasper exhaled in exasperation.
Damon was holed up in his vault standing before the Baldoren crystal. He never had long to talk to his father so he made sure his thoughts were aligned properly before taking a firm hold of the crystal.
“Son,” those crystal blue eyes stared at him. “You are looking well.”
“Life is treating me good, Father,” he smiled.
“Then what do you need me for? Other than a paternal chat.”
“What do you know about sun and moon stones?”
“They are powerful and give their owners either the control of fire or ice.”
“How do I locate them?”
“They usually only make themselves visible to the one chosen to wield their power.”
“Can I track one?”
“Possibly, they give off a faint energy shield. I have a specific volume which relates to interpreting different energy fields.”
“Is there anything you don’t have?” Damon shook his head.
“Sadly a pulse. What is your interest in the stones?”
“We believe they block access to the gateways to the Fourth Realm.”
“I always had a feeling there was at least one other Realm. But my interests were focused in another area.”
The image of his father started to fade; it always hurt when it was time to let go. “Bye, Dad,” Damon murmured.
After the spinning had stopped in his head, Damon went to search for the volume on energy fields. With his abilities it was not difficult to pluck the volume from the shelf. Skimming through the book, he digested all the information he needed. There was no quick fix. He would have to ride along the likely border, only when he was within a certain distance could he pick up any trace of the stones. But at least now he knew what he was looking for.
Arianna’s banquet was in a couple of days’ time so he would wait to see if she would ride out with him. As the heir to the throne, it was only right that they should strengthen their bond. Although he knew exactly how he would like to strengthen it. His mind drifted briefly back to her birthday dinner, or more precisely that moment they had shared in the conservatory. He really would not mind having a few more of those either.
He headed up the main hallway and ran into Magnus.
“Back already from Lokranor?”
“A few volcanos were about to erupt so I thought it prudent to be out the blast zone,” Magnus winced.
“So brave a Viking,” Damon rolled his eyes.
“I’m also your protector therefore I had good reason to return.”
“Nice try, Selvig. What was the latest row about?”
“Erin is pissed at Wilhelm for losing his temper with Katya. I swear that girl gets more like her mother every day,” he shuddered. “Katya has inherited her mother’s ability to get under your skin.”
“It is Arianna I find an irritant.”
Magnus slapped him on the back jovially. “That is for a whole different reason entirely.”
“What do you mean?” Damon scowled.
“I think you already know the answer to that one, but you won’t admit it. Now, how goes your research.”
“With so many interruptions, it is slow. At least I now know how to track the stones.”
“You just need the correct person to activate them and you’re done. Simple.”
“Yeah right. With my power I’m hoping the stones will respond to me.”
“I think that could be wishful thinking.”
“Not with my blood. There have to be some advantages to being Valkarin’s heir.”
Magnus shook his head. “I’m glad to see you inherited his ego too.”
“Watch it, Selvig, or Erin won’t be the only one to hit you with blue energy.”
Arianna was standing on a stool in her bedroom in Lokranor Castle have a final fitting for her dress for the banquet. It was navy blue with a cream underdress and draped beautifully around her small frame. The bodice laced up the front highlighting her natural form.
“You will look exquisite,” Erin sighed proudly.
“But useless. The heir with no power.”
“Your father has none,” Erin reminded her.
“But at least Dad is pretty good with a sword. And if any trouble did hit the city, you could sort it out.”
“You also have an admirer who has powers.” Erin tiptoed as delicately as she could towards that subject.
“I’d rather slice Damon in two than get with him,” Arianna shuddered.
“Why? He’s not unattractive.”
“Oh, he’s good looking enough. It’s just his ego that grates on me.”
“Of course he’s going to try and sing his own virtues, he has the heir to a kingdom to try and impress.”
“He also has a string of women in his bed, sometimes two at a time.”
“Your father was not celibate when I met him.”
“I bet from the first time he snogged you there was not another woman.”
“Too bloody right,” Erin grunted. “Don’t forget that men like to sing their own praises about their sexual conquests, most of which are untrue.”
“Perhaps you’re right and Damon is hung like a tadpole.”
Erin laughed. “That would really hurt, considering his father had no problems there. From what Sasha has said before you get any weird ideas. Although I did catch him coming out his bathroom once, but thank God for that towel.”
“Gross, Mum. Old men naked is not a thought I want in my head.”
“Talking of old men, I should go and see if your father is in better humour.”
“Dare I ask why?”
“Vikings don’t handle twenty-first century teens very well,” Erin gave a heavy sigh. “I think I’ll have the twins raised here rather than send them to secondary school. It would stop the arguments with Wilhelm and also reduce the chance of them getting expelled or arrested.”
Arianna giggled. “You might be on to something there, Mum. They are definitely Viking material.” A thought popped into her mind. “You know if we do find these other Realms and they turn out to be peaceful, we could always donate the twins to them and watch their serene world fall apart.”
“I love your thinking,” Erin kissed her daughter’s forehead. “Now time to go tame a hissing serpent.”
CHAPTER 11
Kat woke with a grin on her face. It was her seventeenth birthday. She padded downstairs in her pyjama shorts eager to see if her parents had arrived. Only Mrs McDowell, the ancient housekeeper, was in the kitchen.
“Good morning, lassie,” her dulcet tones boomed across the kitchen. The woman was losing her hearing in her advancing years. “What can I get you for breakfast?”
“Pancakes and blueberries would be perfect, thank you,” Kat smiled. Perhaps she was up a bit earlier than usual as no-one was here yet.
Having devoured a whole plateful of pancakes, Kat felt her spirits start to slump a little as there was no sign of her family. Finally, Birdie made it into the kitchen.
“Goodness me, couldn’t you sleep, child?”
“Very funny,” Kat retorted lightly.
Birdie kissed her cheek. “Happy birthday, my dear.” She passed over a beautifully wrapped gift.
Kat ripped open the delicate paper to reveal a stunning, bejewelled pewter box. It had a small key attached to a gold chain, the inside of the box was lined with black velvet. “It’s gorgeous, Birdie,” she breathed.
“Jasper told me you had a treasure you might want to lock away.”
Kat felt her cheeks turn a little pink. It was obviously meant for her sun stone. A much safer location than her bedside drawer. She flung her arms around Birdie. “You really are the best great-aunt anyone could have.”
“Does that extend to me,” Jasper asked walking into the room.
“Of course,” Kat kissed his cheek. “You are also a wonderful great-aunt.”
“It’s a gift I was born with,” he sighed dramatically.
Kat looked towards the doorway. “Are Mum and Dad coming over later?”
“I presume so. I’ve not heard from them or Arianna.”
“Have they forgotten?” Kat tried to keep the hurt out of her voice.
“Of course not. It’s probably plans for Arianna’s banquet that have delayed them.”
Kat nodded and took her treasure box up to her bedroom. Her sun stone was the perfect fit. With the absence of anyone else in the house, Kat retreated to the basement to practice her skills. Jasper joined her, he could sense by the strength of her fire that she was unhappy. Her abilities were coming on strong; she could now maintain a steady stream of fire out of her palms, not just short bursts. Her aim was improving too much to Jasper’s relief.
After a good hour of training, Kat retreated to her room to shower. By the time she had reappeared, there was no sign of her parents or sisters. There was still no sign of them at lunchtime. Was this her father’s way of punishing her? If so, it was unduly cruel. How could you ignore a child’s birthday? At least she had her meeting with Ulrik to look forward to. Changing into her favourite Viking outfit, a lilac underdress with a dark purple overdress, she attached her sword and went to meet who she considered the one reliable person in her life at the moment.
There was a faint flutter in her chest as she saw him waiting for her by the gateway. He lifted her down off her horse and kissed her briefly.
“I wish you a good birthday,” he smiled.
“Thank you. At least you haven’t forgotten.” She turned away from him as her eyes started to get watery.
“Someone forgot?”
“Yeah, my entire family. Excluding my great-aunt and uncle.”
“Have you spoken to them?”
“No. It seems they are all in Lokranor.”
“Will they not come back later?”
“Unlikely,” Kat shrugged. “My eldest sister Arianna has a banquet in her honour tomorrow.”
“Then they will not miss you if I steal you away.” He lifted her up and plonked her back on her horse.
“Meaning?”
“You are going to spend until tomorrow evening with me in Mallenvaar.”
“I can’t, Ulrik,” she squeaked, although the idea was very appealing.
“What is to stop you?” Those soft brown eyes took all rational thought out of her head.
“Nothing at all, it would seem.”
“Then stop finding reasons not to.” He mounted up and she followed him through the gateway.
Suddenly her new found freedom was liberating. What a way to spend her birthday, with her boyfriend, for want of a better word, riding across the open expanse of the Fourth Realm, its fairy-tale castle in the distance.
“Won’t your father ask questions if you have a guest staying?”
“He will probably keep out our way. I’m sure I can smuggle you into and out of my quarters.”
“Your quarters?” Alarm bells were starting to ring in her head. Was she being incredibly naïve?
“Yes.” He gave her a warm look. “I have a suite of rooms so you will have your own bedchamber. Unless of course you specifically want to use mine.”
“Behave,” Kat breathed a sigh of relief.
“Misbehaving is what we Vikings do best.”
Instead of stopping at the stables, this time Ulrik rode right to the rear steps of the Castle. A stable boy met them there to take the horses. She followed Ulrik up a couple of flights of stairs. “My rooms are in the right hand wing, quite separate from my father’s quarters.”
It reminded Kat a little of Lokranor Castle, unsurprisingly as they were both Viking realms. Ulrik’s rooms were very much to her taste, with stone walls, tapestries and rich fabrics.
“Nice décor,” she acknowledged, removing her cloak.
“Hey, I like what I like,” he shrugged.
“I’m glad you stay true to yourself.”
Ulrik passed her a goblet of wine which she turned down. “Are you trying to get me drunk to take advantage of me?�
��
“No,” he laughed. “I would prefer you sober for that. But it’s what we Vikings drink.”
The Fourth Realm (Realms Gate) Page 10