“I know,” Vidar growled. “This is eating me up inside too. But we can’t go after him. We have to stick to the plan. Once we defeat Morlet, we’ll save Anders.” He plowed his hands through his hair, tugging on it.
In order to defeat Morlet, I had to conceive his child. I wasn’t ready to share his bed. The Krigers weren’t ready to go up against him. “That is going to take too long.” My head pounded from going around in circles with Vidar.
“In a few weeks, we’ll be ready.”
“In a few weeks?” I asked. He nodded. “When do you want me to go to Morlet?”
He tilted his head back, not looking at me. “After we marry.”
“I’m not sure Morlet will have me if I’m married to you.” Morlet seemed upset with the idea of me marrying his brother. It would probably be better if I went to him beforehand.
“You still mistakenly assume Espen is in there somewhere. That’s not the case. Morlet is pure evil. Knowing you’re taken by another man—especially his brother—will only increase his desire to be with you.”
I turned away from Vidar, not wanting to argue this point with him when I knew I was right. I stared up at the moons shining like beacons among the thousands of stars dotting the night sky, attempting to compose my emotions.
“Let’s go back inside,” he said. “It’s cold out here, and I don’t want you getting sick.”
“I’d like a moment to myself.”
“Of course.” He kissed my forehead and left.
Marry Vidar… have Morlet’s child… kill Morlet… save Anders. The list of impossible tasks continued to grow. I balled my hands into fists. I could do this.
Damaris joined me. “Sorry to disturb you, but Vidar doesn’t want you out here by yourself.”
Was he afraid I’d run off? I bit my tongue to keep myself from laughing. Perhaps that was exactly what I should do. “I’m just upset I can’t convince Vidar to send a couple of Krigers after Anders.”
“Why do you think that is?” she asked, coming to stand next to me.
“He’s been dealing with this curse for over a hundred years. Now that he’s so close, he won’t take any chances.”
“He seems to be a good leader.”
I sighed. “He is. That’s the problem. He’s a leader. I’m not. Unlike him, I tend to think with my heart, not my head.” And right now, my heart told me Anders needed my help.
“There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“No, but being passionate and acting without a well thought-out plan tends to lead to situations where someone gets hurt.” I couldn’t do anything impulsive that ended up causing Anders’s death.
“Then you should trust Vidar. Let him be the voice of reason. He is, after all, your king.”
Knowing I should listen to and trust Vidar was what made this so difficult. How could I reconcile my head and my heart?
“He told me about the curse,” Damaris said. “I’m so sorry.”
I moved to the tip of the ledge, letting the wind caress my body. “He still wants to marry me.” Even though I was supposed to have another man’s child—unlike Anders, who had expressed his disgust with the situation.
“What are you going to do?” she asked, coming to stand by my side. Our toes hung over the edge.
The fresh smell of pine trees from the forest below drifted around me. “If I marry him and somehow manage to survive the battle with Morlet, then I will be taken care of.”
“You don’t strike me as the type of girl who needs to be taken care of.”
“I’m not. But I’ll be pregnant, and that scares me since I don’t know the first thing about raising a child.”
“Didn’t your father raise you on his own?” she asked.
“Yes.” That was why I couldn’t envision my child being fatherless. Vidar offered to step into that role, and I had to seriously consider it.
“What about Anders?” Damaris asked. “I thought you had feelings for him.”
“I do,” I whispered. “And I told him I cared for him. Unfortunately, he doesn’t return those feelings.”
Damaris wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “I’m sorry.”
She smelled faintly of lavender and rosemary, tugging at my memory. I’d smelled that combination before. But where? And on whom?
“There’s no need to rush to a decision,” she said. “It’s your choice to make—no one else’s.”
✧
The following morning when the Krigers assembled in the clearing of the forest, Marius ordered us to split into pairs and practice sparring. Henrik patted my arm. “Think you can take me?” he taunted, a wicked gleam on his face. “I’m four times your size.”
Rolling my eyes, I replied, “Since I don’t have my weapon, you can’t use yours.”
He threw his ax to the nearest tree, where it landed with a solid thump. He stretched his neck to the side, and it cracked. “I won’t even use my hands or arms.”
“Really?” I laughed.
“Really.” He spread his feet and leaned down.
Before I had a chance to respond, Henrik lunged for me. After having fought Norill, he seemed slow and sluggish. I stepped to the side and tripped him. He fell to the ground. When he went to use his hands to sit up, I said, “Isn’t that breaking the rules?”
Before he could get up, I pounced on top of him, grabbed his arm, swung my legs over his chest, and pulled. Not wanting to break his arm, I applied just enough pressure so he knew I was serious. “Concede?”
“Yes,” he growled. “You win.”
I released him and sprang to my feet.
“Since I couldn’t use my hands or arms, you shouldn’t have been able to beat me that way.” He lumbered to his feet, grumbling.
“My turn,” Geir said, tossing his crossbow to the ground as he neared.
We hadn’t sparred before, so I had no idea what his strengths and weaknesses were. He was a few years older than I was, with a lean build. He would definitely be faster than Henrik. I squared my shoulders and prepared to fight. He watched me like a snake that had spotted a mouse. His body stood still, poised to strike.
My father’s words came back to me. When you fight someone of unknown talent, attack hard and fast. Better to over rather than underestimate him.
“What are you waiting for?” I asked Geir.
“I’m watching you plan your attack.”
“Oh?” I said, trying to keep my features neutral and my eyes from drifting to the area I intended to hit first. “Tell me, what do I plan to do?”
“You haven’t decided,” he said with a half-smile. “You’re too busy sizing me up.” He shifted his foot, preparing to strike.
I darted toward him, spun, and did a crescent kick. He blocked it with his arm and threw a punch. I twisted, his fist narrowly missing me. I did a jump spinning-heel kick, hoping to knock him down. Only, I struck air. Before my foot could touch the ground, Geir did a leg sweep, knocking out the leg on which I stood. I flew backward, landing hard on my back, the wind knocked out of me.
Geir’s shadow fell across my body, and I forced myself to roll, scrambling to my feet. We stood a dozen or so feet apart, staring at one another. In order to beat him, I’d have to be creative. There was one move that might work.
I ran straight at him and jumped, throwing my legs on either side of his neck and twisting my body sideways. He flew to the ground, blinking.
“I’ve never had anyone do a scissor-kick takedown on me,” he said.
I stood and reached down to help him up, trying to hide my labored breathing. He took my hand and got to his feet.
“That was rather impressive.”
“Thank you.” I glanced around; everyone was still sparring. “Are you concerned about Anders?” I asked.
Geir’s eyes darkened. “He’s the one who visited us in the dungeon and helped rescue us. I am indebted to him.”
“Then why aren’t you trying to convince Vidar to send a team after him?” I glanced over at Vidar, still si
tting on the boulder with Damaris.
“Because that’s what Morlet and Norill want. We have to be smart about this,” Geir replied, repeating what Vidar had said to me.
Henrik and Stein joined us.
“Don’t worry,” Henrik said, patting my shoulder. “Anders is a skilled assassin. If he doesn’t escape by the time we storm the castle, we’ll rescue him just as soon as we finish hacking Morlet to pieces.”
“For now,” Geir added, “keep your head clear of emotion and focus on the end result. We need to train, so we can face Morlet.”
“Well?” Stein asked. “Is it my turn to spar with you?”
“Sure,” I replied. He wrapped his lanky arm around my neck, and I twisted, trying to get out of the headlock.
After climbing down the mountain, I headed toward the designated training area. My muscles were sore from having spent the last week working ten hours a day with my fellow Krigers. For all of us, fighting came naturally. We didn’t have a weak link among us. What Henrik lacked in speed, he made up for in strength. What Stein lacked in fighting techniques, he made up for with his cunning ability to anticipate his opponent’s moves.
“Kaia!” Gunner called from behind me. I waited for him to catch up. “Will you spar with me today?”
“Of course.”
“I know you don’t have your bo staff, but I was wondering if you could use a branch or Reidar’s spear to fight with. I’d like to use my pike.”
He was a good head taller and at least twice my weight. Using a weapon would increase my likelihood of winning. Or at least holding my own in the fight. “That’s a good idea. I could use the practice.” My fingers itched to hold my weapon again.
We walked in silence a few minutes before Gunner cleared his throat and said, “It seems rather strange to spar with you since you’re going to be my queen when all of this is over.”
Just hearing the word queen made my skin crawl. I wasn’t queen material and had no desire to wear dresses and look pretty every day. Yet, I hadn’t broken off my engagement with Vidar. There were so many factors to consider, and I couldn’t make a hasty decision.
“Although, I think it would be more beneficial for Vidar to marry someone of importance from a neighboring kingdom. After all, we’ve been cut off from the rest of the continent for a hundred years. We will have to actively reestablish political ties, so no one attempts to conquer us when the borders reopen.”
I stopped walking and faced Gunner. He was far more versed in politics than I’d realized. “What are you getting at?” Did he disapprove of my marriage to Vidar? Or was there something else going on?
He kept his face neutral, revealing nothing. “I’m wondering why Vidar intends to marry you. No offense, I like you. But I’m trying to see the political advantage of such an alliance.”
“Isn’t love reason enough?” I asked.
His eyes narrowed. “I think there’s an element of the curse I don’t know about.” He put his hands on his hips.
“Why are you having this conversation with me and not Vidar?” I resumed walking, trying to act casual.
“I already tried talking to Vidar. He told me to mind my place. So I came to you.” He caught up to me, walking at my side.
“There is another element of the curse you are unaware of,” I replied, not wanting to lie to him. “It only affects me, though.” I wasn’t ready to tell my fellow Krigers yet. “There is nothing for you to be concerned with.” I hoped he wouldn’t continue to push me into revealing more.
He studied me a moment before glancing behind us and steering me to the cover of the trees. “Do you plan to rescue Anders?” he asked, his voice low and urgent.
“Why?” I asked, surprised by the change in topics.
“While Vidar may be content with waiting, I’m not. If you’re planning something, which I think you are, I’d like to help.”
Gunner was willing to go behind Vidar’s back in order to help his friend. I’d have to remember that in the future. “I am going to rescue Anders; I just don’t know how yet.”
He nodded. “Let me know what I can do. I’ve been in the dungeon. It’s not a pleasant place.”
I hoped Anders was in the dungeon and not laying in Morlet’s torture chamber. “I have no intention of letting him suffer any longer than necessary.”
“Good.”
We headed to the clearing and joined the rest of the Krigers. Stein slunk up next to me. “Everything all right?” he asked, peering over at Gunner, who stood on the other side of me.
“Yes,” I answered.
Stein eyed me suspiciously.
I had no intention of revealing the details of my conversation with Gunner. “He just wants to practice with me.”
Stein opened his mouth to say something, but Marius cut him off. “We’re going to try something new today,” Marius said. “Get into groups of two to spar. When I say the word link, connect power with one another.”
“While we’re sparring?” Gunner asked.
“Yes.”
I found a branch on the ground approximately the same width and length as my bo staff. Holding it, I faced Gunner and prepared to fight. He swung his pike, and I easily parried it. He struck again, this time moving faster than before.
“Don’t focus on my weapon,” he said. “Look me in the eyes.”
“If I’m not watching your pike, you’ll hit me with it.” I lifted my branch, blocking another strike.
“I didn’t tell you not to watch it, just to keep your eyes on mine.”
That seemed rather contradictory.
“Trust me,” he said with a devious smile.
I gave it a try and kept my eyes on his while actually focusing on my peripheral vision. His shoulders moved to the right slightly. He angled his pike and swung it toward my shoulder. I blocked it and struck with my branch.
“Excellent,” he said. “And now your confidence is far more believable. And intimidating.”
“Link!” Marius called out.
Since I didn’t have my bo staff, I called on my inner power and pushed it down my arms, to my hands, and then released a bit toward Gunner’s weapon. A tingling sensation radiated through my body as he pushed his power toward me. Normally, I would gather it and send it to my weapon. I didn’t know if I should do that to the branch or not for fear it would combust.
Gunner’s pike glowed a dull blue from my power.
“Excellent,” Marius said. “Now try fighting and maintaining that link.”
I blocked Gunner’s strike and spun to the side to attack. Our connection severed.
“Let’s try again,” he said.
We spent the next several hours linking in the midst of fighting. As the day wore on, we were able to hold the connection longer and longer. I felt awkward without my bo staff, but at least the branch gave me something to practice with. When the sun started to descend, Marius dismissed us. I thanked Gunner for his help and headed toward the stream about half a mile away.
“Where are you going?” Vidar asked, following me.
“To wash up. I stink.”
“You can’t go alone.”
“I’m not taking a man with me to bathe.” I folded my arms and waited for him to leave. I would have asked Damaris to accompany me, but she wasn’t around.
“Oh, please,” he said. “I’ve seen plenty of women naked. It doesn’t bother me.”
I swatted his arm. “But it bothers me.”
“I know.” He smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll turn my back.”
There was no use arguing with him—he’d never let me go alone, and I desperately wanted to clean up. When we reached the stream, Vidar sat on a nearby boulder, facing away from me. “I need to talk to you without the chance of being overheard,” he said.
After I removed my clothing, I hurriedly climbed into the water. I rinsed away the sweat, dirt, and grime coating my body. Vidar probably wanted to talk about us marrying. I still didn’t know what to do about that situation.
&n
bsp; When I exited, he said, “I have a plan in place to get you to the castle.”
If I weren’t already frozen from the frigid water, his words would have sent a chill over my body. Going to the castle meant sleeping with Morlet.
He continued, “A rebel will escort you into the capital.”
I put my clothes back on and wrung the excess water from my hair.
“After you’re inside, he’ll help you make your way to the castle.”
“And then what?” I asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Once I’m there, what do you suggest I do? Knock on the front door and say, Hi Morlet, I’m here to bed you?” My voice was louder than I intended.
Vidar slid off the boulder. “Don’t get upset with me. I’m not the one who cast the curse.”
Running my fingers through my tangled hair, I tried to think rationally. I envisioned facing Morlet. How would he feel about me showing up at his home? What would he think I was there for? “What if he arrests me and throws me in jail?”
“I don’t know,” Vidar said.
“I need more time.” I had to talk to him through my dreams… try to ease him into it.
“Kaia,” Vidar said, placing his hands on my shoulders and looking at my eyes. “We can’t attack Morlet until you have conceived his child.”
“I know,” I growled, shoving his hands off me. I didn’t need him to constantly remind me.
“All I mean is that the Krigers are going to start wondering what the holdup is.”
“Maybe you should tell them the truth.” I folded my arms against my chest, trying to warm up.
“Is that what you want?” he asked.
“No.” I didn’t want these men who I’d become friends with knowing I had to sleep with Morlet. They might think less of me. And I didn’t want anyone to know who the father was for fear someone would kill my child. Would Vidar be able to love his nephew as his own? Or would his hatred for Morlet tarnish his view of the child?
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