“Then why are you here if not to learn of his location?” Morlet hissed, releasing me as if I’d burned him. “Do you care for the assassin? The man who stabbed you?” he asked in disbelief. “How could you?” He looked me up and down as if seeing me for the first time.
“He’s my friend.” I wanted to add that Anders never tortured me like Morlet did, but withheld my retort, not wanting to anger him further.
He glared at me. “Do you think I’m stupid?” His eyes flashed with anger. “I know more about you than you realize.”
I sincerely hoped he didn’t know about the curse or that I was related to Linnea. “Is Anders here?”
“You’re engaged to my brother and in love with the man who murdered my parents. I thought you were virtuous, but you’re nothing more than a conniving, ambitious commoner!” The words thundered in the ballroom, making the candles flicker.
I took a step away from him, unable to believe he’d just spoken so cruelly to me. The dark magic consumed him, made him do terrible things, but there he stood, accusing me of being deceitful. Him of all people.
“Kaia, I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“Don’t.” I took another step away from him, needing to put distance between us. It had been a mistake coming here.
He chuckled. “This is unbelievable. You should be the one apologizing to me. You’re the one playing with my heart.” He lifted his hood, putting it back on to conceal his face.
“I’m sorry I came to you to learn the fate of my friend. It won’t happen again.” I took another step away from him.
“Both your bo staff and the assassin are here in this castle.” His voice was as soft was water. “Would you like to go and find them?”
Desire flooded into me, making me want to search for them, but Damaris’s warning rang in my mind. I couldn’t risk being lost or stuck in this dream state. I had to return to my body.
As I disappeared, Morlet screamed, “No!” He lunged for me, but I slipped right through his fingertips.
✧
Henrik swung his ax, whacking my arm and knocking me over. “Kaia!” He swiftly reached down and pulled me up. “I didn’t expect to actually hit you. Why didn’t you duck?”
Brushing the dirt from my pants, I shrugged. Ever since I’d returned to the cave last night, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Morlet had devised a plan to destroy the Krigers.
“Kaia?” Henrik asked. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Just distracted.” I couldn’t stop thinking about my encounter with Morlet.
“Clearly. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gotten a hit in.” He rested his ax on his shoulder while observing me. “Want to talk about it?”
“No.” He’d never understand.
Henrik smiled. “Good. I like you and all, but I don’t care for talking.”
Which was why I agreed to spar with him today.
Stein came over and joined us. “I’ve been assigned hunting duty for the afternoon. Vidar wants me to take someone.”
“I’ll go,” Henrik offered.
“No, you won’t. You’re too big and clumsy in the forest. You scare all the prey off.”
“Hey now,” Henrik said, a warning note to his voice. “I’m not that bad.”
I bit back my laugh, not wanting to offend him.
“Compared to Kaia, you’re worse than bad.” Stein looked expectantly at me.
“I’ll go.” I was no use sparring. Might as well hunt.
“You can’t just take my partner,” Henrik complained.
“Go practice with someone else,” I said. “Someone who can challenge you.”
His face softened, and he nodded. “Bring back something good to eat.”
Stein and I headed east, walking silently over the fallen leaves and pine needles littering the forest floor. He didn’t ask me any questions, which suited me just fine. Moving between the towering trees was just what I needed right now.
As much as I hated to admit it, Vidar was right. We couldn’t sneak in the castle and free Anders. It was what Norill and Morlet wanted—and were expecting. They probably had numerous traps set for us.
The two-week deadline Norill gave me was tomorrow. However, since Morlet sought revenge, I doubted he’d allow Norill to kill Anders. No, he would kill him in the most horrific way possible to make him pay.
Stein whistled, capturing my attention. I froze and watched him nock an arrow, aim at an unsuspecting opossum, and shoot, striking the animal. I groaned, not wanting to eat opossum for dinner. Stein nocked another arrow, so I remained still, wondering what he was doing. A fox slunk out of the bushes and neared the opossum. Stein released his arrow, killing the fox.
“Sometimes to get what you want, you have to do the unexpected,” he said, winking at me.
“The unexpected?” I asked, a plan starting to form in my mind.
Stein nodded. “Think like your enemy. Instead of trying to spring the trap, set the trap.”
✧
The next day when everyone headed down to the forest floor to train, I remained in the cave to have a word with Damaris. “Why don’t you practice with us?”
“I am not a fighter,” she answered, gathering a dozen waterskins to take to the river to fill.
“Which is why you should learn some basic combat moves in order to protect yourself.” I took a few of the waterskins from her.
She studied me for a moment. “Is this important to you?”
I’d seen enough innocent peopled killed. If she remained with the Krigers, it was only a matter of time until she faced peril. “It is.”
“Very well. So long as you work with me.”
I was thrilled she agreed, and the two of us climbed down the mountainside. After we filled the waterskins, we joined the Krigers. Vidar worked with Marius, so everyone had a partner. Damaris and I stood facing one another.
If she had to fight Morlet, his magic would destroy her. However, if she came up against a soldat, I wanted her to be able to defend herself and escape. “The first thing you should know is how to break a wrist hold. If someone grabs you here,” I clutched onto her wrist, “twist your arm so your thumb is pointed up, then jerk your arm upward from the elbow.”
She broke the hold and said, “Then I run?”
“As fast as you can.” We practiced the move until she felt comfortable doing it. “You should also know how to kick your attacker’s knee.”
“Not the groin?” she asked.
“The knee is easier to strike, and, if it’s busted, he won’t be able to chase you.”
Damaris smiled. “Show me how to kick.”
I demonstrated the move, and she imitated me, perfecting it the first time she tried. We spent the rest of the day working together doing similar drills.
When the sun started to descend, Vidar dismissed us, and the Krigers headed back to the cave, laughing and joking with one another as they went. “Anything else I should know before we call it a day?” she asked, wiping her forehead.
“If you strike your opponent’s temple with your elbow hard enough, you can render him unconscious, which will allow you time to run away.” I showed her how to hold her arm, angle her elbow, and where to hit. Once she had it down, we headed toward the mountain.
“Damaris, can I ask you something before we join the others?”
“Of course.”
“How do you suggest I go about sleeping with Morlet?” My face flushed with embarrassment, but this was a conversation I needed to have. Better to ask Damaris than Vidar.
“Do you know the basic mechanics?” she asked, suppressing a smile.
“Yes, the woman I washed clothes for explained it.” I still remembered the awkward conversation we had. Afterward, she told me my father had asked her to discuss the matter with me, so he wouldn’t have to.
“Unfortunately, what you need to do is a little more complicated.”
“What do you mean?” I stopped and reached out, touching a tree trunk for support.
“For this to work, you and Morlet have to share your love for one another. Otherwise, you won’t conceive his child.”
“How do you know?” When I learned how to make a baby, the woman didn’t say anything about love.
“The spell was cast because Morlet and Linnea loved one another deeply. That love was supposed to create life. You have to take Linnea’s place. It is the only way.”
I leaned my head against the tree trunk. How could I take Linnea’s place when I didn’t love Morlet as she did? Nor did he love me the same way he loved her.
“Perhaps you should tell Morlet about the curse,” Damaris suggested. “It benefits him too.”
I blanched. “What if he uses it against me?”
“I’m not sure how he could. It might work in your favor.”
“Which brings us back to the point of this conversation—how do I sleep with a man I don’t love?” I banged my head against the trunk.
Damaris took my arm, pulling me away from the tree. “Have you allowed your heart to open up to him? To try to see the good in him?”
There was good in him, but allowing myself to become attached, to open my heart and give a piece of my soul to him, scared me beyond all words and reason. Deep down, I knew I could love him, which would only complicate matters since I had to turn around and kill him.
“This isn’t the man you’re going to marry, so I’m not talking about undying devotion,” she continued. “All I’m saying is that there are different forms of love. You need to let one of them in and reciprocate it. That’s all.”
I didn’t know what to say to her—it was a lot to take in and process.
“Come,” Damaris said. “Let’s return to the cave.”
We reached the mountain, and I grabbed hold of a rock, about to hoist myself up. “Vidar has a plan in place to get me into the castle, so I can sleep with Morlet. When I’m there, I plan to save Anders.”
“Ah,” she replied. “I understand your desire to rush this. However, you cannot change or alter the curse in any way, shape, or form. You must play by its rules in order to win.”
How did she know so much? Did Vidar confide in her? And, if so, why didn’t he share that knowledge with me? “I won’t let Anders die.” If I was going into that castle, I was saving him.
“You might have to choose between ending the curse and saving Anders. There might not be a way to do both.”
I refused to believe that. I would find a way.
She reached up and started climbing. Her hand slipped. She quickly grabbed hold of another rock, steadying herself.
“Are you okay?” I asked, climbing up behind her.
Damaris lifted her finger and examined the cut. “It’s just a little scratch.”
From my angle, her blood looked blue. The light from the setting sun had to be affecting my eyes because only Heks had blue blood. When she noticed me staring at her, she quickly sucked the tip of her finger, removing all traces of the blood.
“I’ve decided to relocate everyone to the tree house,” Vidar said.
“Why? We have ample supplies in the cave. Plus, it’s close to the capital,” I responded. The two of us were kneeling next to the stream filling jugs with water.
“I can’t stand to stay in that dismal cave any longer. It does nothing for my complexion.”
I splashed water at him. “You’re so vain.”
“Yes, but you like it.”
“I can’t tell you that because then your head will explode.”
“I’d still look good even without my head.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
I laughed. “What’s the real reason for relocating?”
“We’ve been here too long. I don’t want a soldat or a spy for the king to spot us.”
“At least there are beds at the tree house.” Sleeping on the ground, even on bedrolls, was becoming tiresome.
“I’ve been meaning to apologize to you,” Vidar said. He set his jug down and placed the lid on it. Instead of grabbing another one, he sat on the bank, focusing on me.
“For what?” I lowered my jug into the water and filled it. I hadn’t been expecting him to apologize for anything.
“For not treating you as I should.”
His words caught me off-guard. Setting the jug aside, I took a seat next to him, waiting for him to explain.
“I want to marry you because you’re strong and wise. Yet, I refused to listen to you about Anders.”
“Does that mean you’ve changed your mind about rescuing him?”
“No.” He took hold of my hand. “I need your answer,” he said. “Will you marry me?”
I pulled my hand free and started playing with the edge of my sleeve. So he was apologizing for not listening to me, yet, he still wasn’t going to take my advice? “You won’t rescue Anders.”
“No. I won’t. Not until after this is done.”
“And you still want to marry me? Despite the fact that I am going to bear another man’s child?” I didn’t understand him. How could he want that?
“Talk to me, Kaia. Tell me what you’re thinking.”
Looking into his warm blue eyes, I tried to imagine the future. My course was set in regards to being a Kriger and having Morlet’s child. But after that, I could do whatever I wanted. There was one thing I was absolutely certain about. “I don’t want to be a queen.” I didn’t want to step into the role, nor did I want the responsibility of leading a kingdom.
“What about the child?” he asked. “You can’t be an unwed mother.” k'`1`2
“Why?” Plenty of women lost husbands and managed to care for their children.
“How will you support yourself?” he asked.
“I’ll find a job.” I cleaned clothes before this quest began. I could return to the task. Or I could find something else that suited me. Maybe there would be an apprenticeship where I could learn a new skill. I also wanted to meet my extended family. Perhaps there was a job on the other side of the mountains for me.
“Who will take care of your child while you’re at work? Wouldn’t it be better for you to be married? Allow the husband to work, so you can stay home and raise the child?”
I attempted to rein in my temper. He was just trying to be helpful. He didn’t realize he was grating on my nerves. “I don’t like the idea of being dependent upon a man.”
“Even if that man is me?”
I nodded. It didn’t matter who the man was. I would take care of myself.
“If you marry me, you will want for nothing.”
Why didn’t he understand that I didn’t need to live in a huge castle with servants? The mere idea frightened me. There was, however, one thing he could not give me. “What about love?” Wasn’t I sacrificing enough for Nelebek?
We sat in silence, staring at one another for several minutes. His piercing gaze made me squirm.
“I think love will come,” he finally said.
The image of Anders appeared in my mind, and I shoved it away. He didn’t reciprocate my feelings.
“I will not only protect you, but I will protect your child as well. After all, he or she will be my nephew or niece. Regardless of what I feel for Morlet, your child will be linked to me. He or she will be in line to the throne.”
There was so much to consider. No matter which path I chose, my child would be in line to the throne, which would automatically put him or her in danger. I doubted Vidar would allow me to take his heir gallivanting around the kingdom without the proper protection. Not only that, but the child would also be a part of Morlet, which meant he or she would wield his evil magic alongside mine. Grei Heks wanted this child to have a choice, and I had to do a good job of raising him or her to use the magic appropriately.
I rubbed my temples. Vidar was right; love couldn’t be the driving factor in my decision.
He patted my leg. “I’ve arranged for you leave for the capital tomorrow at first light.”
I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants. Tomorrow, I’d be on my way to see
Morlet. My stomach cramped from nerves. At least being inside that castle meant rescuing Anders.
“Kaia,” Vidar said, his voice soft. “I’m so sorry you have to do this.”
“It’s fine,” I lied.
“No, it’s not. I’m asking you to sell your soul, and, once this is over, you are going to hate me,” he whispered. “I hate me for expecting this of you.”
I looked away, not wanting him to know that a small part of me actually cared for Morlet. That when this was done, I wouldn’t hate Vidar—he wasn’t making me do this. This was my choice.
He pulled me to my feet. “Trust in yourself. You can do this.” He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to his chest and holding on tightly.
I knew I could do it—that wasn’t the problem. What concerned me the most was how it would affect me afterward. Could I give a piece of my heart away to Morlet… and then kill him?
✧
The following morning, I left with Henrik and Stein. They’d both volunteered to accompany me to the outskirts of the capital, to where I would meet up with the rebel who would escort me to the king’s castle.
Vidar set off with the rest of the Krigers, heading to the tree house. Once my mission was complete, I would meet them there.
Stein led the way with his bow slung over his shoulder. Henrik followed me, holding his ax at the ready. I felt naked without my weapon and hoped I could retrieve it from the castle while there.
“The village we found you in is just west of here,” Stein commented.
I shuddered, envisioning smoke curling in the air and screaming people running around.
“There are hundreds of communities trying to remain hidden from the king,” Henrik added.
We continued in silence from that point on for several miles. I remained alert for potential dangers such as brubjorns, fugls, soldats, or Norill. When it became too dark to walk any farther, we placed our bedrolls on the ground and ate a quick meal.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Stein observed.
“I haven’t spoken in case there are soldats nearby,” I lied. I’d spent the day imagining facing Morlet.
“Thought maybe you were worried about whatever it is Vidar asked you to do,” Henrik said.
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