City of Assassins

by Farah Cook

  “Why did he put a spell on them?” I ask.

  “He needs them to build and maintain an army to protect his world. This is a place that never moves into the present or the future. It just remains as it was five hundred years ago.”

  “Protection against what?” I say. “What is this place?”

  “It is nothing but wasteland, and it gained its name, the City of Assassins, after the assassins came to be. Arres was originally the promised land of the Garm Klan, given to them by the Goths in return for their eternal loyalty. No one saw its fate turn when it fell under the Mad Emperor.”

  “Mulhog,” I say. “That’s why he didn’t eat me that day in the Forbidden Areas.”

  “They are never to harm us.”

  “Nora, your ancestors have no land, no belongings, and no purpose. They are the worse kind of killers—evil to the core. It has taken us generations to clean the filthy blood that runs in your veins. They don’t care about who you are. They’d skin you alive just for fun. If you ever decide to enter the time portal, be aware of the dire consequences.

  “How did Karen do it?” I say.

  “Karen had no other choice given she’d lost everything—her child, her husband. She had to give you up to protect you. I’m not justifying her doings. You were sent here to get the weapons out of Arres, and she is using you, her own daughter, to get to what she wants. She is obsessed with hatred, revenge, power, and greed.”

  “Why is she using me?”

  “Because she knew of the second foretelling. Her only purpose in breeding another child was to fulfill the wish of the prophecy that would put her in a powerful position. She wasn’t the same Karen after we lost our firstborn. She became resentful and angry. She wanted vengeance. But the Verans were one step ahead of everyone. They increased the raids, hired more raiders, and expanded the recruitments to the East. They were desperate to get more raiders as they were fading faster than autumn leaves. Of course, they recruited you, a diamond in the rough. You could have taken down the entire Dock Harbor Academy if you wanted to, making use of the power you still know so little about. I knew you’d find the ancient artifacts that awaken Yggdrasil. It was only a matter of time before the Verans took the weapons. And the map in the form of the tattoo you carry on your back is an emblem of who you are—a carrier, a key holder. The Verans are just waiting. They will awaken the tree only when you turn seventeen. That’s when Yggdrasil will spread her roots to the Nine Worlds. You will receive the encrypted runes, which are the key that opens the Nine Worlds. It’s all about to happen. When I first saw you here, I didn’t know how to feel. All you have to do is wait, and everything will happen. Coming here, you’ve risked far more than you can imagine. You don’t need the weapons. You have enough power within you to fight the evil threatening the Triangle”

  “I don’t believe you,” I say. He looks me straight in the eyes—a hard, unnerving glare. “I’ve felt the power of the sword. I know what it can do. And that has nothing to do with my inner strength.”

  “You may not succeed in the City of Assassins. You and your powers may have no significance there. It’s a dangerous place. I will not lie to you. The assassins will want you dead unless you give them what they want.”

  “What do they want?” I say.

  “Midgard.” He looks at me, his expression soft. “They cannot leave unless the spell they are under is broken. The Garm Klan has been trying to break the spell. They want the assassins gone, and the Mad Emperor dead.”

  “What would happen if they were to escape this past world?” I say.

  “We cannot predict what is kept in the past, only the future. But then what happens when you unleash evil anywhere? It breeds, and it destroys.”

  “But Karen, she had a painting in her house. She takes pride in our ancestors.” I sigh; frustration takes a toll on me. “Why would she keep that portrait if they’re vicious killers?”

  “She thinks our assassin legacy is glorious.”

  “Isn’t it?” I say. “Isn’t that why the gods—”

  “No one knows what the gods want. No one knows why they chose a child from our bloodline. We are descendants of the oldest Vikings that have lived.”

  “Whatever the reason, I was chosen. I still have a purpose—a calling I need to fulfill. I don’t take pride in any of my heritage or bloodline. But I’ve been cursed from the day I took that sword into my hands.”

  “You’re still a novice at killing, but they have killed thousands of people. You mustn’t kill innocent people. Kill only to protect, and kill those you must. Arres has far too much evil. Learn to understand who you kill and why. Never make hasty decisions, Nora. Weapons do not protect, they destroy.”

  “What do you expect of me now that I know the truth?” I say.

  “That’s for you to discover,” he says. “You will learn new ways of life. You’re just a child, a girl. Don’t give your ancestors what they want.”

  “What do they really want?” I ask. “I am not sure I understand all this.”

  “What we all want. Midgard. The world to rule them all.”

  “Midgard,” I say. “The battle is all about Midgard.” I take a deep breath. The weapons are all that matter. I cannot leave without them. If I do, the Goths will lose and become enslaved by evil lurking from outside the Triangle.

  My dad looks at me.

  “I remember when you were born, and I saw myself in you. I saw your courage, your bravery, and your thoughts. The gifts the gods had bestowed upon you and your legacy became apparent. I knew why you had come. To seek the weapons that would lead the world into another Ragnarok. When your blood spoke to me and you were looking for answers, I knew I could no longer deny you the truth. Your fate to become a killer had already been written–a deadly weapon for the Goths who need you more now after the passing of Benedikte. She gave you a powerful raider weapon to defeat the enemy. But that weapon only works when you show true loyalty to your clan. I see doubt in you, and that’s why your weapon has faded. You see, Nora, your life was chosen for you, and you must do what you were designed for. Your purpose is not your own. You may not even know what it is.”

  “There is still hope, with Magnus—”

  “Yes, Magnus is strong willed. He carries his father’s heritage. I can see why he chose you to lead Jarls, and why he trusts you. I also know why he wants me dead. The Goth law falls against traitors like me. I’m an outlaw. I should redeem myself and grant you access to Arres, but I can’t. The decision does not sit with me anymore. I have passed my responsibilities on, and Grethe is the gatekeeper to the port. You’ll have to defeat her first to get to the City of Assassins, which is set five hundred years back in time. Even the best of raiders have not returned from that world. As for me, I no longer care if I live or if I die. My time has come, and I am not afraid anymore. I should have seen this coming. But if you should die, everything you were chosen to carry will fall into the hands of the Verans. I cannot say that is what I wish for, but I cannot let you come here and demand the weapons the way you have, not without a battle. Who knows why the gods test us in the ways they do? Shall my own blood kill me for deserting my clan? For banishing? The City of Vikings is my legacy. The Norsemen and descendants from every race have a seat on my council. The people of this city live openly in transparency, in trust, and in harmony. This is not another East; this is the only East. And I, as Earl, must serve justice to my people. Do what is right. They know why you have come. They have been waiting and are afraid of what comes next. I don’t have to tell you Grethe is a fierce and ruthless assassin. She’s killed an army of men with the flash of blades and daggers when they tried to enter past our gates. The wizard and myself trained her. Yes, she knows magic, and unlike the Goths, she is not afraid to use it. I urge you to get some rest, body and soul, but if you’d rather attend the Viking fest on the other side and mingle with people who do not welcome you, I’ll leave the door open. You are free and no prisoner in my city. This may, after all, be your last
night alive.”

  He wanders around nervously and glances at me from the corner of his eye. I’ve listened to all that he said, but I didn’t expect it to be this difficult. He speaks of battle, honor and duty. What do I know of all this? I feel like the wild untamed animal from the outside that has come here to destroy what he’s spent his life building. I’ve not come here to destroy their world or to obstruct peace.

  “Robert,” I say, my voice cold. “You said sometimes not knowing the truth is better than a blissful kiss from the gods. What did you mean when you said that?”

  “It is my firm belief that the child Karen and I thought was dead lives.”

  “What are you saying?” I chew my lip. I begin to resent where this is going, and his long silence stings me like a swarm of wild bees. I know what he is about to say next and I do not like it. “Tell me, who—”

  “— His name would have been William Janus Hunt.” The words pull out slowly from his mouth. He turns his back on me.

  “And who is he?” I say. “Is he here?” I am relieved and excited. If I have a brother and he lives, I want to meet him.

  “It’s Frederick. He’s your brother.”

  5

  The Fest

  WHEN HE LEAVES, the heaviness in my body pulls me into a black ocean. I don’t know how I feel after all that has been said between us. Father or daughter? Friend or foe? Ally or opponent? I don’t know. I wish he’d not judged me for coming here and seeking what is mine. I don’t believe the last thing he said to me. It’s not possible.

  Frederick can’t be my brother. I refuse to believe it for the simple reason that I am in love with him. How can anyone be in love with their own brother? I push the thoughts away, but they keep invading my mind. His deep blue eyes, his honey blond locks. Frederick bears no resemblance to his brother, Tommy, or to his father, Lord Wilhelm.

  No! I don’t want to believe it. It’s a mistake. There’s been a mistake; that’s all. The Earl thinks Frederick is his son because the Verans took him and because he bears a striking resemblance to me. But that doesn’t mean he’s my brother. It doesn’t mean anything. Most Vikings are blond and blue-eyed, although not everyone in the Triangle. It’s a trick to keep me away from him. Robert is lying. He must have sensed the strong bond that binds me to Frederick, and he doesn’t want us to be together. He spun up this lie just so he can separate us. How can something so absurd really be the truth?

  Each thought hits me harder than the next: Frederick, Karen, Grethe, and Robert. One big happy family. I should be filled with joy. Reunite, celebrate. Join the Viking fest. Tomorrow, Robert tells me I may not even be alive, so much for the foretelling. Where does that leave Karen? Where does that leave any of us hunting the shadows of Viking worlds?

  What difference does it make if Frederick is my brother? None. He was always forbidden to me, my enemy in blood and in dynasty. If anyone should know the truth, it’s the snake, Lord Wilhelm. I can’t trust him; he’d say anything to get what he wants. He is eager to scrape his nails against my back, his fingers melting with my flesh just so he can get his hands on the map. The damned map. The curse Karen put on me and pushed me into the world for and for what? So she can give me up and use me? Get me killed for not following orders? How could she? She’s been using me all this time. I feel sick, disgusted.

  The web of lies never ends. It continues like an evil spiral.

  I’d rather die than give in to what the Goths want. I will not be their slave and obey their rules. I feel betrayed; shocked at how far Karen is willing to go to get what she wants. Her obsessive need for power and control. And the order to kill my own father from Magnus. But what did Robert mean when he said it’s the will of the gods? Does he want to die? Has he given up before the battle has begun? Robert knows things. He knows what’s on my mind, and he knows of the past. He knows even more of the future. He’s been watching me, following my every move from his little realm.

  He said they use magic, and Grethe has the power. They seal their borders with spells, which is why trespassing the Forbidden Areas to get to the City of Vikings feels like an illusion. Frederick knows magic and manipulation. I have to get to him, get to the Ashes. Together, we need a way into the City of Assassins, so that we can find the weapons to protect ourselves against both our clans before they claim Midgard in a bloodbath.

  But I will not go into battle against my own sister. I may not like Grethe, the charming little bird that she is, but that doesn’t mean I should abuse my powers and rid myself of her. There are other ways—reasoning, logic, and plain common sense. Perhaps I could talk to her, convince her that I am not her enemy. But she’ll not want anyone to get access to the weapons. It’s what she is tasked to do, to be a deadly gatekeeper. It’s her sole purpose, is it not?

  By the gods, if Robert is right and Frederick is my brother—William—he should have a say in all this as a third heir to the legacy of the weapons. So there are three Viking assassins carrying the eternal curse to kill. Together we can protect ourselves from the outside threats. What frightens me is Lord Nourusa, but Frederick will know how to defeat him. He knows of the dark ways and the ways of the Verans. Suddenly, I understand that I need the weapons to win the battles that I face and to be free with Frederick to live in Midgard. I need Frederick’s help.

  The warm evening wind blows and my eyes turn to the creaking door. The sound from the fest is getting louder: music, chatter, and laughing. I leave the room. Maybe Frederick is there. Grethe might also be there. I have to convince her that the battle tomorrow morning is a bad idea. She may not want to listen to me, the devout daughter that she is, but I have to try at least reasoning with her. I don’t want Grethe to believe she’s a fool for letting me take the weapons. Is she really willing to let the City of Vikings face battle from the enemy?

  I need to find Frederick and tell him the news. Something tells me he already knows. I look down at my chip and tap it. Maybe there’s a way I can connect with him. I desperately keep tapping my chip, but I can’t get a signal. How did Magnus’s message reach me?

  I slip down the stairs and face the main square. I see a black rose bush with unusually long claw-like thorns. I don’t remember seeing it before and hope it’s not a magic spell to distract me from going to the fest. Something about the deep, dark blackness of the roses shining in the moonlight is arresting. Rotten leaves infuse my airways.

  I stretch out my hand, as if spellbound to pick a rose, and feel Frederick’s whisper tickle my neck. I turn, but no one is there except my own shadow. I step back. The petals fall to the ground and begin to wither. I see snakes mangling around my legs. It’s an illusion. It can’t be real. My limbs freeze. I try to focus on something else, anything except the snakes crowding my legs, hissing at me.

  I close my eyes. I try to think about the memories I’ve lost of the East. I’m with someone. He’s tall, muscular and dark skinned. Who is this person? And why don’t I see his face? The faint vision of the person from my past flickers in my mind. I look down. The snakes are no longer there. The black rose bush lights up in blazing flames. I step back and scurry into the courtyard when a strong wind blows my way. I peer up a dwindling pathway. A shadow is approaching.

  “Frederick?” I whisper. “Is that you?”

  “Nora?”

  It is him. His eyes are dim and dark.

  “You’ve come for me.” I run to him and hold him close. I breathe in his scent. He is cold to the bone and his arms are hanging to his side instead of holding me. “What’s wrong?” I look up to find his face as gray as the midnight moon. He turns toward the darkness becoming almost invisible. I know what stings his mind. I can almost gaze into it. He’s had the news Robert gave me. He knows, about the lie.

  “You don’t believe it, do you? I’ve never heard anything more—” He turns around. “What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you believe we are brother and sister.”

  “Whether I believe it or not doesn’t matter,” he says, his tone stone cold. “It’
s whether it’s the truth.”

  “It’s not,” I say. “We’re the same age. I was born sixteen winters ago, and you must have been born—”

  “Two years earlier than you. I turned eighteen this year.”

  “That doesn’t prove anything,” I say. “Frederick, listen. They’re turning us against one another. Together we’re strong, but apart we become weak, enemies. We need to work as one regardless of what Robert claims.”

  “I want to believe you. By the gods, you are my soul, Nora. But I’m no fool either. If you are my sister, I’d honor it the way we’re supposed to and love you like one.”

  “Don’t speak to me like that,” I hiss. “It’s upsetting.”

  “If it’s true, and I hope by Odin it is not—”

  “It’s not the truth—”

  “Stop saying that,” Frederick says, with a sharp a edge to his voice. “Saying it over and over doesn’t make it disappear.”

  “Why are you this way?” I say. “It’s like you’ve accepted whatever they told you in the Ashes. How was it there anyway? I was worried about you. Where is Mina?”

  “Mina is still there.” His voice doesn’t change much; it’s flat as the cold ground beneath me. “It’s safer for her to stay there. Out here she will be at risk for being attacked. She is not able to defend herself the way we are.” He wears a brown cloak.

  “What’s this?” I say. He hands me a similar looking cloak.

  “Wear it. We’re going to the fest.” He marches ahead of me. The wind flares behind his cloak and hits me. It is cold and detached like Frederick. Just the way he was, when I saw him for the first time. What a moment that was. The sight of him consumed me; it still does and no matter how weak my heart feels, Frederick is right. We need to get to the bottom of everything first. The Earl has no interest of his own to make up such a lie. Karen, on the other hand, I never trusted.