by Lucy Roy
Ordona, her back to the door, stood beside Florian and Ana, who were crouched over a still, blanket-covered form.
“No,” Aer breathed, his hand tightening in hers.
Byrric strode past them, so they followed him as he made his way across the room toward the queen.
When Ordona saw Aer, she let out a sigh of relief. “Thank the gods,” she murmured, her eyes instantly welling with tears as she reached for him. Stepping back, Freya looked to her father, then down at Salazar’s still face, his body covered by his mantle.
“What happened?” Byrric demanded. “He was fine when I left!”
Aer turned accusing eyes on Byrric. “You said they were safe!”
“A delayed reaction to something in his food,” Freya’s aunt said quietly, standing to face them. “Based on his symptoms and the rapid way in which he is… deteriorating, my guess would be ore powder.” Ana’s wide, sad eyes looked at Ordona, then back at Aer. “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do, other than make him comfortable.”
Freya frowned and shook her head. “Can’t Florian—”
“I’ve exhausted all of my remedies,” Florian said quietly, then looked at Ordona who was staring, devastated, at her husband. “And we’ve both used up nearly all of our magic attempting to heal him.”
“If we’d known sooner…” Ordona said, her voice quavering with grief. “It’s possible, but we didn’t notice anything was wrong until we reached the caves.”
“Could I try?” Freya asked. “Perhaps there’s something—”
Ana shook her head. “If it were a magical malady, I would say yes, but Freya, we all know the damage ore powder causes.”
Yes, Freya thought. We certainly do.
“How—how long?” Aer rasped, his jaw tight and rigid.
Ana sent Byrric a look, then looked at the prince, her eyes full of pity. “Not very,” she replied. Another look toward Byrric, then to Florian, before she returned her attention to the prince and queen. “Your Highness, Your Majesty, I would recommend saying your farewells.”
Ordona’s face crumbled under the weight of Ana’s words as she reached out for her son. Freya released his hand, brushing her own down his arm as he stepped forward to be with his mother. She felt her father come to a stop beside her, hovering silently as a heavy lump formed in her throat.
The queen and prince knelt beside Salazar, Aer at his side, Ordona at his head.
Aer rested a hand on his father’s slowly rising chest. “Father? Can you hear me?”
Freya closed her eyes, forcing back tears when she heard Ordona’s muffled sob.
Salazar’s dark, cloudy eyes drifted open slightly. He stared up at the ceiling blankly for a moment before he looked to his son. No words came, but his eyes, full of a fatherly love Freya had only rarely seen, took him in. His fingers fluttered against his stomach, stilling once he touched his other hand, where the heavy golden ring set with a single, large ruby encircled his thumb. He gave it a small tap, then blinked.
Tap tap tap.
Blink.
“You have to take it, Your Highness,” Florian said.
Aer sent him a shocked look. “My father—”
“Is the king and he is dying,” Florian said. “Lindoroth cannot be without a king, even for a moment. You must take his ring.”
Freya opened her mouth to defend Aer, but Byrric clamped a hand down on her shoulder, silencing her. “I am truly sorry, Your Highness, but Andreus is right.” He inclined his head toward where Salazar was still tapping his thumb. “It’s time.”
Aer looked to Freya, then his mother, who pulled him into an embrace.
“I’m so sorry, darling,” Ordona said, her voice thick with unshed tears. “This is not how I intended things to be.”
Aer stared dazedly down at his father. Salazar gave a nod so small it was no more than a twitch of his chin, but his hand stilled when Aer reached out and slid the ring from his finger.
“I will serve your memory well,” Aer whispered, his fingers curling around it as Salazar’s eyes drifted shut. “I will be the king you raised me to be.”
Ordona rested her golden hands against Salazar’s cheeks as she pressed her forehead to his, weeping.
“We’ve only moments, Your Highness,” Florian murmured. “His heartbeat slows.”
When he made no move to rise, Freya knelt down beside Aer and covered her hand with his. A shudder ran through his body, emotion that he refused to make visible to everyone who was looking on. Salazar’s breathing became more labored and shallow.
Aer’s eyes were wide with shock when he looked at her. “Can we do this, Freya?”
“Without question.” Her own heart was thundering as the gravity of the situation slowly sank in, but she shoved back her own fears. She’d deal with herself later. Right now, this was about him. “Stand with me?”
He gave a short nod, then let her take his hand. When they stood, she cupped his face in her hands and stared into his eyes. “We can do this, Aer. You can do this.”
“Aerelius, please,” Ordona whispered, slipping off her own ring and pressing it into his hand along with Salazar’s. “Now is not the time to doubt yourself.”
He exhaled a heavy breath, then nodded.
As one, he and Freya turned to Florian, who stood beside Byrric.
Raising his voice, Florian addressed everyone in the room. “I will need all witnesses to come forth for the transference of power to the king and queen incumbents!”
Freya thought she might be sick.
Numbly, she watched as the others in the cavern began to come forward, surprised murmurs rippling throughout the room. Once everyone had settled into a circle around them, Florian spoke to Aer and Freya.
“I will transfer the king’s power to you, and from you to your bride,” he told Aer, slipping a thin dagger from his sheath. “Commander Balthana and I will then pledge our service to you both.” He inclined his head toward their hands. “Your hands, please?”
Together, Freya and Aer held out their hands, palms up. Quickly, Florian scored the flesh of Aer’s palm, then Freya’s. Then, holding Aer’s hand in place, he closed his eyes. His lips gave a small twitch, then magic, pure and white, began to flow from Salazar’s failing body upward to swirl around the pair of them, hovering expectantly.
“Take her hand, Your Highness, and allow your blood to mix.”
Aer’s eyes were unfathomable as he wrapped his hand around hers, pressing their palms together just as they had done the night before.
Freya felt the kick of power immediately as it speared through Aer and straight into her. It swirled within her, touching her own magic like an old friend, twining around each other as though they’d been waiting for this day for some time.
The magic began to swirl faster, forming a cyclone around their bodies, the light nearly blinding as Florian spoke again.
“On this day, I Andreus of House Florian, Master Warlock and Spymaster of House Harridan, declare this male and this female the king and queen of Lindoroth, bound by the magic of their predecessors.”
Freya’s eyes widened, and she sent a shocked look at Aer, but he didn’t seem at all surprised to hear Florian’s true titles.
With a final burst of light, the power that had come from Salazar finished binding its new king and queen to the land.
“I present you with your king and queen, his majesty Aerelius Harridan and her majesty Freya Harridan. Long may they reign.”
And then, the answering call.
“Long may they reign.”
The words had hardly been spoken when Salazar’s heart gave one last heavy beat, then went silent forever.
Chapter 50
Freya and Aer hardly had time to squeeze each other’s hands in a show of support before Byrric started barking orders. Ana and Florian covered Salazar’s body, then Florian and Ordona magicked him away, hiding him somewhere no one would find him until his family could return and properly put him to rest in the palace catacom
bs. The rest of the occupants of the cave were quiet, most still a bit dazed, but all at attention as Byrric told everyone what their next steps were.
Still reeling from the new magic that was settling itself inside her, Freya listened as her father handed out assignments, sending individuals and small groups here and there across Lindoroth to spread the news of what had happened and to gather forces.
She knew she should be doing something, anything, that was more… queenly than waiting for her father, but all she could do was stand beside Aer as they, Byrric, and Ordona pored over a map of Lindoroth to determine where best to send people. As they had no idea how far Lessia and Willem’s people had gotten into Lindoroth, they were running on the assumption that infiltrators could be anywhere, meaning small groups were the safest way to travel.
The plan so far was for Freya and Aer, along with a handful of others, to head west, aiming for Iston, where the rest of the Valkyrie would be waiting for her. Jonas, Isadora, and Reginald would travel with them part of the way before splitting off to find those groups of Jotnar who lived along the border between lands and wanted to live as far from Lessia’s rule as possible but had no way of ensuring their own safety if they continued south. Ervic, the former king’s most trusted guard, was assigned to spirit Ordona as far from Iladel as they could get. Not a word was spoken about where that might be.
Once all orders had been delivered and everyone began gathering supplies from the stockpile the cavern seemed to be filled with, Byrric handed her and Aer two heavily-laden rucksacks.
“You’ll go on foot,” he told them. “Ana has been ensuring allegiances in Iston and the nearby regions, so you’ll be welcome there.”
Aer jerked the bag from Byrric’s hand. “How long have you known this might happen?”
“This?” Byrric shook his head. “We had no indication this would happen.”
“We heard you colluding with Reginald,” Freya said flatly, sending a look at the man who stood nearby.
“You heard a man justifiably concerned about a relationship forming between Willem and Lessia. He thought she was planning an attack on Dystone and brought his concerns to us. We agreed to assess the situation with Willem when he arrived, determine if he seemed to be under any type of thrall, which he didn’t. In the interim, though, I sent out feelers to determine who else we might be able to call on, should the need arise.”
Aer ground his teeth together as pure fury lit his eyes as he looked at both Byrric and his mother. “And yet you all saw fit to bring them here, gather them in one place? Regardless of Reginald’s concerns—”
“Rescinding invitations to a royal wedding was not an option,” Ordona told him wearily. “If Lessia didn’t already plan to attack, a slight like that might have spurred her on.”
“Florian will be going with you,” Byrric interjected, no longer willing to debate. “Everyone in your party will need to be glamoured,” he said, seeing the question on Freya’s lips at hearing Florian’s name. “You’ll exhaust yourself within a week if you do it on your own, and his other skill sets will prove useful along the way, as well.”
“Florian, the royal spymaster who somehow missed an impending coup?” Freya couldn’t help the bitterness in her voice.
“Our concern at the time was Lessia’s intentions with Dystone,” Byrric said sharply. “By all accounts she’s had her eye on the human lands for decades. Any plotting Willem and Lessia did was done long before we began watching.” He sent her a level stare. “Don’t question his methods, Freya. It won’t get you anywhere.”
As the rest of their party—Lea, Laz, Collin, and Myria, along with Reginald, Jonas, Isadora, Florian, and a handful of guards—joined them, Freya and Aer took a few moments to inspect their packs and converse in private.
Stepping away from the rest of the group, Freya gripped his hands.
“Are you alright?” She knew how stupid the question sounded, considering, but the queen’s ring felt as though it weighed a hundred pounds on her thumb, so she could only imagine how much harder it was for him.
“No,” he said, exhaling a heavy breath. “I’m not. But neither of us can take the time to dwell on that now.”
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she drew him in for a hug. His arms tightened around her waist as he buried his face in her shoulder. For a few moments, they stood there as he got his emotions in hand and she tried to push aside all that was gnawing at her to make herself strong for everyone around her.
Her subjects. They really and truly were her subjects now.
When she turned back to face her friends, she saw Lea looking toward the entrance to the cavern. She’d changed her clothes and was now wearing a pair of black pants and a fitted black shirt with a sheath at her hip. She wore a hard look of determination.
“Lea, what is it?” Freya asked, glancing fearfully toward the exit.
Eyes hard, Lea faced her. “I’m going to stay.”
“What?” Freya shook her head. “No, Lea, they’ll kill you!”
“Absolutely not!” Aer said firmly.
“Hear her out,” Ordona said calmly. The look she wore was similar to that of her niece.
Aer sent his mother a disbelieving look. “Mother, you can’t— ”
“They killed our fathers, Aerelius!” Lea shouted, tears filling her wide, dark eyes. “How can you ask us all to just flee?”
“It’s the best option if we all want to live,” Freya said calmly. “You know this.”
“No.” Lea straightened her shoulders. “I won’t leave my mother here and you both know someone needs to remain behind.” She sent beseeching eyes at Byrric, who stood not far behind Freya. “Commander, you know that I’m right.”
“What’s going on?” Jonas asked, coming up beside them.
Jaw tight, Byrric stared at Lea, then glanced at Jonas before finally looking at Aer and Freya.
“It’s a good plan.” He held up a hand before Freya and Aer could argue. “Not alone, though.”
Lea frowned, then her faced relaxed when she saw Byrric looked toward Jonas again.
“Thank you.” She nodded and sniffed, wiping the dampness of tears from her cheeks. “Yes, yes, that will work perfectly.”
Aer caught on a moment before Freya. “You want her to stay behind as his prisoner? No. I won’t allow it.”
Lea looked as though she might spit.
“At the risk of getting stabbed again,” Jonas began, eyeing them warily, “might I offer my opinion?” When Freya and Aer didn’t respond, he nodded. “If my aunt believes I have not turned against her, I and, by proxy, Lea will be at an advantageous position in the middle of court.”
Ordona put a hand on Aer’s arm. “Darling, he isn’t wrong. Believe me, I don’t want to agree with them, but as neither of us can stay behind in such a beneficial position, it is the best option.”
"How do you plan to keep her from getting tossed in the dungeons?” Aer asked, arms folded.
Jonas sent a quick look to Lea. “So long as Lessia believes I am on her side, I will be able to ensure Lea is not treated poorly in any way.”
Lea’s jaw tightened but she raised her chin in a show of confidence. “He can request that he be allowed to claim me as spoils of war.” She lifted a brow. “Correct?”
He nodded tersely, seeming to be just as uncomfortable with the thought as she.
Freya’s stomach roiled at the thought of what that might mean, what Lea would be expected to do.
“No.” She shook her head. “Even if we could trust Jonas, what of the other Jotnar and humans who may try to take advantage?”
“I won’t let that happen,” Jonas said firmly. “I promise no harm will come to her.”
“We cannot overrule your decisions,” Byrric said, “but it would behoove you to reconsider.”
Though she didn’t want to admit it, Freya saw—and hated—the logic behind their plan, despite how hastily it had formed.
Aer looked down at Freya, and she saw the same conclusi
ons in his eyes that she’d just come to. It was a simple plan and, if executed properly, could put Lea in a place where she could easily act as spy.
“I will keep her safe,” Jonas said quietly. “I’ll swear it, if you need me to.”
“You say that as though you have another option,” Aer said dryly, holding out his hand as Byrric gestured for Freya’s blade.
Quickly and efficiently, Freya scored Aer and Jonas’ palms, then recited the incantation that bound Jonas’ loyalty to any who carried the same blood as Aerelius.
When it was done, she slid her dagger back into her sheath and turned to Lea.
“Are you sure about this?” She took her friend’s hands. “This is utterly insane.”
Lea took a deep breath and nodded. “We all have our roles to play, Freya. Let me do what I can to hold onto our family’s throne until you return.”
There was a loud thump some distance away, causing everyone in the room to go silent. She and Lea only had time to exchange a single, wide-eyed look before the lights winked out around them. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness almost immediately, but she could hardly make out more than the shapes of those around her.
Another thump, this time a bit closer.
“I’ll take care of her, Your Majesties,” Jonas said quietly, his voice suddenly closer than it had been a moment before. “Upon pain of death, you have my word.”