by Donna Grant
Maybe things would be different if she had let Brom come with her. She wanted to kick herself because she knew that for the lie it was. She hadn’t let Brom come because she knew it would’ve meant his life. The Gira wanted her, and they had done everything to make sure they had her right where they wanted her.
She walked to the male who was still on his knees, holding the sword. Her hand hovered over it for a moment before she wrapped her fingers around the pommel and claimed it. There was no rush of power or anything to signify that what she held was a sword containing a bone of the First Witch, but that didn’t matter. Not now, at least.
The Gira had chosen her as their queen, and they had given her the sword. That meant she had the power now.
20
Brom fidgeted. He wanted to go, but Malene told him to remain. He wasn’t sure why, but he was beginning to wonder if it was her way of keeping him from going after Runa. If that were the case, she would be disappointed because nothing could keep him from Runa.
He got to his feet and looked around. The snowfall continued with some flurries dancing through the air as if they couldn’t decide which direction to go. He looked through the trees to the sky, but it was still too dark to see anything. With no moon available, he had to either remain where he was until dawn or use magic.
He heard a sound behind him. He whirled around to see a woman bent over, a hand on the tree to steady herself as she coughed and emptied her stomach. She started to straighten before she fell sideways into the snow.
Brom rushed to her. As he knelt beside the woman, he found himself looking into the face of the Lady of the Varroki. “Malene?” he asked as he put a hand beneath her nose.
She was still breathing, but the fact that she was unconscious wasn’t a good sign. He wasn’t sure how she had gotten here, but he suspected she’d used magic, which meant it would send a call out to every witch in the Coven. He had to get her up so they could get away.
“Malene,” he said, tapping her face. “Wake up. Come on. Wake up.”
He lightly slapped her face twice more before her lashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes. As she looked up at him, she seemed to realize where she was and sat up. “You stayed.”
“I did,” he said as he helped her to her feet. “We can’t remain here.”
“We won’t.”
“Which direction do you want to go?” he asked, looking around.
Malene’s hand wrapped around his wrist. In the next blink, he was falling through the sky. Just as quickly as it had begun, it ended. He tried to remain on his feet, but the room started to spin, and his stomach rebelled. All while his head felt as if someone had split it in two. Brom bent over just as someone shoved a bucket beneath him.
He managed to lift his head to see a man striding into the chamber, heading straight to Malene, who he caught in his arms as she collapsed. That was the last thing Brom saw before the darkness took him.
It could have been an hour or ten years before Brom finally opened his eyes again. He was still shaken by what Malene had done. As he stared up at the ceiling of the chamber, he began to comprehend that she had used a very rare, very difficult spell that allowed for huge jumps over land. The reason it was rarely used was because it not only took a great deal of magic, but it also took a massive toll on those who used it.
Given the pain in Brom’s skull, the spell also took its toll on passengers. He gripped his head as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. His stomach churned, but he managed to keep from being sick. Barely.
“You’re finally awake.”
He knew that voice. Armir. Brom lifted his gaze to find the Varroki sitting at a table before the hearth. Armir was furious. Brom wasn’t entirely sure the anger wasn’t directed at him. “Why did she bring me here?”
“To save your bloody life,” Armir stated and slammed his hand on the table. “And nearly took her own in the process.”
Brom winced at the pounding Armir’s fist caused in his head. Then he followed the Varroki’s gaze to a chair where Malene sat, looking pale and in as much pain as he was.
“I didn’t have time to get you,” Malene said. “Besides, bringing you would’ve caused me more pain.”
Armir rose swiftly, his anger palpable. “You left without me because you knew I’d stop you.”
“Yes,” she admitted, looking him in the eye.
Armir shook his head and stormed from the chamber.
Malene sighed and looked at Brom. “Forgive him. He’s a little protective.”
“You are the Lady of the Varroki.”
She smiled swiftly, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Sometimes, a person in my position must put themselves in danger for the greater good.”
“I’m no’ sure I understand.”
Malene moved a lock of flaxen hair from her face and shifted in her chair. “If you had remained in the forest, the Gira would’ve found you.”
“I might have been able to get them to bring me to Runa.”
Malene shook her head. “I doubt it.”
His gaze narrowed on her. Despite his aching head, he realized she was leaving out important details. “What do you know?”
“The Gira found Runa.”
“Is she hurt?” He was immediately on his feet, about to demand that Malene take him back to the forest.
The Lady’s gray gaze dropped to the floor for a heartbeat. “Nay, she isn’t.”
“You are no’ making me feel better. Whatever you know, just tell me.”
“The Gira have chosen a new queen. Runa.”
Brom blinked then shrugged. “She doesna have to accept, does she?”
“You know the nymphs, Brom. Do you honestly believe they would put someone in such a position and allow them to refuse?”
His mind was going in all different directions, trying to think of something, anything, to say.
“If you had remained in the woods, the Gira would’ve found you. If they didn’t kill you immediately, they would’ve brought you to Runa, where they would’ve urged her to end your life.”
He frowned. “She wouldna have done that.”
“You said yourself that you don’t know Runa that well.”
Brom was thinking of something to say when the door flew open, and a couple stormed in, followed by Armir. The woman had blond hair pulled back in a thick braid. Her amber eyes fastened on him. In her face, he spotted similarities to Runa. Without hearing the woman speak, he knew this was Synne. The Hunter wore brown pants, a beige tunic, and a dark leather vest and boots.
He looked past her to the towering man who had his hand on Synne’s lower back, which must mean he was Lachlan. The Scot’s long, black hair was pulled back in a queue, and his gray eyes dared Brom to irritate his woman.
“I thought they should know,” Armir said to Malene as he walked around the couple and returned to his seat near the fire.
Synne’s chest heaved as she took a few short steps toward Brom. “Is it true? Do you know my sister?”
“Aye,” Brom replied. “Her name is Runa.”
“I know. The trees gave me your message.” Synne smiled and looked back at Lachlan. Then her gaze swung to Malene. “This is a sign. Brom said Runa would save her family.”
Malene used the arms of the chair to push herself to her feet. Out of the corner of his eye, Brom saw Armir stiffen as he got ready to jump up and rush to Malene. There was more than just respect and admiration in Armir’s gaze. There was something else there, something that was barely veiled—love. Brom wondered if Malene knew it.
“I did what I thought was the wisest thing to do,” Malene told the room.
The door opened for a second time and another couple came in. The woman had dark red hair and vivid green eyes. Beside her was a Varroki warrior. Brom wasn’t sure how he knew exactly, he just did. Perhaps it was the man’s stance, or the way his blue eyes so pale they were nearly white watched Brom.
The woman smiled. “You’ve made a grand entrance.”
“No’ something I intended,” Brom replied.
The warrior gave a nod to Malene and walked to Brom. He stopped a foot away, his unusual eyes sweeping over Brom. “You’re a warlock, then?”
“I have magic from my father, who was a Varroki, if that’s what you’re asking.”
The man suddenly smiled and glanced at Armir. Then he held out his arm to Brom. “I’m Jarin.”
Brom was so shocked to finally meet the warrior that, for a heartbeat, he didn’t reply. He clasped Jarin’s forearm and smiled. “It’s good to meet you.”
“And I’m Helena,” the woman said as she came to stand beside Jarin.
Brom bowed his head to the witch, recalling the conversations he’d heard that included her. Jarin wrapped his arm around Helena and looked down at her with such devotion that Brom felt he should look away.
“Sybbyl will no doubt know what you’ve done,” Armir said into the silence.
All eyes turned to Malene, who looked directly at Armir. “I knew that.”
“You put yourself in danger for him.” The fury in Armir’s voice filled the chamber and grew with each moment.
Malene quirked a flaxen brow at him. “Brom is the key.”
“The key?” Synne asked. “The key to what?”
Brom wanted to know the same thing. Everyone began to talk at once, asking Malene all sorts of questions, with no one paying any attention to him. Frankly, he wasn’t going to stand for it.
“Enough!” Brom shouted. When everyone went quiet and looked at him, he drew in a breath and tried to collect his thoughts. “I understand there is a lot at stake here, but I am able to make my own choices whether you agree with them or not.” He pointedly looked at Malene. “You may have had good intentions by bringing me here, but you should’ve asked.”
She lifted one shoulder. “You wouldn’t have agreed.”
“As he said, that was his right,” Jarin replied, no heat in his words.
Brom shook his head. “Runa is out there on her own. She needs an ally.”
“And that’s you?” Synne asked.
Brom’s gaze slid to her. “It is.”
“And what of the Gira and the Coven?” Armir asked. “How did you think to get through them? Do you even know what Sybbyl tried with Jarin?”
Brom glanced at the warrior and nodded. “I heard conversations.”
“We’ve not even gotten to that part,” Armir added, his tone dripping with ire.
Malene held up her hands, quieting everyone. “While I don’t like that Brom listened in on our conversations, not once did he share any of the details with anyone.”
“And you don’t think he will if Sybbyl gets hold of him?” Helena asked. The witch shrugged. “No offense, Brom, but Jarin and I know firsthand what Sybbyl will do to get what she wants.”
Brom shifted his feet, beginning to feel slightly better with each passing moment. “I can no’ say what I would or wouldna do, especially if Runa’s life was in danger.”
“My point,” Armir stated icily.
“However,” Brom said, drawing out the word as he glared at Armir, “I would do everything in my power to keep any knowledge of you or Blackglade from Sybbyl.”
Synne twisted her lips. “I think we all appreciate your words, but you’ve not come up against Sybbyl. You don’t know what she’s capable of.”
“You’re right. I doona.” Brom left it at that since there wasn’t anything he could say that would help matters. The fact that he had been taken farther away from Runa only irritated him more.
Malene sank back down to the chair. Her face was pale, and she looked like she needed to sleep, but she remained. “I’m sorry I brought you here without asking your consent, Brom. I knew you would refuse, and I needed you here.”
“Why?” Armir asked as he rose and walked to lean against the wall near Malene.
It was as if he had to be near the Lady of the Varroki, and the more Brom looked, the more it was obvious that Armir was in love with her. What Brom couldn’t determine was if Malene felt the same way about the commander.
But Malene didn’t answer Armir. Instead, she drew in a breath and slowly released it. It appeared as if she carried a great weight, something that was slowly crushing her. And he had the distinct impression that it involved him. Suddenly, he didn’t want to know any more. He wanted to rewind and take back every question he had. If he hadn’t spoken to Malene, she never would’ve come to get him, and he would still be out there searching for Runa.
As much as he wanted to believe all of that, he knew it was a lie. Malene had said that he was the key. Regardless of whether he had or hadn’t spoken with her that first time, he knew without a doubt that he’d be in Blackglade eventually regardless.
“You said I was the key,” Brom spoke into the silence.
Malene blinked rapidly and nodded. “Ever since the Blood Skull was found, I’ve been getting snippets of things. Sometimes, they’re in my dreams. Other times, they appear when I’m awake. I couldn’t tell at first if I was seeing something important or if I was just getting used to the magic.”
The more she spoke, the deeper the frown on Armir’s face became. Brom could well understand the distress filling Armir’s gaze. It was pretty much the same thing Brom had felt since Runa left.
“What did you see?” Brom asked when no one else spoke.
Malene licked her lips and shot a quick glance behind her to Armir. “Snow. Magic. Death. Fire. Trees. And a man’s back. I began to suspect over the last few weeks that they were all connected.”
“The roof of the tower,” Armir said, more to himself.
Malene paused for a heartbeat. “I might have fought my magic and position at one time, but after I accepted it, the power doubled. With it came certain…abilities.”
“Like traveling over vast distances in moments?” Brom asked.
“Just like that. Also, I’ve heard Trea’s voice, the First Witch. The more I heard, the more I could piece a few things together. Though I never saw the face of the man in my vision, I did hear his voice. It was you, Brom.”
What did one say to something like that? Brom couldn’t think of anything, so he remained silent.
“Then,” Malene continued, “when you spoke to the trees and sent out that message, I knew for sure.”
Brom frowned and slid his gaze to Synne for a moment. “I knew from overhearing a recent conversation that Synne was worried about her sister. I didna know much, but I figured what I did know could help.”
“Exactly,” Malene said with a wide smile. “Except, your actions were much greater than you realize.”
Brom nodded as he recalled those words from earlier. “You said that before. What do you mean?”
“You said you wanted the trees to give Synne your message. Is that all you intended.”
“Aye. What else could I have done?”
Malene’s smile grew. “You used no magic when you spoke to the trees.”
“Nay.” Brom was getting frustrated. He just wanted an answer. But for whatever reason, Malene was leading him somewhere instead of telling him what he wanted to know.
“Why?”
Brom sighed loudly and looked at the floor as he shook his head. “I didna think I needed to. I’d heard Synne say the trees told her where her sister was, so I hoped they could hear me. Then there was the fact that I didna want anyone to know of my magic. By no’ using any, I remained hidden.”
“You forgot that which you carry. The object that called to you all those years ago.”
Brom reached for his bag, only to realize that it was gone. His gaze quickly moved around the circular chamber, searching for it.
“Easy,” Armir said as he walked around Malene and moved to the table and benches. There, sitting on the pew, was his bag. Armir grasped it and took it to Brom.
Brom accepted it and looked inside. The rib bone was still there, but just to be sure it was from the First Witch, he touched it. The moment he did, the magic
zinged through his palm and up his arm.
“For months now, I’ve believed that the Blood Skull finding its Warden began everything, but that isn’t true. The Blood Skull wasn’t the first relic since the finger bone had been in the sword passed down in Lachlan’s clan for generations. The Staff of the Eternal has also belonged to a family for generations.” Malene’s gray eyes caught and held Brom’s gaze. “What began all of this was you. Trea coming to you and leading you to the rib bone.”
Brom felt the weight of everyone’s eyes on him. He wanted to deny everything Malene said, but he couldn’t. “Aye.”
“You knew where to find the rib bone because Trea spoke to you, as well.”
He slowly nodded. “She first came to me in a dream when I was but a lad. The older I got, the more she appeared. She never spoke, but I knew her name. I used to go up into the mountains in a cave every so often to be by myself. It would take me hours to connect to Blackglade. I learned spells and how to do magic simply by listening to everyone here. During one of those times, she spoke to me. She told me exactly where to find the bone.”
“Did she say anything else?” Helena asked.
“Nay,” Brom answered. “But I didna hesitate to strike out the next day to go and find it. It took me months, but I retrieved it. I’ve kept it with me ever since, telling no one, no’ even my mother.”
Jarin caught his attention. “Did you hear from Trea again?”
“She didna speak again, nay. However, she appeared a day before I saw Runa’s face in a dream.”
Synne perked up. “Was it Trea who showed you my sister?”
Brom hated to disappoint her. “Actually, it was Asa.”
“Asa?” Synne repeated, her eyes going wide. “The Asa from the abbey?”
“The same,” Brom said. “I saw her in my dreams as a lad. It had been many years since I had seen her, so I didna recognize her voice in my dream when she told me to find your sister.”