Chapter 46
Either Asta’s fighting techniques had improved substantially in a matter of days, or Maren was holding back. But Asta knew her sister. Maren never held back. Even if her blows—verbal or physical—were subtle, they were always impactful.
It was almost as though Maren was lazily swinging her sword around.
The same went for Svanhild, from what Asta could observe in one second spurts between swings.
Kaid was holding his own against the siren warrior, which was impossible.
Asta loved Kaid, but there was no way in Gylla’s hell that he was giving Svanhild a fair fight.
Oh goddesses, she loved him. She loved him.
She ground her teeth together and snarled. “What did you do to Linnea?” Asta asked as she spun, her long sword poised to take off Maren’s head if she didn’t move out of the way in time.
Maren ducked, rolling to her side and getting back to her feet before stabbing her sword at Asta’s exposed abdomen.
“I thought you ought to know that your little band of fake warriors are experiencing their first battle. The sweet babies, all grown up. I wonder how our meager cousin is fairing.” Maren tapped a finger to her chin as if in thought, letting her guard down.
“Oh, and what a nice little trinket you’re bringing back with you.
Too bad the trident doesn’t actually work anymore. ”
A rustle of leaves to Asta’s right caught her attention and she dared a look, seeing Gyrial and Revna barrelling toward them. While she was distracted by the interruption, Maren looped Asta’s sword with her own and unarmed her, sending her sword careening through the air.
“See you next time, sister,” Maren waved, then she and Svanhild took off through the forest in the direction that Asta’s sword had landed.
“Are you okay? What did they want?” Gyrial surveyed Asta and Kaid, searching for any injuries.
“We’re fine now. It was an ambush.” Asta picked up the small satchel of berries from the ground and handed it to Kaid.
“They know we have the trident now, although my sister is under the impression that it can’t be wielded anymore.
But I’m sure they will prepare a tactic to use against it now.
We’ve lost our upperhand.” Asta sighed and walked in the direction that her weapon was thrown. “I have to go find my sword.”
Kaid silently walked alongside Asta as they approached the area where she remembered the blade landing. With the sunset glowing golden around them, finding the shiny metal was easy, and Asta offered a silent prayer of thanks to Absolon above.
The blonde princess bent down and picked up her sword, inspecting it for any damage.
Pleased that nothing was scuffed or scratched, she put it back into the holster at her hip.
As she turned to walk away, something glistened on the forest floor.
She bent down, looking closely at the decaying leaves, trying to find the source.
When Kaid tried to ask what she was doing, she silenced him.
Asta sifted through the pile of leaves. She knew she saw something. She knew that she was not making it up.
As she was about to give up, she saw the glint again and scooped up the leaves in the exact location.
Whatever it was, it was small enough to hide in the palm of her hand.
She carefully picked away the leaves until a small ring rolled in her palm.
Upon closer observation, she realized it was a signet ring.
But not just any signet ring. It was an exact replica of her mother’s ring, which also doubled as an iron key.
Asta showed Kaid, holding the new ring up next to the one she already wore.
“How the hell did a Blomvin signet ring end up in the middle of the forest, exactly where we set up camp for the night?” Kaid took the ring and held it up toward the fading sun, surveying every crevice of it as though it would reveal how it got there.
Did the ring happen to be there, or did someone put it there? Asta, again, thought about how easy it was to hold off Maren and Svanhild. How odd that the ring was exactly where Maren had flung her sword. Come to think of it, this was also the direction that they had fled to.
If Maren had left Asta the ring, what was the purpose?
Should she not be touching it? Was the metal filled with poison somehow?
Asta grabbed the ring from Kaid, panicking that it was bewitched or cursed.
She slipped it into a small leather pouch, then put the pouch in her pocket.
They wouldn’t touch it any further until Queen Arielle could look at it.
Aside from the run-in with Maren, the travel home was uneventful.
Everyone was supposed to take turns bearing the trident or helping Tova, but Kaid elected to hold the trident the entire journey.
Asta could see how connected he was to the relic, as though they called to each other and now that they were reunited, they would not be separated. She did not dare break the bond.
Finally, the seaside castle was in front of them. They brought their horses to the stables, then headed home. By the time Asta and Kaid got to the west wing, they were practically running. They checked Asta’s suite first, finding it empty. Then Kaid’s. Then Linnea’s.
They were outside of Halsten’s suite when they heard a cacophony of familiar voices within. The pair grinned at each other, then flung the double doors wide open.
Asta didn’t see anything besides a flash of red before she was being squeezed so tightly her air was cut off. Dyri was jumping around her and Linnea, barking while his ears bounced around goofily.
She knelt down and hugged Dyri next, the canine covering her face in sloppy kisses.
Niklas smiled at Asta warmly but Liva remained straight-faced, awaiting her twin’s arrival.
Asta pulled her aside. “Gyrial is with Tova in the infirmary.” Liva’s eye widened and moved to push past Asta, but she caught her arm, stopping her.
“She’s not physically injured. It’s… I’m not really sure what it is.
She’s not quite herself, so be prepared. Okay?”
Liva nodded, sprinting from the room.
Asta was glad to be home, but worried about Tova’s recovery. She wasn’t even sure if recovery from such a condition was possible. They would try anything, including asking the sirens for guidance. She would get her friend back to health, no matter the cost.
Kaid hugged Linnea and gave Dyri the attention he deserved before forcing a hug onto Niklas. “Where’s Halsten? Training on the beach?”
Asta watched Linnea’s posture stiffen. Her cousin sucked in a deep breath before she gestured to the bedroom door. “He’s in his room.”
Kaid and Asta opened the door, seeing Halsten sitting against the headboard of his bed. He spread his arms wide, grinning like a fiend. He still acted like typical Halsten, but why was he bed-ridden?
Kaid approached the bed but did not say anything, only stared at Halsten in bewilderment. Asta cleared her throat, urging Kaid to speak.
Kaid sat on the bedside table. “What happened?”
Halsten looked to Linnea, who was now standing in the doorway. She explained what happened with the Ryktarvan soldiers, how Halsten got injured, how he had an infection that made its way to his bloodstream but he was recovering, now waiting for his leg to finish healing.
“She’s leaving out the parts where she was a total badass.” Halsten crossed his arms. “Like when she basically burned her mother’s estate down, or stabbed a siren in the neck, or stitched up my leg in the middle of the woods using a dress pin and thread.”
Asta turned to her cousin, eyes wide. Linnea—the woman who was always so reserved.
A twinge of guilt struck Asta, wondering if by protecting her cousin all these years, she had diminished her ability to fight for herself.
Although she never wanted her cousin in danger, she was oddly glad they had this adventure to the Blomvin estate so Linnea could find confidence in herself.
However, she was going to need a lot more details regarding these heroic events.
“She’s also leaving out the part where we’re going to live happily ever after, so we’re basically cousins now, Asta.
” Halsten winked at her and Asta shook her head, again turning to Linnea wide-eyed in disbelief.
What the fuck happened on this trip? “Now, if you’ll excuse us, I need a proper reunion with my best friend without your judgement. ”
Asta and Linnea doubled over laughing when they exited the room and heard Kaid say “I’m not kissing you,” flatly before the door closed behind them.