Chapter 26
26
FRIDA
H eavy clouds blotted out the moon, drowning the shoreline in an impenetrable darkness. The waves lapped at our boots. In the tense silence, the sound of the sea seemed as loud as a dragon’s roar. Rune stood resolutely beside me with a steadying hand on my back. Before we’d left, I’d told him I understood if he needed to stay at home. Encountering an ice giant, even though it had been decades since Isveig’s fall, might not be a particularly pleasant experience for him, but he’d insisted on accompanying me to the ship. If something went wrong, he wanted to be there.
I waited with my chin held high, but nerves tumbled around my belly. This was the right decision for me—that much was certain. But it didn’t come without an aching sense of loss. I’d never again see my family, my home, my old neighbors, or my horse. As much as I would choose this life, over and over again, I wished some things could be different.
I knew I’d likely never stop missing my family.
An orange light flashed in the distance, and Rune’s hand tightened against my back. Louisa’s signal. She was here. If I flashed a light back or never showed, she’d move on and return in another two weeks. And that would be her final attempt to retrieve me.
“Are you ready?” Rune asked.
“No, not really. There’s a chance she could laugh in my face.”
“It’s still not too late to change your mind,” he said. “We can turn around now, return to the cottage, and spend the next two weeks ignoring the world.”
“No, you were right before. I don’t want to put it off and have it hanging over my head any longer.”
He nodded. “After you, then.”
I grabbed the edge of the boat and tugged it into the water. Rune followed after me, climbing inside. He took the back, while I took the front, and together we rowed toward the distant ship. Every now and then, Louisa’s signal flashed in the darkness, helping lead the way. It was a good hour or so before the tiny rowboat slid through the dark waters near the ship.
From the deck, a shout rang out. Soon a rope ladder dropped over the side, and Rune and I anchored our boat to climb.
When we reached the railing, Louisa was waiting for us with her hawk perched on her shoulder. Several other ice giants fanned out behind her, armed with swords. A tense hush fell across the ship.
Louisa eyed Rune, but she spoke to me. “Frida, I’m glad to see you’re still in one piece, but I must say I’m surprised to see an orc on board my ship. Care to explain?”
“It’s a long story. To share in private. Will you tell your men to stand down?”
She flicked her eyes my way, then instantly swung them back to Rune. “I’m sure you can see why I might not think that’s a smart idea.”
“I mean you no harm,” Rune said with his hands raised.
“Last time I checked, orcs hated us ice giants,” Louisa said, narrowing her eyes. “And for good reason.”
“Were you involved in Isveig’s invasion?” Rune asked.
Louisa scowled. “Absolutely not.”
“Then I hold no ill feelings toward you.”
“Hmm.” Eyes still narrowed, she held up her hand to motion at her crew. “Stay back. I’m taking Frida and the orc into my cabin for a private chat. I want three of you to stand guard outside. If you hear shouting, feel free to barge in.”
When I opened my mouth to argue, Louisa shot me a murderous look. “You should be happy I’m giving you this much. If you were almost anyone else, they would have cut you down already.”
“ A ll right. Sit down.” Louisa motioned at two high-backed leather chairs that perched on one side of her cluttered desk. She stood on the other side, pouring whisky into three dented tin cups that had seen better days. As I took a seat, she slid one across the table to me, the next to Rune, and then she downed the third herself in a single gulp.
She poured herself another and plopped into her chair. Instantly, her hawk settled onto the desk beside her and eagerly took an offered bit of bread. Maps curled on the wall behind her, where the humidity had soaked into the parchment. The dim light of her oil lamp cast shadows onto her pale blue face.
“Time to explain what the fuck is going on,” she said.
“The guild lied to me,” I said, lacing my hands in my lap.
Frowning, Louisa propped her legs on the desk, crossing them at the ankle. “I’m going to need a bit more information than that.”
“All right. As you guessed, this was my first assignment.” I tossed the original parchment onto the desk, and her hawk poked his beak at it. “That’s the task I was given.”
She arched a skeptical brow. “Am I allowed to read that?”
“By guild rules? No.”
Louisa chuckled. “You’re playing with fire, Frida.”
I shrugged and waited. The cabin was tense and silent, save for the creaking of the ship as it swayed. Eventually, Louisa snatched up the note, unfolded the parchment, and read every word. By the time she’d finished with it, the confusion on her face matched my initial feelings.
“They wanted you to steal a fucking dragon?” She dropped the parchment, like it might bite her. Then she pointed at the stoic orc who sat silently beside me. “Let me guess. That’s Rune.”
“The very one,” he answered.
“Do you have a dragon?” she asked frankly.
“No, he doesn’t. That’s not the real reason Erik sent me here,” I said, leaning forward. “He wanted me to…well, what he really wanted was—”
“Let me guess. Erik knows about the magic that protects the islands, so he lied to you about your assignment. Since then, he’s been in contact to tell you what he really wants you to do. Which is to assassinate the orc, I’m guessing.”
“Well, yes,” I said, surprised she’d pieced it together so quickly.
“Don’t look so shocked,” she said with a small smile. “I’d already wondered if he found a loophole. I thought it might be something like this, but I didn’t dare ask. He doesn’t like people asking questions.”
“He doesn’t like a lot of things,” I said.
“Yeah, and I’ll tell you one thing I know he doesn’t like. His guild members not completing their assignments.” She jerked her thumb at Rune. “Why’s he still alive? And better yet, why are we talking about this in front of him?”
I pursed my lips, hating the traitorous heat that filled my cheeks. “Well.”
Louisa’s eyes went wide. She pointed at Rune, then pointed at me, then shook her head and laughed. “Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea what’s happened here.”
“Do you remember what you told me just before I got into the rowboat?” I asked.
“I said you’re not like the others. Looks like I was right.”
“Very right. The truth is, I only wanted to join the guild for my family. They’ve always been a part of it. So I thought I needed to be a part of it, too.” I shook my head. “But I was wrong.”
She folded her arms, leaning back in her chair to eye the two of us. “Listen, I’m sympathetic to your story. I really am. And I would love to help you. But if I try to smuggle you back in without Erik knowing, we’ll all get caught. He’ll have someone waiting at the docks for us.”
I exchanged a quick glance with Rune. His steady nod grounded me.
“I don’t want you to smuggle us back in,” I said. “I’m staying here on the island with Rune.”
She cocked her head, surprised. “Oh, in that case, congratulations. I’m happy for you, I really am. You deserve better than what the guild can give you.” She reached for the whisky. “Let’s toast to it."
“Before you get too excited, I do need your help.”
Her smile dimmed. “I’m scared to ask.”
We were so close. I could feel it. Louisa clearly thought little of the guild, and I felt encouraged by her happiness at hearing I wanted to stay. All I needed was to provide some assurances that Erik would never find out—that she wouldn’t be at risk if she helped me. And I had to trust she was the person I hoped she was.
Swallowing, I nodded at Rune. He unhooked the burlap pouch attached to his belt and dropped it on the desk. We’d used most of it, but there was enough left for Louisa to communicate with her beloved hawk a few times. It seemed like something she’d like.
Louisa pinned her gaze on the pouch. “Is that some sand?”
Instead of answering, I said, “I want you to tell Erik I died trying to cross the magical barrier that protects the island. In exchange, you can have that. Our only request is that you be careful with it. And never tell anyone else what it is.”
She sniffed the air. “What kind is it, then? With the way you’re acting, I’d think it was Fildur, but it doesn’t smell like fire.”
“It’s called Hugur sand,” Rune said, his gaze turning dark. “And I’ll only tell you what it does if you agree to our requests.”
Louisa laughed, poking the pouch. “You know, if I hadn’t spent a couple weeks with Frida on my ship, I’d think you two were trying to scam me. I didn’t get to where I am today by being a fool.”
“You can look at it if you want,” I said.
For a moment, Louisa didn’t make a move for the pouch. Long moments of silence stretched between us, putting pressure on the hope in my chest. I wanted to believe she’d come around, but it had always been a long shot. Anyone who knew anything about the guild would never dream of double-crossing them, especially not for some unnamed sand.
But eventually, she sighed and pried open the pouch. She took a closer sniff.
“All right. You’re not lying about it being magic, but it doesn’t smell like any of the four elements. What is this stuff?” She looked from me to Rune.
“I’ll tell you if you agree to our requests,” he said, steepling his hands beneath his chin.
Louisa cracked a smile. “I can see why you like him, Frida.” She tapped her chin. “If I tell Erik you’re dead, you can never again step foot on the mainland. He can never find out I lied…” She winced, dragging her nail across her throat. “And while I’m willing to lie for you, I’m not willing to die.”
Pain lanced through my heart. Taking a deep breath, I ignored it, reached across the table, and took her hand in mine. “The last thing I want is for anyone to get hurt. That’s partly why I’m doing this. I hope it’ll stop Erik from sending someone else to the Isles.”
She patted our joined hands. “It’s a good idea. But what about your family?”
I looked away. “It was wrong of them to ask me to become something I’m not. And as much as I hate that they’ll never know the truth about what happened to me, there’s no other way.”
“Well, all right, then. I guess we’ve got a deal,” Louisa said, her eyes snapping down to the pouch. “Now tell me what’s in there.”
I let Rune take over from there. While he explained the Hugur sand’s magic to Louisa, I stood and trailed across the room to peer out the porthole. A breeze blew across the sky, sweeping away the dark clouds that had plagued the night. Silvery light now illuminated the rippling water and the tiny island in the distance.
Convincing Louisa had been easier than I’d expected, and soon Rune and I could board our little boat and return home. A bright future lay before me, the kind I’d always wanted. But beneath the hope, the victory felt almost hollow, which was ridiculous.
I supposed that was just how life was. You won some things and lost so many others. In time, I knew the pain would fade. I would never forget the family I’d once had, but I could build a new one, full of people who loved me for who I was instead of people who wanted me to be someone else entirely.
So when Louisa stood and shook hands with Rune, I let the joy fill my heart. Everything was going to be just fine. Together, we’d solved the impossible.