Chapter 19
Seren
Gods, Rykr was handsome.
Amazing what a pair of well-fitting leather trousers could do for shapely male legs.
I’d outfitted him in black leather armor from chest to foot, with shoulder pads, a kilt that came to mid-thigh, and leather bracers covered his wrists and forearms. High boots came to his knees.
Of course, I’d had to do it without the irons and now I faced a new dilemma as we approached the stables—explaining to Seth and Darya, who waited there, how I’d been able to dress Rykr while he was supposed to be chained.
Seth didn’t wait for us to reach him, striding forward with purpose, his face a hardened mask. An ugly bruise darkened the skin beneath his eye, thanks to the punch I’d landed a couple days ago.
“Why is he dressed in Vangar clothes?” Seth snapped.
“Tara’s orders.” I shrugged. “She’s sending us to the training field with her squadron today.
Speaking of which, our progress to the field will be slower than we’d like because of the irons.
I wanted to request they be removed while we ride.
I had to take them off in order to dress him.
” I didn’t bother tiptoeing around it. Seth knew I kept a pick in my braid—he’d taught me that trick and how to pick locks.
Seth’s lips pursed, but his voice was surprisingly gentle. “The irons are for the safety of our people, Seren. You may be proud of flouting the law, but many in the tribe aren’t impressed. You’d do yourself a favor by not challenging me in front of others.”
Seth turned toward Rykr. “Speaking of the laws of our territory, Prince Calix’s body was stolen last night. We found bear tracks. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”
Maybe the suspicion wasn’t unduly justified, but bear tracks?
Rykr met his stare coolly. “It so happens I spotted a bear stalking me as I bathed in a stream last night. I stayed still for a while and moved away without it spotting me, but it must have been hungry. Probably smelled the body.”
The unspoken interrogation taking place between Seth and Rykr made my curiosity burn.
How much had Rykr done while I’d been at the feast?
A few beats passed. “We were supposed to turn the body over to Emberstone, but now we’ll have to beg for forgiveness while our scouts scour the forest looking for whatever’s left of it.
” He stood straighter. “You won’t be training with Tara, Seren.
Effective immediately, I’m calling all the Vangar squadrons to the training fields.
There’s been a murder in our camp. And you’re in Darya’s squadron, aren’t you? ”
“Yes.” My gaze flicked toward Darya, who’d stayed a few paces back. “A murder?” I asked as innocently as I could.
“Giulia Bernardi’s head was found in the forest. Her body is still missing,” Darya said.
My mouth went dry. “Maybe it was that bear Rykr mentioned—”
“I found this in the forest,” Darya said, unwrapping a cloth in her hands. The remains of the ice blade I’d made. The cold must have preserved it. Unnaturally dark blood marked the surface of the blade—Giulia’s.
I restrained a shiver, feeling Rykr’s eyes on me. I hadn’t even thought about leaving the blade behind in the chaos of the attack … but how had Tara missed it? Damn.
“You know how to wield ice, don’t you, Seren? Any idea on how something like this could have been made?” Darya asked. Despite the neutrality of her tone, the implication was clear. Why come to me otherwise?
But she’s not wrong.
I raised my chin. “My skills have mostly been limited to frost and small icicles. That looks complex.”
“Hmm.” The corners of her mouth turned downward, and she covered the blade again.
“Her mother is convinced she was murdered, but I’ll pass along the bear suggestion to the scouts.
In the meantime, our squadron will be reinforcing the Vangar watchtowers today.
Seth and I can escort you and your husband to the training field. ”
Reinforcing the watchtowers? If I was going to prepare for the Skorn, that was a colossal waste of my time—we weren’t even allowed to read in the watchtowers, considering we had to stay alert.
“Will we be running drills on the field too?” I asked. “I just want to make sure I packed what I need.”
“Perhaps. There’s obviously been a breach of security, and we all need to be vigilant. We leave in five minutes.” Darya turned abruptly and strode toward the corral, where her horse awaited.
Seth, who had remained silent, watched his wife go before turning his focus back to us. “I’ll allow for Westhaven’s leg irons to be removed so he can ride on your horse, Seren. But he rides with you, not alone.”
“Riding on a horse together will make for a slower journey.” I crossed my arms.
“We can’t risk putting him on a horse alone. He’ll ride best with you since you’re small. I believe your friends are inside the stable preparing horses, so they can help accommodate you.”
Unwilling to goad him any further, I didn’t argue.
At least riding with Rykr might allow me to read along the journey—gods knew when I’d get another chance.
“Fine. I’ll go get the horse if you’ll remove his leg irons.
” I headed into the stables to where Ciaran and Amahle waited with the horses they’d saddled.
Amahle’s dark brown eyes reflected unease as I greeted her. “Did he tell you about Giulia and the new orders?”
“Yeah.” I didn’t elaborate—better to say nothing than lie. Tying my pack to the horse Ciaran had saddled for me, I glanced at the mare my family owned. She was too old and small to carry both Rykr and me.
Ciaran’s horse, a young gelding, would be stronger for the journey.
“Think Rykr and I can use your gelding? Seth says we have to ride together.”
Ciaran frowned, his gaze lingering on Rykr as he entered the stable, free of his leg irons. “It’ll slow us down, but sure.” He hesitated, adding, “Cozy ride, though.”
Rykr joined us a moment later and Amahle smiled at him. “I’m Amahle. We didn’t meet properly at the council meeting.”
“I wouldn’t have remembered, with the whole blinding pain thing.” Rykr turned to Ciaran. “Callen, right?”
“Ciaran,” he muttered, reddening.
Swiver. He knew Ciaran’s name.
Rykr caught my glare, his voice slipping into my mind. “He should worry less about our saddle space and more about himself.”
“Or maybe he’s just being considerate,” I shot back.
Amahle glanced between us, her brow furrowing slightly. “Everything okay?”
“Just fine.” I moved past Rykr to help Ciaran unsaddle the horse. The tension in Ciaran’s posture was obvious as he worked, and he didn’t look at me.
“Sorry,” I muttered.
Ciaran shook his head, placing a sturdy bareback blanket on the gelding. “He’s arrogant, and he wants me to know you’re his.”
I set my hand on Ciaran’s arm. “I don’t belong to anyone. If Rykr needs to be humbled, so be it. You’re my friend, and I won’t let him humiliate you.”
Ciaran’s neck reddened, and he pulled away. “If he dies, you die, right?”
I nodded, regretting that I’d told them about the oath’s consequences. But I trusted them. They needed to understand why Rykr’s life mattered.
“Then, like it or not, your loyalty belongs to him.” Ciaran’s voice was low, but there was no mistaking the edge to it. “I’m not so foolish that I can’t see it.”
His words cut deeper than I wanted to admit.
If Ciaran, who knew me better than anyone, already doubted me, how could I hope to convince Seth and Darya?
Worse still, how could I convince myself that I hadn’t crossed some invisible line, one where duty and loyalty blurred in ways I wasn’t ready to face?
He’s wrong, I told myself. But doubt gnawed at me as we started the trek toward the training field. What if they refused to see it that way? The bond with Rykr wasn’t something I’d wanted—it had been forced upon us. But would that matter to Seth, to the council, or even to my closest friends?
I was proud to be Viori. Unlike Lirien, where power was bound and controlled from birth, we were free to grow into our gifts.
No Bloodbinding to sever us from what the gods had bestowed.
Amahle had been born with spirit gliding—a Zhi craft.
Ciaran could bend metal as easily as a Volker craftsman shaped iron.
And Esme, sweet Esme, could speak to animals as though their souls were one, as well as any Ambran.
All of them would have been snuffed out in Lirien—the Bloodbinding removed gifts like that from every infant, only leaving them powers if they’d been fortunate enough to be born with a gift that was allowed in the realm of their birth.
“You’re riding as stiffly as a corpse,” Rykr commented in a low voice behind me.
While it made more sense for me to ride behind Rykr, Seth wanted me in charge of the reins, which meant that Rykr’s iron-bound wrists were around my waist, his chest against my back.
“Maybe because it makes no sense for us to be riding on this damned horse together all because Seth is afraid you’ll ride off on your own. Not to mention how lovely it is to have you breathing down my neck.”
“I wouldn’t trust me either, if I were him,” Rykr said, more reasonable than I’d expected him to be.
“Not that I’d get far. He’s had me followed most of the time I’ve been here.
And you didn’t seem to mind me breathing down your neck last night, thistling.
” He set his jaw against my shoulder, as though to prove he could.
“Thistling?”
“Yes, little thistle … beautiful to look at, prickly to touch.”
Swiver. Tensing, I moved my face toward his.
My breath caught more than I wanted it to, a shiver of pleasure going through me as my cheek rubbed against the dark scruff of his strong jaw.
His full lips were only inches from mine and the impulse to close my eyes and sink my mouth against his tantalized.
But if he could restrain himself against any pull this oath was causing, then so could I.
Regardless of how insanely good-looking he is.