Chapter 41 #3
“He trusted us as we trusted him.” Gammal looked to the window of her hut for a breath.
“The firstborn prince was the one who warned House Bien that if his kingdom came against them in the raids, they would end their child instead of hiding her. Elskan, the firstborn prince and your house were secretly preparing to bring you to me when the raids began. Now, I do not think your brother, dark soul, anticipated that you would have a soul bond with the melder.”
Roark returned to his place at my side. I felt him press a gentle kiss to my hair.
“After those raids, he finished what House Bien could not and sent you with the tide wanderer to me. It was then that I suspected the connection to Fadey. When a blood crafter confirmed it through one of their spells, I tried to hide you over the ledges, elskan. But with the fighting, the chaos, we were snatched on the road by thrall traders. I managed to barter for us to take up a place in the young house. I would clean, cook, and keep watch on you until fate took you elsewhere.” Gammal wiped a tear from her cheek.
“I did not know I would never speak to the firstborn prince again. He saved you all.”
“What do you mean?” Yrsa asked.
“Fadey anticipated taking the melder daughter’s bones after the raids, and at last, he planned to see his dark scheme through. But with his belief that the blood of the heirs was needed, he made certain each firstborn was accounted for. He planned to take your bones as well.”
“We were damn children during the raids,” Thane snapped.
“And it mattered little to Fadey.” Gammal looked to Roark. “But his plan was thwarted by the soul shadower taking the melder away. Then again, when he was killed.”
Roark looked pale. Fadey killed Nivek?
“Fadey did not kill your brother, dark soul. Look again to the other traitor who sat at your table.”
It took a moment, but I could see the shadow cross his face once he understood.
My uncle? Gods, it was always him. Roark dug his hands through his hair. His face darkened as though he could not draw in a breath.
Emi sobbed silently against Yrsa’s shoulder.
“He, too, planned to destroy the melder, then claim his throne. He always planned to destroy the heir of his kingdom.”
“He didn’t kill Roark, merely encouraged his soul to be split,” I said.
“To find you, elskan.” Gammal smiled with a hint of despair. “The king’s brother still wanted you dead, and if his dark soul nephew had a bond, well, perhaps he would hunt you until they found you.”
Most of Virki’s hopes had come to pass, but how I reveled in knowing that his wish for Skul Drek to murder me at first sight had been destroyed.
“Thinking that the ability to find the bone of soul craft was lost with the death of Prince Nivek, Fadey intended to disappear,” Gammal said.
“Until a blood crafter insisted that the power of the soul craft remnant lived on, only hidden. I believe it was the same crafter who sent word that you lived in your fishing village, elskan. I am told Fadey killed her eventually.”
I grimaced. “Vella. She was a blood crafter who feigned being a seer in Skalfirth. Captain Baldur—Fadey—did kill her.”
Gammal hummed. “Well, it was she who led Fadey to believe the vein of soul had not died off entirely.
This is when he sensed the power, but we had already warded our lands against him.
I believe to try to break the wards, he aligned with the blood craft queen.
He falsified his death and hunted you all in the shadows.
“What you must accept, my elskans, is that the four bones of the Wanderer are here. The arm to lift his sword, the vein of bone craft.”
Thane looked ready to retch, and unbidden, one hand ran over his opposite arm.
“The ribs to wear his armor. The vein of blood craft.”
Yrsa flinched.
Gammal pointed to me. “His knowledge came from his wife, the god-queen. Her gifts of uniting the craft of the living and the dead make up the skull, for his wisdom.”
Dammit. Fadey, my blood father, planned to take not merely my bones. He planned to take my head too.
Roark rapped his knuckles on one of the wooden posts. We do not have the breastbone, for the heart.
“We came here because Nivek hid something,” Auki said with a touch of hesitation.
“Yes.” Gammal’s knees cracked when she rose. “The firstborn prince left something you will find of value on your search. Come, I’ll show you.”
“Roark.” I tugged on his hand, pulling him free from the crowd.
Black blood seeped from his scar. His eyes burned like embers. I am not in control. I do not know who I will harm if I lose it.
I trapped his face between my palms. “Let me take some of the anger, then. Let me carry it with you. Gods, I am…so sorry for what Virki did to your whole house. Nivek saved everyone. He will be honored across the realms, Roark.”
I will honor him by slaughtering his killer.
I kissed him, hard and fast. “Then I will drop him at your feet and hand you the blade.”
Heat bloomed in my chest, followed promptly by a clawing rage. Palpable and bitter. Roark’s eyes closed. His hand went to my waist. More of the suffocating bloodlust swirled against my own stun, my hate, my sorrow.
Only when his breaths returned to a slower, steady pace did I open my eyes. “Better?”
He nodded, but in truth, now he simply seemed more broken. But the shadows had receded, and his skin was not so pallid.
Outside, Gammal and the others stood around a tall man. He was dressed simply, in a pale tunic and trousers, but around his neck was a fine mantle made of bone and jade.
“Elskan, come meet our Lawspeaker.”
The man’s beard was wiry and long; the end touched his belt when he dipped his chin in a greeting. “Gammal. I heard we had newcomers from across the ledges and came to invite them all to the great hall. We feast as a welcome to you.”
I had no desire to feast. I wanted to lash out and bite.
“Weren’t you going to show us something, seer?” Brynn asked. She held tightly to Kael’s bindings.
“Yes. I still plan to do so. Come, then. To the feast.”
“But—” Brynn tried again.
“You all look weary,” Gammal interrupted.
“Couldn’t possibly be because we’ve been told a mad melder wants to bleed us out and harvest our bones, now could it?” Thane mumbled to Emi.
Her eyes were red rimmed and tear filled, but she shot the prince a watery smile. As though there was nothing to do but laugh.
Gammal waved us forward. “Come to the feast. Where we shall eat, and perhaps find lost things.”
Roark did not speak; he did not look at anyone. His grip on my hand was unyielding. Kyrre plodded at his side and butted his large head under Roark’s palm. Absently, my husband stroked his fara, but his bitterness was trained on the road leading to the largest of the longhouses.
Already lanterns were lit, drums pounded in a boisterous beat, and chatter spilled from the doors.
One by one, Gammal, the Lawspeaker, and other Unfettered Folk guided us through the entryway. Gunter remained at our side, occasionally casting curious glances at his prince. My mind a fog, I did not notice the woman walking in through the doors at the same moment.
“Apologies,” I muttered when I slammed into her shoulder.
The woman from the farm. In her arms were woven baskets of baked bread. Dirt lined her fingernails, but she’d tied her long hair half off her face and her cheeks were pink from being freshly scrubbed.
It was like looking into a mirror of the past. Once I was the woman who saw to it that the tables were full and the drinking horns were filled.
The woman was half a head shorter than me, dainty freckles dusted her nose, and she had dark, somber eyes.
She dipped her chin at me, then turned to do the same to Roark. She stumbled back. “All gods. How…”
Roark’s mouth pinched.
“Shit.” Gunter covered his nose and mouth with one palm “Soul bond.”
“What?” Did he sense a connection with this woman and my damn husband? Could someone have two soul bonds?
“There’s a bond.” He nodded at the woman. “Smells close to yours, but it’s heavier. Darkened. Usually means one half has gone to Salur.”
“Forgive me.” The woman chuckled nervously. “For a moment, you looked just like my husband. Impossible, since he passed—”
“Twelve seasons ago?” The question came out rough, low. I already knew the truth.
“Yes. How did you know?”
Roark’s shoulders stiffened.
I closed my eyes and whispered, “Was his name Nivek?”