36. Monster Reflected
Monster Reflected
Larissa
“Queen Lovisa of Perle, do you swear to protect the people of this nation?”
Larissa knelt before the figure who held the crown over her head.
There was nothing familiar or noteworthy about his face.
In fact, the moment her gaze shifted to the crown, she had entirely forgotten what he looked like.
Her eyes were on the gold crown studded with pearls, emeralds, sapphires, rubies, and diamonds.
It was a monstrous thing, its sharp edges pointing toward the sky.
Yet there was only confidence in her answer. “I do.”
“Do you swear to put the needs of this nation before your own?”
Larissa resisted the urge to look beside her where she knew Halla, Anara, and Darien stood just to the side of the massive gold train of her gown. “I do.”
“Do you swear to maintain and uphold order and prosperity within all of Evrópa?”
Galdr tingled underneath her fingernails.
Hadn’t she already done so? Hadn’t she already proven her worth by the title she wore and the lands she now possessed?
After reclaiming the five commonwealths, Larissa had faced Empress Shiko.
The battle had been bloody and fierce, but in the end, Larissa had stood victorious while Shiko’s body lay crumpled beneath her.
She’d returned the commonwealths to kingdoms as they had been in the years before Shiko’s reign.
But peace was not easily restored. Pockets of rebellious aristocrats along with disgruntled sentries and thraell had brought war back to Larissa’s peaceful land.
The other monarchs—Anara, Masai, even Darien to a certain degree—claimed they didn’t need Larissa’s help.
They could take care of the problems within their own kingdoms, but as the fighting increased, Larissa could no longer stand aside and allow history to repeat itself.
Vereandi came to her, confiding in Larissa all of the pain and suffering that was happening in the other kingdoms that the other monarchs had been hiding. With Vereandi’s power accenting her own, Larissa did what needed to be done.
It had been easy, simply really. She blazed through the kingdoms like wildfire, wielding her galdr and the approval of the gods wherever she went.
One by one, the kingdoms succumbed to her rule.
After all, the people loved her. With the heart of the people, she was swiftly hailed as the benevolent Empress the nation needed.
The monarchs could keep their rule, of course, but only under Larissa’s guidance and sovereignty.
Darien and Anara hadn’t accepted it at first, but eventually they’d seen the necessity of Larissa’s actions.
Though they looked at one another in fear occasionally, Larissa knew it would pass.
They would understand, and all would be as it had been.
The giants had naturally retreated to their mountains.
Larissa didn’t pursue them. After all, she was no monster.
As long as they kept within their borders, they would be left alone, but Larissa wasn’t stupid either.
She’d posted her own sentries to every entrance and exit the Vienám had taught her of the mountains.
The giants could live and die in their valley; they had no place in the world Larissa was creating.
“My Queen? Do you swear to maintain and uphold order and prosperity within all of Evrópa?”
“I do.” Larissa’s voice rang out in the coronation hall.
As the vague figure settled the crown on her head, the crowd behind her rejoiced in tears and triumph.
Larissa turned, feeling the pull of her magnificent gown as it twirled with her.
She tilted her chin up against the heavy weight of the crown that carried with it the responsibility of the five kingdoms, as was her right.
She’d keep them all safe under her reign.
Only three figures in the crowd did not cheer. Larissa’s smile became fixed on her face as she tried to ignore the restraints around Darien’s, Anara’s, and even Halla’s wrists, chaining them together.
“Necessary only for a little while,” Vereandi whispered in Larissa’s ear, invisible to the crowd. “They’ll come around. They know you want what is best for them, for everyone.”
Larissa nodded only slightly, broadening her smile as if she could force her joy onto those closest to her. It would take time, but they would understand. Then the restraints would come off, and they would go back to who they used to be.
Larissa lowered herself onto the enormous throne that stood behind her.
As she sat, the throne rose several feet into the air, and she towered over the crowd around her.
But the crowd had taken on a new atmosphere.
Calder strode down the aisle—no, not Calder.
It was Aeron. Larissa had saved him, restoring him back to who he had been.
He, more than anyone else, had understood that all of Larissa’s actions had been necessary for the good of the nation.
Under her orders, he dragged two prisoners down the aisle.
Though hoods covered their faces, the crowd hissed and booed as they were brought forward.
Another man with an unidentifiable face dragged a third and fourth prisoner down the aisle as well until they were all lined up, kneeling before Larissa with the hoods still covering their faces.
“Grand Empress,” said Aeron, “we’ve found the leaders of those who would rebel against the safety you offer to your new Empire.”
“Well,” Larissa demanded. “Uncover them.”
In unison, the hoods were whisked off. Though gasps echoed across the crowd, Larissa refused to react to the sight of such familiar faces.
Torsten. Jari. Haki. Halvor. In her peripheral vision, Darien stumbled toward his father, but another shadowy figure held him back.
Anger raged in Larissa. How could Torsten do this?
He must have known what his actions would force Larissa to do.
How had he not thought about what his death would do to Darien?
And die he must. They all had to pay the ultimate price for their sin.
Why hadn’t they just obeyed? Then there would have finally been peace, but no. Larissa would be forced to spill even more blood, and the thought made her bite her tongue in rage.
Her fingers curled against the stone armrests. She could only spit out two words. “Why, Torsten?”
His blue eyes were like steel. Cold and uncompromising. “Because we’d already suffered under one mad Empress.”
Larissa rose to her feet, descending the stairs to the floor below until she stood before Torsten.
She reached a hand out, forcing his face up to meet her own.
In her other hand, she gripped her gun, not knowing where it had come from.
There was no need for a trial; she was judge and executioner.
Even now, the crowd called out for his death.
Their chants filled Larissa with confidence in her decision.
Darien’s pleas for mercy rang hollow in her ears.
She lifted the gun, pointing it at Torsten’s head.
A ray of sun shone through the stained glass windows surrounding the halls.
The glint drew her attention, and Larissa caught her reflection in the red-and-blue shards.
Her dress was black, not gold. Her crown was made only of diamonds that dripped in her ebony hair, which was pulled into a sharp bun at the nape of her neck.
She was shorter than she’d been and she held a sword, not a gun.
She gazed in astonishment at the woman in her reflection.
“You’re dead,” Larissa whispered to the Shiko-like reflection. “I killed you.”
The reflection shook her head, turning to reveal the scar on the right side of her face. “Did you? Or did you only become me? Look at what you’ve done.”
Larissa followed her reflection’s gaze to find her sword coated in blood and Torsten’s body crumpled at her feet. But how? She hadn’t moved.
Darien’s cry of injustice assaulted her ears as he reached his father’s side, kneeling beside his body. How had he gotten out of his restraints? He glared at Larissa with an undying hatred. “What have you done?”
“Darien, I—” But Larissa’s careful resolve was shattering. Beside Torsten, Haki, Jari, and Halvor also lay dying. She hadn’t even gone near them. “I don’t understand.”
She turned to find Halla, but Anara blocked her way, hiding Halla under her arms as if protecting her. “Don’t come near her!”
Larissa faltered. “I would never hurt her.”
“Wouldn’t you?” Anara growled, her yellowing eyes the sign of her transformation.
Behind Larissa, the sound of steel alerted her to Darien’s attack.
She stretched out her hands, galdr already crackling between her fingers.
They still didn’t understand. How could they not understand?
Everything she’d done had been for them.
Why would they make her do this? Halla’s eyes rounded in terror as Larissa’s galdr surged forth—
No.
A single word, not even spoken aloud, resounded in Larissa’s mind.
At the word, her world stilled. The sharp tip of Darien’s sword pierced the skin of Larissa’s back.
Anara’s fangs hovered only inches from her neck, but Larissa’s galdr was ready to surge through them both, ensuring their mutual destruction.
No!
This time, the word rang out like a mental shout.
The images around her drained like dirt on a rainy window pane until Larissa stood back in the Norn’s clearing.
Only this time, she was alone. She looked down to find her coronation gown replaced with her jeans and jacket.
She raced toward the well, nearly throwing herself inside in her rush to check her reflection.
White hair with golden eyes—she was herself again.
Tremors ran down her arms as she sank into the grass with her back against the well.
The runes etched into the stones burned against her back, but she could not move.
“You stopped the vision,” came a high-pitched voice.
Larissa stared up into Vereandi’s upside-down face. The girl stood on the edge of the well just over Larissa, bending down to meet her gaze.
Larissa jumped up, putting distance between herself and the goddess. “What in Njorer’s beard was that about? Why would you show me that?”
Vereandi tilted her head. “These visions are a part of yourself. Your greatest fears and your greatest desires.”
“I didn’t desire that!” Larissa cried out. “I’ll never desire that!”
“What?” Vereandi asked. “To keep your loved ones safe? To restore peace?”
“Not if it means becoming like Shiko! I’ll die first!”
“And Darien? Halla? Anara? Will you let them die first too?”
Larissa gagged on her words. There had to be another way. A third option. “I won’t become like Shiko.”
“You’ve already killed one of her Regents,” Vereandi pointed out.
“It was an accident!”
“Was it? Do you regret it? Would you take it back if it meant losing Darien?”
“No,” Larissa choked out. “I would do it again.”
Vereandi leapt from the well, landing beside Larissa.
She reached out, grabbing Larissa’s wrist. With some type of writing instrument, Vereandi sketched a rune onto Larissa’s skin.
The instrument burned uncomfortably, but the goddess’s grip was surprisingly firm and unyielding even as Larissa jerked at her touch.
Finished with the rune that looked like an elongated Z , Vereandi stepped back and admired her work. “For your protection, when you need it most.”
“What does that mean?” Larissa stared at the rune as its fiery glow faded into a silver scar. “When will I need it most?”
Vereandi smiled. “I can only answer one question after each test, and you’ve already asked about the prophecy. Or do you change your mind?”
Curiosity caused her hesitation, but practically won out. “No, tell me the prophecy.”
Vereandi clapped in delight. “Wonderful! Aren’t you having fun?”
Not particularly . The Larissa-Shiko reflection haunted the back of her mind, turning Larissa’s saliva sour in her mouth. Was that her fate if she continued down her current path?
“I’ll share with you first what we told your mother, then I’ll tell you what she did not know.
” Vereandi’s eyes glowed as she ran her hands along the runes of the well.
When she spoke, Larissa swore she could hear the voices of Urer and Skuld accompanying Vereandi.
“ From within, comes destruction of peace. Chaos will reign and harmony will cease. Only the third of the Perlian line at the cost of a life can change Fate’s design. ”
Larissa’s skin tingled as the words washed over her. Clearly she was the third of the Perlian line who would change Fate’s design, but the cost of a life? Whose? Her own? Or would Larissa be forced to take someone else’s life?
Vereandi breathed deep. “Now for the part your mother did not know.”
Again, the voices of the other Norn joined in. “ Where one is killed, another takes its place. Sharing the cost which all kingdoms must face. ”
Larissa repeated the words to herself, but still they held no obvious meaning. “What does it mean?”
“That’s another question.” Then Vereandi reached out, and Larissa found solace in the darkness.