36. Homecoming #2
Anara relaxed, her claws reshaping into hands. She pressed them to her stomach, wincing as she leaned against the tunnel wall. Her eyes tracked Haki’s movements as he pulled bandages from his belt. “You’re a sentry.”
“Haki’s on our side,” Darien interjected. “He got us out of Lystheim. They’re taking us to the Vienám.”
“Not quite the welcome party I expected,” Anara muttered, but her eyes were unfocused as they searched the black tunnel behind them. “Where’s Halla?”
Larissa’s hands clenched into fists, but Darien knew she would not cry, not again. He answered for her. “She was taken by the thraell .”
Anara’s shoulders drooped. “Larissa, I’m—”
Larissa held up her hand, turning away from them. Anara met Darien’s gaze. There were questions in her eyes, too many that could not be answered at that moment. Breathing deeply, Anara steadied herself, facing Haki. “I’m sorry I attacked you.”
Haki shrugged, tying off the bandages around his arm. “It’s just a scratch; I’ll be fine.”
“With Princess Anara awake, this makes things much easier.” Halvor said.
Anara winced at the title. “Just Anara is fine.”
“Haki,” Halvor continued, “go straight to King Torsten and tell him that I’m coming with guests.
Only tell him that I must see him in the throne room immediately and privately.
Bring us three hooded cloaks. We will take the back tunnels, but if anyone sees us, they must think that I have brought new runaways.
The King must be the first to know of Their Highnesses’ return. ”
Haki nodded; in only a few long strides, he disappeared into the darkness.
Anara turned to Halvor. “Won’t he get lost?”
Halvor chuckled. “Hardly. He knows these tunnels better than myself.”
“Ow.” Anara slid to the floor, glaring at the offending bandages wrapped around her waist, betrayal in her eyes. “Didn’t the nectar take care of this?”
Darien knelt beside her. “It would have if you hadn’t shifted again to fight off the draugr .”
“Oh, yes,” Halvor said, clearing his throat. “It would be best if you kept that under control while with the Vienám . ”
There was a beat before Larissa understood his meaning. “Excuse me?”
“Public perception of Rubinians has only gone down since Anara left. It’s no secret they sided with the Empress early on in this war. Our people don’t trust those with your type of galdr .”
Darien bristled. “That’s ridiculous. If it weren’t for Anara, we’d be dead.”
Halvor lifted his hands in surrender. “I’m not saying it’s fair, it’s just how it is. The people will learn to trust Anara, but that will be harder if they fear that she is a draugr .”
Larissa plopped down beside Anara. “I see why you left.”
“It’s fine,” Anara said. “This prejudice was here before, and I didn’t expect it to be gone. Besides, I’ve used too much of my galdr recently, and I’m exhausted. That last bit of partial shifting was all I had left.” She touched the stone beneath her. “Where are we anyway?”
“The Nordryggen Mountains. Under them anyway.”
“The Vienám rejected using these mountains before. They were impassable.”
Darien shrugged. “ Jotnar , apparently.”
“Loki’s Knot,” she murmured. “He actually found them.”
“What do you mean?”
“In the weeks before I left, Torsten brought up the mountains again. He was obsessed with the thought of the Jotnar . We’ve all heard the stories.
I thought they were long dead, but Torsten thought differently.
He told me that King Mikkel, Lovisa’s father, told him about their presence in these mountains. ”
All questioning eyes turned to Larissa who threw her hands in the air. “What do you want me to say? I told you, I don’t remember.”
Halvor’s eyes widened. “You don’t remember—”
Darien cut him off. “How did King Mikkel know about the Jotnar ?”
Anara cringed as she pressed two fingers against her bandages. “Queen Stjarna spoke of them. That’s all Torsten would tell me.”
Halvor scratched at the stubble on his cheeks, his mind clearly on what Larissa had said. “I never knew he was searching for them.”
“Yeah, well, there’s a lot Torsten doesn’t share with others.” Anara pulled at her shirt, trying to cover the wound. “Don’t take it personally.”
Halvor grunted, turning to Larissa. “When you say you don’t remember—”
His voice died at the sound of footsteps.
Haki returned, his face flushed from running. Three long, heavy-looking cloaks hung from his arm. Halvor tossed one to each of them.
“Never mind, you’ll share your story soon enough,” Halvor said. “Put these on. Do not draw attention to yourselves. It’s imperative the King sees you first.”
Darien clasped the cloak tight across his chest and pulled up the wide hood. If he was going to ask, he had to do it now. “Halvor, how is my father?”
Halvor hesitated. Darien’s mind replayed the image of his father’s disappointed scowl when Darien had chosen to rejoin Lovisa in Perle instead of remaining in Safír. Their last conversation had been one spoken in anger and accusations.
“He’s a changed man,” Halvor finally said. “The death of your mother and brother combined with your disappearance broke him for a while. He’s different than you remember him to be, but he will be happy to see you alive.” He looked at each of them. “All of you.”
Darien’s eyes skitted to Anara, who gave a small, nearly imperceptible nod. So the Vienám didn’t know that Aeron was not only alive but also the Empress’ War Dog. Torsten didn’t know that his eldest son was alive.
And a traitor.
Darien swallowed the bitterness that exploded across his tongue, knowing he would have to tell him.
Larissa watched him, her soft red cloak contrasting vividly with her white hair.
His hands reached out, pulling the hood down and tucking her hair behind her ears, careful to not let his hands linger. “Your hair is too noticeable.”
Halvor offered his hand to Anara. “Are we ready?”
“I could carry you again if you’d like,” Haki offered.
Anara rose to her feet. “I can walk on my own, thanks.”
Haki shrugged, his large shoulders straining against the black gear. “Let me know if you change your mind. I’m told all the young ladies enjoy being held in my arms.”
“Haki, she is a Princess!” Halvor hissed, his tone appalled.
Anara laughed, the sound clear and loud. “It’s about time the Vienám found more amusing people to join the cause. I should go away more often.”
Though Halvor shook his head, Anara followed Haki down the tunnel, clearly unoffended by his words.
After a few minutes, the light in the tunnel changed.
With every footstep, the darkness faded, replaced by a growing light.
The air was also thinning out; what had once felt stifling was now almost refreshing.
They found themselves at a large opening in the rock. The light of the falling sun was intense after so long in the dark. Darien found himself grateful for the hood that shaded his eyes. They stood on a ledge overlooking the vast valley below. Sprawling across the fields was an immense city.
They’d found the Vienám.