Chapter 47 – Isolde
ISOLDE
My thighs ached from flying on Arava through the afternoon and night and deep into the following day. When I finally got off her back, I would not be surprised if my fighting leathers and armor kept their riding form.
In the distance, the sun was slowly arching its way toward the horizon, and the gray blue of the Shivering Sea spread out before us.
Seemingly never-ending. Dark clouds blanketed the most distant waters, in a way I did not like.
A way that reminded me too much of the vision the Fr?r Crown had oh so kindly blessed me with.
If I never put that bleeding crown on again, it will be too soon.
An astonishing two thousand soldiers had passed through Luccan’s gateway before it closed abruptly, all on its own.
Luccan collapsed from the effort, and Arie, with the help of soldiers, rushed his brother to the healer’s sanctuary.
Anna, Clem, and Duran had remained at Ramshold to aid in Luccan’s recovery.
After informing the high lords of what I’d seen and announcing that we were going north, things moved quickly. We’d gathered our allies and soldiers and taken to the winds.
Five hundred flew with us. Among them were a mix of rebels, soldiers from House Balik and House Riis, and even a few dwarves from Dergia.
Those who had no wings had to ride on gryphons or dragonback the entire time, which greatly limited their numbers. If one didn’t have wings to transport oneself, they had to be exceptional in magic or combat.
But even having wings didn’t mean a fae would join us. Only those who could fly for hours on end were chosen. In this way we limited the number of rotations on and off the gryphons and dragon, all of which had to be completed in the air.
Thus far, we’d allowed only three stops to eat and sleep just long enough so we would not be useless when we reached the coast. Some would call the journey under such conditions horrific.
They’d be right.
The one glaring question that had plagued me during the journey north was: What happened to Thantrel? He’d not been featured in my vision, something Thyra had fixated on. Did she expect the worst? That he was dead and that was why he had not been fighting?
I cast a glance to my right, where Thyra flew on Lasvin. That steely glint haunted my twin’s eyes. That promise of vengeance.
“We should descend,” I shouted into the wind.
Caelo had spoken with a few ravens as we flew. They told him many large boats were hiding behind the islands off the coast. According to the ravens, the vessels were out of place—not fishing or merchant boats.
Just as we’d predicted. They had to be the Royal Nava, waiting for the king’s ships to arrive. Then, and only then, when the armada had moved to take on the king’s vessels would the Nava ships add their weight to the fight.
“I estimate we’re about an hour’s ride on foot to the coast,” Thyra replied. “Aleksander? Where’s Arla and the mage fleet now?”
Prince Thordur flew with Aleksander. The dwarf gripped my brother tightly as he joined with his hawk again. A safety precaution. In the moments that Aleksander took on Arla’s eyes, he wasn’t always in complete control of his body.
Aleksander returned to us and locked stares with me. “Judging by the landmarks Arla can see, they’ll be here in three or four hours. They seem to have put on more speed. Whether by current or magic, I don’t know.”
“What if the hidden ships leave before we can get to them?” Thyra asked me.
“I can’t say, but we don’t have a choice but to eventually descend and get closer on foot.”
Sian and ten other limiters were doing their best to create an illusion at the front of our forces, making us look like a storm cloud.
However, Sian had clarified that with five hundred moving beings, it was impossible to create a perfect illusion and the closer we got to the Nava ships, the more likely it was they’d spot the chinks in our armor.
“And we need food and a little rest,” I added because a quick glance at the fliers and riders revealed bloodshot eyes and sagging bodies.
The moment we touched down, we’d drink and eat.
If they could sleep for an hour, that was as much rest as they’d get, and by the looks of many, it wasn’t enough. Then, we’d be on the move again.
Thyra jerked a nod, and together we raised our hands. Our aerial army slowly descended, doing our best to remain behind the illusion.
The woods came at us fast, the tall trees reaching for the setting sun. Pine limbs brushed my legs, clad in leather and segmented armor, and when Arava touched down, it was with a satisfied snort.
I patted her neck. “I suggest sleeping. We’ll find water nearby, and I’ll have someone bring it to you.”
Arava knelt and then lay on the ground. Lasvin joined her sister, the black and white pair cuddling together. A soldier from Lord Riis’s house approached to care for the pegasi, but I waved him off. It was irresponsible, but they needed sleep more than a good brush down.
“Princess Isolde! Princess Thyra!” a voice called out. I twisted to find Lord Riis waving us over, a map in hand.
These were his lands, and he knew them well, but not perfectly. I knew them not at all, so I joined Lord Riis, Lord Balik, his sons, and many of my friends.
“We’re about right here.” Lord Riis pointed to a spot within the woods. “A stream is close by, and I suggest filling skins and letting the animals drink before we leave because we’ll be walking away from the water, not with it.”
“That town closest to the islands. Do you think it’s safe?” Arie asked, studying the map of his father’s lands.
“I doubt the members of the Royal Nava will have left their ships at all. They need to be ready at a moment’s notice. So it’s likely the town is safe, and merely curious as to what’s happening. However, we can’t be sure they’re loyal, even if they are my people. We go the wide way around.”
Just because the high lord in the area was loyal to my sister and me, did not mean that every person in the area was.
This part of the kingdom was not so far from Avaldenn.
Surely by now the town had received word we were shadow wielders.
As we released the news of Rhistel being a whisperer right before we flew north, we hadn’t had time to equally damage our opponent’s reputation among the masses.
The briefing ended, but before I left the huddle, Thyra gripped my wrist.
“I want to use the Crown.”
I blinked. “You brought it?”
“In Lasvin’s saddlebag. Couldn’t risk having it on my person while fighting, but it’ll be fine in there.”
She’d said that she’d keep it in one of Lord Riis’s safes because how would any crown be useful in a battle? When in all the nine kingdoms had she changed her mind?
“Why risk it?”
She swallowed. “I didn’t get to because after your vision we went right into preparing to leave. But you didn’t see Thantrel, and I couldn’t get that out of my head . . .”
I felt like the worst sister in all the nine kingdoms.
“Of course, you want to see if you can find him. I do too. You have your potion?”
“Also in the saddlebag. I’ll get it.”
“And I’ll have Astril fill our skins and retrieve water for Arava and Lasvin.
But do you need to eat first?” Many of the soldiers were already sitting down and inhaling their food.
Thyra and I had not eaten in hours, and as much as I wanted her to find some reassurance about Thantrel, we also needed to keep our energy up.
“I can eat as I walk.”
While Thyra went to get the Crown and her potion, I sought Saga.
Not because she could do anything once the vision took over, if it did, but because Saga gave me a sense of peace when it came to seer magic.
Spotting her in the crowd wasn’t difficult, and when I called out her name, she turned. I waved her over.
“What’s going on?” Saga asked.
Usually poised and well dressed, my friend appeared disheveled, and even if she made her fighting leathers and armor look good, they still did not look right on her. She was no warrior, but had insisted on coming, anyway.
“Thyra wants to use the Crown to see if she can find Thantrel. Stay with us?”
“Of course.”
I made quick arrangements. Once done, our other Valkyrja created a circle around Thyra, Saga, and me, cutting us off from the others.
“Bottoms up,” Thyra sat on a large rock, drank her potion and then reached for the Crown, which she’d set next to her. “Hope for the best.”
I took my sister’s hand, and with the other, she placed the Crown on her head and closed her eyes. My fingers tightened around hers, and while I couldn’t know what was happening in Thyra’s head, I was certain I felt the vision take her.
She gripped me so tightly her knuckles whitened. I cast a glance at Saga. That had been fast. Even faster than the Crown had worked for me.
“Because she’s a dreamer,” Saga said.
“No,” Thyra hissed. “Get out! Get out!”
“Do I say something?” I whispered.
“Wait,” Saga replied. “You’ll know if it gets really bad.”
I thanked the stars that I wasn’t a natural-born seer. My winter magic might have been volatile to start, but it seemed far more straightforward than Saga’s powers.
“By the gods, get out!” Thyra shrieked loudly enough for others to turn our way. “I will not let my mate die!”
“She’s found him,” I said. “I think it’s enough. That’s what she wanted.”
“Agreed. She’ll need time to calm down. Get her out.”
I removed the Crown from Thyra’s head, passing it to Saga before grabbing both of my sister’s hands. I wanted her to know someone was there when she emerged from the vision.
Her ice-blue eyes found mine. “He was in a cabin, and it was flooding, but he wouldn’t move. He was going to let the sea take him, and I had to watch!”
“Rhistel,” I put the pieces we’d seen together. “He must send Vale out to fight but kept Thantrel tucked away. It’s brilliant because it splits us up.”
“Rhistel is brilliant.” Saga looked at her boots, spattered with mud that the melted snow had left behind. “He’s many other things too, most of them awful, but don’t underestimate his intelligence. Did you see anything else? Guards? Traps?”
“I was in the room right away. It worked so quickly. I didn’t think to look outside.”
“On the same ship as Magnus and Rhistel, if I had to guess,” I said. “I doubt they’ll be difficult to find.”
My sister stood, determination mixed with the faintest glint of murder in expression. “Well, once we find Thantrel and rip him out of the trouble he’s in, the king and prince had better watch their backs because I’m coming for them.”