Chapter Four #2
Many Fae stepped forward to offer themselves, but before any could speak, Ylva moved first. She ignored the weight of their stares, the way they regarded her as though she were some strange marvel they could not place. Perhaps, in truth, she was.
‘I volunteer,’ she said, her voice steady. ‘I am valkyrian, my sight and strength may serve us well in scouting ahead.’
Rio tilted her head in quiet contemplation before nodding. ‘I agree.’
A low curse slipped from Arden’s lips as he stepped to Ylva’s side.
‘What are you doing?’ she muttered.
He did not answer her, instead addressing the princess. ‘If the valkyrian goes, then so do I.’
Rio’s brow furrowed. ‘And why is that, Arden Briar?’
‘What better scout than a Black Lotus, your highness?’
‘There are many Black Lotus among us. Why you, in particular?’
Ylva’s eyes lingered on him, searching. She had been taught much of the Black Lotus.
Though valkyrians were reborn stripped of memory, their training steeped them in the lore of the Eight Kingdoms—its people, its histories, the very shape of the world.
And what she had learnt of the Black Lotus had left her wary.
Rio Hawthorne stepped forward, placing herself before Arden.
Ylva knew the princess was blind, and yet at times it was near impossible to believe. Rio moved with a preternatural surety, as though the world itself bent to guide her steps.
‘And what if I commanded you to stay, Arden Briar?’ the princess asked, her voice cool and measured. ‘What would you say to that?’
Arden stiffened but did not lower his gaze.
‘I would say that you lied.’ His words struck the air like a blade, and for a moment even the forest seemed to hush. Yet Rio only smiled.
‘You told us you no longer desired the Black Lotus. That you did not wish to bind us by force. That you wanted us to fight as Fae.’
‘You are right,’ she admitted softly.
‘Then do not ask me to remain if she goes.’
Rio’s smile faltered, though the gleam in her eyes did not fade. With a curt nod, she turned aside. ‘Then you shall both go. You are not to tarry at the villages you pass. Ride to the castle, and meet us back on the road to deliver your report.’
Arden inclined his head in assent.
But before they could depart, two more Fae stepped forward—companions Ylva had come to spend many evenings with, much to Arden’s visible irritation.
The first was Elric, broad-shouldered and powerfully built, with the darkest skin Ylva had ever seen.
His antlers were modest in size, but his hazel eyes glowed with warmth, softening the brute-like first impression he so often gave.
In recent days, Ylva had begun to discover the gentleness that lay beneath his formidable exterior.
And beside him stood Nymeria—one of the most beautiful women Ylva had ever encountered.
Her complexion was lighter, with a soft radiance that complemented the cascade of black dreadlocks she often bound into a bun, though the sheer weight of her hair meant many strands escaped to frame her striking face.
Her eyes, a brilliant ocean blue, stirred in Ylva a sudden yearning to see the sea again, to stand upon its shores and lose herself in its endless horizon.
‘Elric and Nymeria shall accompany you,’ Rio declared.
Arden muttered a curse beneath his breath. ‘Buuuuuuuut…’
‘You are not five years old, Arden Briar,’ Rio cut in sharply.
‘He is,’ Elric muttered.
‘Why must they come?’ Arden demanded.
Elric’s hand shot out, striking him smartly behind the knees and forcing him to drop with a thud. ‘Do not dare question your princess!’
‘What in nature’s name is wrong with you?’ Arden spat, bristling. ‘And why are you so obsessed with me? Ah, wait, no need to answer. It’s perfectly obvious. I’d be obsessed with me too.’
Elric cuffed him on the back of the neck.
Rio gave a soft snort of amusement before turning away. ‘I shall await your return.’
Within moments, the camp stirred into motion, Fae scattering to dismantle tents and gather their belongings. Elric cast Arden a final, disdainful glance before shaking his head and signalling to Nymeria to collect their things.
Ylva stood over Arden where he knelt, her arms folded. ‘You really ought to learn when to hold your tongue.’ From nearby, she caught Elric’s low laugh.
‘But then the world would be cursed,’ Arden replied smoothly. ‘And the world is hardly ready to live without my charms.’
Ylva fought a smile and lost.
‘Come on,’ she said, extending her hand to him. ‘Two can ride the wolf, and the others may take my horse.’
‘I am not riding with Elric.’
Elric chuckled as he rejoined them with his satchel. He handed Ylva her bow and quiver, which she accepted with thanks. She had known them but a handful of days, yet already a fragile thread of trust bound her to them. Something deeper, as though she had always been meant to.
‘Very well, you can ride with me,’ Ylva said.
She caught the spark of a smile before it even reached his lips.
‘Who says I want to ride with you?’ Arden drawled. ‘I should rather ride with Nymeria. She’s a quiet companion. She never interrupts and always listens.’
Nymeria slid a blade from her boot with a dangerous gleam.
‘On second thought,’ Arden amended smoothly, ‘you and I scarcely know each other. A pleasant ride upon your horse sounds… delightful.’
Ylva laughed outright, unable to help herself.