Chapter 45 – Neve
Chapter 45
NEVE
T he sun was rising outside the windows of Riis Tower as Clem and I searched for Luccan.
Yesterday had been long, and the night doubly so. Despite the passing of time, my mind was still so full of questions, doubts, and fears. Deep down, I knew what I wanted, would never forget that purpose burning inside me when my mother said I had the power to help many. I could not fathom how to reach my goals, but I had one clue, one way to begin.
My mother had told me to go west. Why exactly? I wasn’t sure but suspected it might have something to do with the Hallow. Or perhaps my closure involving the situation between Roar and me. I’d wanted to confront Roar since he’d ridden from Avaldenn in the dead of night, and that desire had only intensified when I learned that Roar might have known who I was the whole time, so my mother’s suggestion fit perfectly with my plans. West I would go. Hopefully, with Luccan’s help .
Clemencia stopped before a closed door. “He takes his breakfasts in here when he stays the night.”
My ears perked up. “How often does he visit?”
Her eyes crinkled slightly at the corners. “We really had not been here long when you arrived. You know, with the travel time and all. So he’s only visited twice, two days in a row.”
“That’s a lot for someone who should be at court.” I elbowed her gently. “You know, by orders of the king.”
Pink roses bloomed on the apples of her high cheekbones. “He has things to do here. And it’s not like he takes a lot of time to get back to Avaldenn.”
“Things to do. Riiiight .” I laughed. “I bet he just wants to flirt with you.”
“I won’t deny that there’s some of that too.” Clemencia patted down her skirts. “Now, don’t you have something important to ask him?”
“I’m noting this deflection, and you can be sure that I plan on asking you more about the two of you later,” I teased and tapped my temple. “But yes, you’re right, I should get on with it.”
I knocked on the door.
“Come on in!” Luccan called out.
We let ourselves into a bedroom and found Luccan wearing a thick robe, his dark red hair pouring over his shoulders as he read a book.
“Good morning,” I said.
He stiffened and lifted his eyes from the book. “Ah, Princess Neve and Lady Clemencia.” He pulled his robe tighter over his broad chest. “Apologies for my state. I thought you were the servant bringing me my tea and biscuits.”
“Afraid not,” I said. “Just us.”
“Which is quite good enough.” Luccan rose and began picking up his books. “To what do I owe this visit?”
“No need to tidy up.” I took a few more steps into the room, which was spotless and sparse. Like in the rest of the home, there was no sign of ice spider imagery to represent the now noble House of Riis. I wondered if the castle Lord Riis lived in—one that I suspected might have been my mother’s ancestral home—crawled with those mysterious eight-legged creatures. “I have a favor to ask of you and then I’ll leave you to your breakfast.”
Luccan straightened. “If I can help, I will. Also, my father spoke for our family yesterday, giving you an assurance that we would keep your secret, but I want you to know that I plan to remain your friend, Neve.”
My heart stuttered. Any relationship with me puts him at significant risk. If the king learned who I was—or more likely, when he learned who I was, if my budding ambitions went to plan— and that Luccan was aiding me, that would spell his death sentence. But I didn’t need to tell Luccan that for I was certain he already knew.
“Even though Vale despises me?” I asked because despite all the other reasons for him to shy away, that one seemed like it would be very important to Luccan. “You two are so close.”
“We are. And for the record, I doubt he despises you. Rather, he’s in shock.”
I’d have been worried if he wasn’t but going through the emotions of our falling-out felt very different from expecting them. “Well, I am thankful for your friendship. It’s more than I could ask for.”
Luccan looked like he wished to say something more, but I wanted to get on with my request, so I plowed onward.
“I came here to ask you to create a gateway to the west. To Guldtown.”
Red eyebrows drew together. “You wish to see Lord Roar?”
“To confront him,” I corrected. “I’ve wanted to since he left me high and dry at Frostveil, but when I saw my mother in my . . .” What did one call what I’d experienced?
“My vision,” I settled on, “she said to go west. I think she wants me to get closure.”
So I can move on to other things, bigger things. Like finding the Ice Scepter and helping the fae of Winter’s Realm.
I kept those thoughts to myself. Before I shared what my heart wanted most, I needed a plan.
“I can understand that,” Luccan said. “However, at my skill level, making a gateway takes me weeks. It’s why I haven’t made that many, just those connecting my family’s properties.”
My mouth fell open. “Weeks? But it would take less time to ride!”
“True. The upside to a properly formed gateway is that you can use it many times.”
“Yes, of course. I just didn’t expect that timeframe.” I sighed. “Well, I had hoped to get there sooner, but?—”
“ Although ,” Luccan interrupted, a spark in his eyes, “I could try to make a temporary gateway. Mind you, it would still take me a day or so, and it would only last a second, long enough for you to pass through.”
I inhaled; my hope renewed. “But it’s possible?”
He nodded slowly. “I’ve never done it before, but I have read about them.” He glanced at Clemencia and straightened. “I wouldn’t mind trying and stretching my magic.”
I smothered the smile I felt growing inside me. Though I believed that Luccan wished to help me, I also suspected that he wanted to impress Clemencia. “I’d so appreciate it.”
He stepped up to a bookshelf, pulled a tome from the collection, and skimmed the first page, then flipped through the book. He was about halfway through the pages when he stopped and came closer.
“This is a map of Guldtown. I’ve only been there once, as a lad, but you likely remember it better than me. Pick a place where you’d like me to open the gateway.”
I examined the map, which, with my limited knowledge, appeared up to date. The castle stood out and while going there would be easiest, I also wouldn’t put it past Roar to have put magical defenses in place. Those that might injure us if we tried to use magic. After all, in the eyes of the king, Roar had committed treason. It was likely the Warden of the West would have only recently returned home, and not having protections put up the moment he rode through his city’s gates would be idiotic. Roar might be a snake, but he wasn’t stupid. However, he couldn’t keep everyone from Guldtown, right?
My gaze drifted to the city gates I’d first ridden through on Frode’s cart. Then I’d been half frozen and dressed in little more than rags. The next time I walked through them would be so very different. I pointed to a spot in the woods near the city gates. “We can come out here. I can walk to the castle from that point.”
“Got it.” Luccan plucked a quill from his table and noted the spot. “I’ll begin preparations. Remember, you must be ready at any second to leave. Once I am close to the final moments of creation, I will send for you, no matter the time.”
“I’ll be ready,” I assured him. “Thank you for your help. For your friendship.”
“You’re welcome, Neve.” Luccan held up the book. “Looks like I’d better get to work.”
We left his room, and I turned to Clemencia. “That went much better than expected.”
“He’s an honorable male. And your lineage might even excite him.”
“What do you mean?” I waved for her to follow. The morning had just begun, but I was ready for the next stage of my plans—training with my unruly magic.
“Luccan doesn’t always agree with the king.” Clemencia’s teeth dug into her bottom lip. “I don’t think I do either.”
I gaped. Clemencia, my rule-following tutor, was expressing disdain for the male whose word was law?
“How do you mean?”
Clemencia’s quickening pace hinted that she might be nervous to answer. “Things I saw at court . . . they did not sit right with me. And I don’t think I’m the only one. You must know, Neve, that some will see your name as a way to rid the kingdom of its troubles.”
My pulse skittered. My mother had mentioned something similar, but how many others were thinking it?
Stars, what did Vale think about all this? And if he forgave me for keeping my identity a secret, could he also forgive me if I claimed my real name and acted for those I thought needed it most? Which wasn’t his father or the other nobles.
Or was any relationship we might have had broken forever? I came to a halt, the thought sending a jolt of physical pain through me.
“Neve?” Clemencia placed a hand on my shoulder. “Are you well?”
I exhaled. “Yes. I came to a rather unpleasant thought and my body reacted.”
“Don’t discount that.”
“I won’t.”
Though I didn’t know what to make of it either.
Dressed in a thick cloak and boots, I tramped outside through the snow.
Clemencia trailed behind me, and I glanced back and up to find Anna watching—as she said she would. I waved at her; glad I’d been able to dissuade my best friend from coming outside.
It was too cold for a human, particularly one who had spent most of her life in the Blood Kingdom’s relatively mild climate.
It was cold outside, even for me. The temperature had dropped precipitously last night and hadn’t risen again after the sun rose. The frost and ice that my burst of magic sent crawling across the outside of Riis Tower hadn’t melted yet either. Though the cold was a way of life in the Winter Kingdom, to me the recent changes toward deepening cold, more snow, and ice and frost, felt ominous, like twilight descending much too quickly.
I glanced back at Riis Tower again, for the first time taking in the building as a whole. It was, as the name implied, one circular tower, large enough for a family of about ten and a few servants. The middle of the tower boasted a courtyard. While I’d been told I could practice there, I’d opted to distance myself, just in case my magic got out of hand again.
The Tower was so plain that I couldn’t imagine Lord Riis growing up there. It wasn’t a home made for a lord, but a wealthy merchant, which was what the Riis family had been, once upon a time. And aside from the Tower’s size, the only other thing that spoke to their wealth was the freestanding log sauna nearby. Public saunas existed in cities, maybe even in larger towns, but few could afford such a private luxury.
“I think this is far enough, Prince—Neve.” Clemencia cleared her throat. She had difficulty doing away with formalities.
“Sure.” I stopped. “First step, make a clearing.”
“Perhaps a path too? For the way back?” Clemencia’s cheeks were pink from the effort it had taken to trudge through the snow.
“I’ll try my best.” I inhaled deeply. “Remember, I’m new to all this.”
Even though Clemencia understood that and didn’t expect a grand spectacle from me, the admission still had the power to shame me. As a slave, my master had proclaimed my name day to be on the first day of each new turn. Now, I knew that while he had gotten the correct turn and the day had been a good guess, it was also incorrect. Queen Revna’s diary had stated that her twins had been born on Winter Solstice, which was in nearly two moons’ time.
I was twenty-three turns old—nearly twenty-four—and I didn’t know a thing about my magic. No matter how you looked at it, I was very far behind, and though I had no power over that, a mixture of negative emotions, mostly shame and fear and resentment, still rubbed me raw.
“I’m here for you,” Clem assured me.
I wasn’t sure how I’d gotten so lucky to have her as first my tutor, then my friend.
“Stand back a bit?” I waved.
Even though she’d already endured my frozen bedroom, she indulged me, taking a dozen steps back.
Ideally, I would have had Vale with me. He was the only one in Riis Tower who had winter magic. But we weren’t speaking, and despite Luccan’s reassurance, I wasn’t sure we ever would again.
A lump rose in my throat. Reflexively, I swallowed. Stars, I needed a distraction.
Time to work magic. I rubbed my hands together, unsure how to start and hoping it would flow.
“How about you focus on directing wind, like Prince Vale does, to make your clearing?” Clemencia offered, ever the helpful teacher, even when she didn’t know a thing about the subject.
“Sure,” I said because it made sense. Winds were part of winter storms. Plus, I didn’t have any better ideas.
I closed my eyes and sank deep into myself, seeking the power I’d felt rushing through me the night before. The magic that, had I not chosen to meet it, rather than succumb to it, would have taken my life.
It didn’t take long for it to awaken. All morning, my magic had lain inside me, dormant. Or perhaps I hadn’t known how to feel for it until now. After all, I’d seen a light come from me a few times but didn’t have a true release until the night the assassins came for me. I still wasn’t sure how that had happened, when my magic should have been bound by the potion.
But today, the power inside me hummed to life, filling me in such a way that my eyes flew open.
Clemencia was beaming. “I can sense it! And you haven’t created a storm yet, so that’s good!”
“Small miracles.” I focused on that hum, on that vibration inside me, and marveled at it. All my life I’d wanted to feel the thrum of my power in my veins and for the first time, I was about to control it too.
To my right, unbidden, snow swirled, creating a funnel that reached my hips.
Or maybe not. But a random swirl was much better than a room filled with frost, ice, and snow. Right?
I could work with this, something smaller and less life-threatening.
Hand twisting, I directed the swirling snow up, and to my great delight, it did as I requested. For the next few minutes, I moved the small vortex around, practicing, flexing my muscles. When I’d gotten a handle on it, I released and focused on the ground at my feet.
Using one’s hands wasn’t necessary to work magic. Other fae didn’t, though it did feel intuitive for me to practice using them, and as I was just beginning, I’d allow myself a crutch. I faced my palms to the ground and called air.
The northern winds, much milder in the midlands compared to Avaldenn, redirected, but with far more force than I’d intended and slammed into the ground. An explosion of snow filled the air.
Clemencia squealed, and though my heart was thundering, I let out a laugh. Mistake or not, it felt amazing to work my magic.
Like I was a full fae.
When the air cleared of snow, I twisted toward Clem and noticed someone walking toward us.
Clem noted my distraction, turned, and waved. “Caelo! Good morning! ”
“Good morning to you too, Lady Clemencia. Princess.” He moved through the snow with strong legs, his pace faster than ours had been. When he reached us, he gestured to the snow. “Impressive work.”
“It wasn’t intentional,” I admitted. “I’m flexing my powers, seeing what I can and cannot do.”
“We have a good idea of what you can do.”
“ On purpose ,” I amended. “I’d rather not nearly die whenever I need to work a feat so impressive.”
“That would be preferable, wouldn’t it?” He paused. “I heard from the others that you’ve been sparring regularly. Considering your circumstances, you need to maintain your current physical strength and prowess. Ideally, continue to build on it too. So I came out here to see if you wished to train with the sword today?”
“Yes,” I said, lighting up inside. I’d enjoyed my daily physical training sessions.
Caelo’s blue eyes took me in with interest. “You enjoy sparring practice?”
“I do. It makes me feel . . .” I trailed off, considering exactly what sparring did for me, “As if I’m no longer a weak slave. Like I might actually be able to defend myself against any threat that comes my way—one day, at least. And I liked just doing something active too, moving my body, learning what I could do, pushing myself.”
Caelo nodded. “Your ancestors were great warriors. So great that Queen Sassa unified the many kingdoms of Winter into one before taking on the Shadow Fae. I can see you being a part of her Valkyrja.”
“Valkyrja? What’s that?”
I’d heard a little about Queen Sassa, but never that term.
“An elite group of fighters, all of them female.”
“But females serve as soldiers here, right?” My eyebrows pulled together, unsure why one would need an exclusive group when anyone could be in the army or the Royal Nava.
“It wasn’t always that way,” Caelo said. “When the kingdoms were separate, things were different. Back then, females weren’t always fighters, but in Queen Sassa’s court, they were. Her Valkyrja weren’t her queensguard, but they were a unit the queen often deployed in battles. Always to astonishing effect.” Caelo grinned in a way that made him look much younger than his twenty-something turns. “Reading the accounts of Valkyrja flying into battle on their pegasi was what pushed me to take up the sword.”
“Interesting.” I made a note to find books on the topic. Perhaps Riis Tower had some. For now, though, I needed to return to practicing. “Can we delay sparring, Caelo? If I can handle it, I’d like at least an hour of magic work. I have to build those muscles too.”
“I’ll plan for a session after lunch. Thantrel wishes to join too. That’s fine with you?”
“Of course. I’ll see you then.”
He turned to go back to the tower.
“Uh, Caelo,” I blurted.
He faced me again. “Yes?”
“How is Vale?”
“Hungover as a dwarf after the Winter Solstice. ”
I didn’t understand the reference, and yet, I still cringed. “I see.”
“Not all because of what you told him.”
“What do you mean?”
“He had a talk with Lord Riis last night—one that left him in a foul mood. Before they spoke, he’d already downed many horns of ale, but after . . . Well, I’ve never seen Vale drink quite so much.”
“Any idea what they spoke about?” I asked, unable to help myself.
“No, and the High Lord left before any of us woke. His sons do not know either.”
Luccan hadn’t even mentioned it. But why would he share that information with me? Technically, I was still Vale’s wife, but we were separated in every way that mattered.
“I see.” I rubbed my hands together to ward off the cold. “Thank you for telling me. I’m worried about him.”
Sir Caelo’s full lips spread into a smile. “It relieves me to hear that, Princess Neve.”
“Relieved? Shouldn’t I be the one worried an Aaberg will come for me?”
The knight scoffed. “Perhaps, but I doubt it will be Vale.”
He was the second person to say such a thing. Though I wasn’t sure if either was right, my heart leapt at his words.