Chapter 44 Astrid #3
“You know she doesn’t have to touch you to kill you? In fact, she doesn’t even have to look at you.” The room comes to an abrupt halt, the team working with Skylar all wearing similar horrified expressions. “Do your job properly. Touching her won’t be the death of you.”
Skylar barks an incredulous laugh. It cheers Astrid up to hear it.
“The Arturean princess is right,” Agata says sternly. “Let’s stop pussyfooting, shall we?”
After this, the whole process goes a lot quicker, and with the magic of the Weavers—and some clever intricate work by a couple of Metallurgists on buckles and zippers—the pair find themselves in their new outfits in less than two hours.
They have indeed chosen the Vatran colors of red and gold for Skylar’s outfit—a close-fitting, thick-strapped tank top and a matching pair of shorts that cling to her lean legs.
Around each thigh is a strap and a scabbard for her blades.
She looks deadly. Beautiful. Her team coos over her—their fear of the Exhauster long forgotten—and Skylar allows it.
But her eyes, Goddess, her eyes. Astrid can see the flame that usually lives there shrinking as anguish smothers it.
Skylar senses Astrid’s attention and turns to her. “Just one last thing to do,” she says, barging toward Astrid. She holds her arms out. “If you’ll do the honors, Little Witch.”
Astrid doesn’t even have to ask what she means. She wishes Jessa were here, like she was the last time, wishes that night of moonflower and masks wasn’t the last night they’d ever had together, because, Sqa?i, Astrid would have made so much more of it if she’d known.
Lifting her hand, Astrid waves it over Skylar’s clothes, murmuring “Nroi” as she does. The material transforms into a glittering black—all but one small part.
“I’ve left this,” Astrid whispers, pointing at the ring of red and gold that sits above Skylar’s heart, “for Cam.”
The gasps of appreciation for Astrid’s magic would be comical if it weren’t for the tears Skylar is determinedly blinking back.
With everyone focused on them still, Astrid spins away from Skylar—drawing those gazes with her—and casts various spells on her own costume.
It’s mainly a distraction while Skylar composes herself, but also a way to test the material—which is, as promised, extra durable.
The all-in-one suit covers every part of her, from her ankles and wrists right up to her neck, and it’s so supple, so comfortable, Astrid could almost believe she was naked.
They’ve given her boots that stop just below her knees and that perfectly support her ankles and allow her complete freedom of movement.
It’s incredible, actually, and Astrid is decidedly impressed.
“Sensational,” Agata breathes, palms pressed together. “You both look sensational. You will be a vision at the duel.”
That sours Astrid’s mood.
Ottilie thanks the Weaver and her team, and she invites them to remain on the terrace to enjoy the refreshments and take the rest of the day for themselves—they don’t need telling twice.
The teams bid Astrid and Skylar goodbye and good luck, as if it’s a written exam they’ll be facing rather than a fight to the death, and disperse outside, chattering happily.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have another meeting to get to,” Ottilie says to Astrid and Gwen. “Skylar, are you due back in training?”
“No,” she responds bluntly. “I’m going to go find Kaida.”
“I’ll come with you,” Astrid says, thinking of Bastet.
They don’t bother changing out of their new outfits before they navigate their way back through the reception room.
Gwen holds the door open, and Astrid exits first, stopping when she sees who’s waiting outside in the hallway.
Axel is speaking to Zryan, whose back is to her, but the blond man quiets when he spots her, and Zryan turns around. He falls deathly still.
His heated gaze is fixed on her, or more accurately, her outfit, which, given the fit, leaves very little to the imagination. Goddess, when he looks at her like that, it’s a wonder she doesn’t spontaneously combust.
“Astrid.” He says her name like a wish, stepping toward her. Axel grabs his arm, and Skylar, now standing beside Astrid, nods over her shoulder to where the two queens have followed them out. “You have an audience, Brother,” she warns.
But too late.
“Son.”
That one word from Ottilie manages to convey an extraordinary feeling of betrayal, and Astrid nearly flinches from it.
Ottilie is glaring at her son, but Zryan is still looking at Astrid like a parched man looks at a mirage.
Then his features shift—the hunger replaced with something desperate, sad—and Astrid’s heart constricts at the way he’s looking at her now.
As if he’s only just recalled why Astrid has to wear this outfit.
He finally tears his gaze away, acknowledging the rest of the group in the hallway, the queen. “Mother.”
“What are you doing here, Zryan?” she says, clipped.
“Axel said you asked him to meet you here, so thought I’d tag along—I needed to see Skylar.”
“Is Kaida okay?” Skylar blurts.
“Do you think Mjolnir would let anything happen to her?”
Skylar exhales slowly. “No, of course not.”
“Axel and I have business to attend to. I’ll see you this evening for dinner,” Ottilie says to the prince, walking to Axel’s side. Axel isn’t looking at his queen, however, too distracted by Skylar—who is decidedly ignoring him. “We need to talk, Zryan. Do not be late.”
He quirks a brow, inclines his head to her. The queen turns on her heel, gesturing for Axel to follow.
Astrid thinks about warning Zryan that his mother knows she’s seen the tapestry, but she stalls, ears pricking up like a cat’s, when she hears something Axel says to the queen. One word, in particular.
Warrens.
She tunes in to Axel’s low voice, willing him to say more, and picks up “four” and “contingent”—then nothing. He’s too far away.
Mikhael the rebel mentioned the warrens that day when she was in the dungeons. She thinks back to what he said, his exact words, and the plan formulates almost instantaneously in her mind.
She needs to check her grimoire, to be sure of the spell, what she can use.
And she won’t be able to do it alone. Skylar is standing next to her, hands on her hips, watching Axel’s retreating back.
Will she help Astrid, even though Cam can’t be saved?
Astrid will have to convince her, because this is it, this is how she’ll help her queendom.
This is how she’ll find the Heart.