Chapter 18
Elva
The next few minutes of our lives were a blur.
Three wolves streamed out of the woods at once.
They were matted and lanky and desperate for food.
Sindri dashed off with the two horses. One wolf gave chase, but Leifur hurled a rock at it.
Being the animal lover he was, he hit the wolf in the leg, and it went down with a sharp yelp.
I would not have been so gentle.
As the other two came racing toward my horse, Leifur pushed past his mount and flanked me, clenching a heavy stone in each hand. “Take the one on the left,” I told him. I threw better with my right arm, and he could throw with both.
“One. Two. Th—” Before he could finish counting, both wolves lunged for us.
Leifur’s first rock missed, but when the second thudded against the wolf's head, it dropped to the ground and didn’t move.
I threw my dagger and hit my mark, striking the other right in the eye.
It howled and cried as it swung its head back and forth, as if trying to dislodge the blade.
Leifur grabbed another rock and, with one swing, put the creature out of its misery.
Chest heaving from my adrenaline-fueled breaths, I turned to him. “No more camping until we are through the mountains?”
He nodded. “Agreed.”
We rode away from the woods as fast as the horses would go until the road forked west toward a more populated path.
Unlike the mountain trail, this one was dark brown and worn smooth from all the carts that had been dragged down it.
It wasn't long before we encountered a local farmer hauling a wagonload of animal feed back to his homestead.
When I dismounted Acorn and approached him, he stopped.
Sindri made a face and pinched his nose, but I smiled sweetly at the man.
Despite his dirty appearance, we learned his farm was a prosperous one, and he was happy to point us toward a nearby village with an affordable inn.
I ran my hand down the man's arm, and when he left us, I was attaching a sack of bread and cheese and a bottle of ale to my horse.
I wanted my brother to see that he wasn't the only one who could acquire us provisions.
Music filled the forest as we neared the village.
Something exciting was happening. Leifur handed me my scarf, and I was thankful for the chill in the air, so I could wrap up my hair with no one asking questions.
After another few turns, we saw the wooden walls the farmer had told us about—massive structures that reminded me of the ever-growing coral beneath the siren castle.
As we rode closer, I realized they weren’t only tall, but the trees they’d been made of were wider than my body.
Leifur whistled in awe, and even Sindri seemed to finally pay attention to what was ahead.
“Are we sure this is the town we want to sleep in? I can hear the ruckus from here,” Sindri said.
“The farmer said this was the only one we could reach tonight,” I reminded him. “Do you want to sleep outside again after our visit this morning?”
“Not particularly,” Sindri said.
“Good,” I replied. “Because packs of Crimson Mountain wolves don't travel in threes. They hunt in packs of ten, and they'll stalk their prey for days.”
Sindri spurred his horse to hurry ahead of us.
The walls of Eldenwood were green from the years of moss growing on them.
It reassured me that these walls had lasted quite some time with no evidence of recent invasions.
By the time I arrived at the gate, Sindri and Leifur had dismounted and were talking to the guard on duty.
He was middle-aged, but the sword that hung from his scabbard was so hefty, I was unsure I could wield it.
His head was full of thick blond hair, and his beard was messy but clean.
If he shows up at the inn later, I will have to find him.
The guard explained that the noise was because the town was celebrating. Their Lord had finally found a wife, and the union promised a prosperous future for the village. He winked at me as he gave us directions to the inn and promised he’d stop by for a drink after his shift ended.
We led our horses through the gate and through the crowd of people who were drinking in the streets.
I took the mare’s reins from Sindri and pushed through the throng while Leifur followed close behind.
My brother is just as likely to stay with them as he is to follow me, but Leifur wanted to settle in before they joined in the festivities.
The houses in town are small and simple, seeing it made me long for this kind of life even more.
One day we’ll have this too.
We passed by the butcher and then a bakery.
I was thrilled to know we could restock our dried meats and bread before we left tomorrow.
The streets led us to the town square, where the townspeople were singing, and a group of children were dancing around the large fountain that stood in the middle of the market.
At its center stood carved stone wolves, their statues guarding the heart of Eldenwood.
“A little too on the nose for the area, don’t you think?” Sindri whispered.
I shushed my twin, but couldn’t stop the grin that crossed my lips. A small girl who’d been dancing with her friends skipped to us. Her braids bounced as she stopped and held out a yellow wildflower to me.
“Welcome to Eldenwood,” was all she said. The moment I took the buttercup from her, she giggled and hurried off.
“Interesting custom,” Leifur said, taking the flower from my fingers and tucking it behind my ear.
“Come on. Let’s get our room.”
The Eldenwood Inn was just across the market square, built from the same dark logs as the town wall; this inn appeared to be three stories high, towering over the adjacent structures.
Leifur noticed an open barn door on the side and paid the young stable hand to take care of our horses.
Then, satchels split between us, we headed into the inn's tavern.
Inside were a few worn tables and chairs, a large window took up the entirety of one wall, and a bar with stools set up on the other. The stairs in the back corner probably led to the rooms. Despite the ruckus outside, the inn was empty except for a woman behind the bar.
“Don’t you worry about how empty we are,” she said as the three of us glanced around. “Everyone’s out celebrating. They’ll be back for dinner after dark, and then the place will be more packed than my sister’s bra.”
Sindri snorted, clearly entertained. “I like you,” he said, handing his bags to Leifur and hopping up onto a barstool. “We need two rooms,” he said, smiling coquettishly at the woman. “Or a large room with two beds.”
She fetched an oversized brass key from a row of hooks behind her. Sindri thrust his hand out toward me and snapped his fingers. Rolling my eyes, I pulled out a pair of brass coins and placed them on the bar.
“Here’s your key,” Oudette said, handing it to Sindri. “Third floor, room on the left.”
“Thank you dear. Now, could you tell what time dinner will be served?”
“Six o’clock, handsome. I’ll save you the best cuts.”
“You’ve been most helpful.” Sindri winked at her. She was blushing as she turned around and resumed cleaning the stack of ale mugs.
“Couldn’t help yourself,” I muttered as we climbed the creaky steps to the third floor.
“As long as there are no wolves, I’m happy,” Sindri said as we arrived on the floor and unlocked our room.
“I’ll just be happy to have my blanket, and not having to smell you two is a bonus,” I said, giving my brother a pointed glare. He grabbed a pillow off the bed and tossed it at me. I caught it and dropped it on my bed.
Later that evening, as the bathwater warmed my skin, I felt a rare moment of peace.
Sirens had no problem with cold, as long as it was water.
An icy river or sea didn't bother me, but cold air and snow on my skin felt brutal.
After two weeks of bathing in frigid rivers, the hot water that was sent up feels amazing.
I know I'll have better chances of finding a man for tonight, now that I don't smell like our horses.
My siren is going a bit stir crazy, and I am thankful to get some of this pent-up frustration out.
Dressed and ready, I headed downstairs to meet Sindri and Leifur in the tavern.
Boisterous voices filled the hallway as I left our room and locked the door.
Oudette hadn’t been lying when she said the bar would be crowded.
Before my feet even left the stairs, I could feel the heat from the mass of bodies crowded around the bar, all shouting for drinks.
Perched on the last step, I scanned the room for my brothers and found them at a table by the door with some locals.
Sindri was being his usual flirtatious and touchy self, wooing the ladies who had joined them.
Leifur just watched from his side with a cocky grin, letting my twin enjoy himself.
But when I caught his eye, he dropped his smile and jerked his head toward the back of the room.
Normally, I could read Leifur like a book, so this startled me.
Searching the crowd, I saw only locals, until a woman dressed in leather caught my attention.
As she looked over at me, her blue eyes practically screamed across the room at me.
Coral!
By the time I was at her table, my old friend was already on her feet, embracing me.
“How I've missed you, my vicious little sea dragon,” she muttered as we clung to one another.
“And I missed you, my adorable little otter pup.”
At this, she pulled away from me and narrowed her eyes, trying to look frightening.
“There’s my otter.” I pinched her cheek, and she swatted at my hand playfully.
“Do you have to join your brothers, or can you sit with me and catch up?” she asked.
“The boys will be fine,” I said and plopped into the chair beside her. “Tell me everything! Are you here alone or with others? Why are you here? How are the girls? Does the general miss me?”
“There isn’t that much to tell,” she said, pouring me a glass of ale from her jug. “I’m on patrol with a small group of warriors. We’re all checking different small towns. The sisters back home are all well, and yes, General Maer speaks of you often.”
I took a swig of the ale and waited. “And? What aren't you telling me?”
She shook her head and leaned toward me, lowering her voice. “We’ve had a few sirens not return, so we’re trying to see if their disappearances are connected. We're to meet back at the edge of the Endilaus Forest in a week.”
“Missing? How many sirens?”
“Four. That’s enough that it could be a coincidence, but it could also be something else.”
“Are you thinking humans, beasts, or selkies?”
“Still unsure. We’re just being cautious.”
“I’m sure no one in Konvern wants to hear from me, but if I see anything suspicious, I’ll send word.”
“I’d appreciate that,” Coral replied, finally taking a sip of her ale. “A single siren is always an easier target.”
“I’m not alone.” I barely got the words out before I laughed.
“Oh, please! I'm sure Leifur spends all his time keeping Sindri out of trouble.”
“Not all of it.”
We both giggled as Leifur turned toward us, having heard his name. Coral just waved at him and blew him a kiss. He rolled his eyes and turned back to his table.
“Is he still bitter?” she asked.
“You broke his heart, Coral,” I said.
The siren groaned loudly and took a large swig of her ale. “Me, and every siren he ever mated with.”
“Not me,” I said, pouring her another ale.
“That’s because you didn’t have a baby.” Coral’s eyes went wide. “Elva, I didn’t mean it.”
“I know,” I said, swallowing how much the comment had hurt me, and patted her leg. “Besides, he couldn’t have fallen in love with me because he was falling in love with my brother. And Sindri won't leave him like the other sirens did.”
“Poor Leifur. He was the most prolific male siren.” Coral wrapped her arm around my shoulder and squeezed, but I could tell from her quick breaths and her efforts to control them that she was nervous.
“Whatever it is, just say it,” I finally said. “We’ll both be leaving tomorrow, so we don’t have time for stupid games.”
“The queen’s upset.”
“When isn’t she?”
“I mean about Leifur.”
“Ah,” I replied, staring at my brothers over my glass. “And Sindri?”
“They knew he would likely leave with you. Honestly, after he refused to ever mate with a female siren when he became a sultry siren, no one cared.”
“But Leifur was useful.”
“He was.”
“And what does our top fish plan to do?” I asked.
Coral's eyes darted to the window, then back to me. “I don’t know. I’m not high enough to be privy to that information, but you need to be careful.”
“We are. All I want is a little spot of land where we can live in peace. Is that so much to ask?”
“No, of course not!” Coral clinked her mug to mine just as the door opened and the handsome blond guard appeared in the doorway. I immediately sat up and adjusted my hair scarf and breasts.
“Ohh. On the prowl, are we?” Coral teased, looking around. “The blond in the uniform?”
“Yes.”
“Excellent choice. Go have fun,” she said, taking my mug. “I’ll still be here when you’re done.”
“Are you sure?”
“He looks like he knows what he’s doing. You’ll be back, and then we’ll color your hair with the tonic I have. The one made for warriors always lasts longer.”