Chapter 22
Elva
Figuring out where Njall is being kept in the castle would be my biggest challenge, since I know nothing of its layout. As I watched the fire sputter and crackle during my night watch, I tried to recall the things I knew for certain about the Huestur Castle and lands.
The Huestur Territories were smaller than the lands controlled by Tyndorf, but the forests here are thick and overgrown.
The trees here are fewer in variety, growing so close together that they formed a suffocating canopy, blocking out most of the sunlight even at midday.
The wagon trail we used would have been tended to in any other forest kingdom, but here it was overrun with roots, vines, and holes left from years of wear.
We took a break here to get out our warmer clothes since the lack of sunlight made the forest feel frigid.
I'd only seen the castle once, when I was training to be a warrior.
We had to practice letting our siren side take control so we could swim longer distances, so we would travel to the Huestur castle and then back to Konvern.
It had been one of my favorite training excursions.
I thrived in the water, unlike some sirens whose other half was a land creature.
My ability to breathe in both forms gave me an edge, and for me, the water was a peaceful place.
I felt safer there than anywhere on the ground.
Most castles on the water used tunnels to move supplies between the ships and the palace.
I was pretty sure that I could get in, but once inside, the challenge would be to find Njall.
I figured I could use my siren gifts to coax the information out of someone.
If not, I could always beat it out of them.
I used the rest of my watch practicing with the new daggers Baldr had given me. They were heavier than I was used to, and made of a different metal that wouldn't fly as far as my usual ones.
“We’ll need to find fresh water today,” Leifur announced as I threw my last dagger at the makeshift target I’d set up. “Preferably this morning.”
“Agreed,” Sindri said, walking over to inspect my handiwork. He was dressed in a beautiful sapphire blue tunic with buttons carved from mother-of-pearl. “You’re getting better. Now you just need a bath, so the guards can’t smell you coming.”
Leifur coughed to hide his laugh as I pulled the daggers out of the tree. Sindri was already strutting back to camp and called back over his shoulder, “Don’t shoot the messenger!”
Leifur’s sense of direction was by far the best, so I let him lead us toward the river.
With the thick forest canopy, endless shadows, and glowing eyes that seemed to follow us as we weaved through the thickets.
After spotting yet another pair of red eyes that vanished in a blink, Sindri became anxious, and his horse, Cobble, sensed it.
I tried to keep my composure so the other horses would stay calm, but the more we traveled, the more densely packed the trees became, and it was a struggle to navigate through them.
Sindri expressed his concerns louder than I'd have liked for a group trying to sneak up on a castle.
Leifur had to shush him, and even I was beginning to regret bringing him along.
When I heard the gurgle of a rushing river, I let out an anxious breath and flashed a forced smile at Sindri. “See?”
My brother rolled his eyes and hurried his horse after Leifur, leaving me alone in the thicket.
My nerves had been getting the best of me for the last few days, so I allowed myself a few deep breaths before I pushed after them.
Fear that Njall was being tortured to death, and we’d have nothing left to save, was bubbling to the surface as the closer we got to the castle, and since we’d run into Coral, the nightmare that the sirens could be coming to take back my brothers at any moment had been invading my sleep every night.
The trees near the river were the thickest we’d come across, but the bank on the other side was eerily bare.
“I’d heard it was red, but never quite believed it,” Sindri said as I stepped out of the forest. Indeed, the river was red as blood.
“It’s the runoff from the Crimson mountains,” I explained, sliding off my horse.
Sindri leaned over the rocks and sniffed the rushing water below. “Is it safe to drink?”
“Perfectly.” Leifur patted his horse as she took a long drink. “The crimson mountains are filled with iron. It's where my ore comes from and also what turns the water red.”
Sindri grimaced and turned away.
“You’ll live, sweetie,” Leifur said. Sindri grudgingly handed over his water flask. Leifur filled all our flasks, and once the horses had their fill, we slipped back into the woods, thankful that no one had spotted us.
We swerved to the south to sneak around the towns that bordered the river.
The path was narrow, forcing us to move in a single file.
Keeping quiet was a challenge until we heard passersby ahead.
At the sound of voices, Sindri smartened up, and we tightened our bags to prevent any noise.
The day wore on as we persevered through the thick undergrowth.
Soon, the surrounding darkness was from the sun heading low in the sky and no longer the canopy above us. When we finally emerged from the forest, we found ourselves on a beach, and we could see the castle in the distance, further down the shore. Its silhouette was stark against the fading light.
“How close do you want to go?” Leifur asked.
“I don’t think we should get any closer,” Sindri replied. “We can travel much faster through water. Besides, if we leave the horses here, they’re less likely to be spotted.”
I looked at my twin in surprise. “You aren’t the only one with good ideas, you know,” he said, crossing his arms defensively.
“Of course she’s not, love,” Leifur said and pulled him in for a quick kiss.
“We can travel by water, but what about Njall?” I asked. “No one we talked to knew what his mother was. He could be fine in the water, or he could drown in a minute.”
Sindri grinned and held up a tiny vial filled with silvery liquid. “That’s why I convinced Coral to give me this.”
Leifur grabbed the vial. “When did you talk to Coral?” he questioned, narrowing his eyes.
“It was when I went to take a leak. I saw her on the stairs. I knew she'd have tonic on her, and I wanted to get some just in case.”
“How much did it cost you?” I asked, sliding down from my horse.
“Six gold coins.”
“Six!” Leifur hissed as he handed me the bottle. “That shouldn’t have cost over three.”
“She knows Sindri,” I replied. “He’s always squirreling away gold in case he sees something pretty.”
“Or shiny,” Sindri added. He grabbed my fingers and closed them around the tiny vial. “Six pieces of gold is a small price to pay if it gets us our home.”
I pressed the vial to my chest. “Thank you.” He pulled me into a hug and kissed my forehead.
“I got you the tool,” he said as he stepped back. “Now you go get the prize pig.”