Chapter Thirteen
–Katana–
WHILE TORSTEN’S DARKER side broke my heart in the armory after we slept together, when he told me he didn’t return my love and would take other women to his bed in the years ahead, it didn’t take me long to realize he was lying, whether he knew it yet or not.
He might not know how to say it, but he did love me.
I was certain of it. I had to be. It was the only thing that took the sting out of not just his callousness but also the monumental risk we had taken.
Did I blame him for putting me in a position I couldn’t refuse?
Of course. But the fact was I wanted it all along, no matter which side of him surfaced.
I wanted to feel what had always been denied us, moments we only ever had in our dreams. Moments that weren’t quite real, but weren’t authentic either, but still kept us caught in a type of limbo that didn’t allow our fate to play out as it should.
Either way, it was done now, and his child could very well be developing in my womb as we spoke in the War Chamber about what came next.
Fortunately, his kinder side had resurfaced, ensuring his feedback would lean less toward his need to confront Skarde, defeat the darkness at the heart of the prophecy, and claim his throne.
So imagine my surprise when I realized what had to happen next.
Something Blaze and Marjorie realized, too, from the sympathetic look in Marjorie’s eyes when our gazes briefly met.
“Your darker side wasn’t entirely wrong, no matter how much he might have thought twice about it in the end,” I said to Torsten, keeping my tone gentle and my emotions in check when he looked at me.
“We need to bring Skarde to us before he figures out a way to infiltrate the Realm, because I don’t doubt he’s already thinking of how to do it, starting with the Keep, the very heart of everything we’re trying to protect. ”
“No.” Torsten shook his head. “I won’t have you put in harm’s way like that.” The corners of his mouth tugged downward. “How can you even ask that of me, especially knowing you’re drawn to him, which could make his evil intentions so much easier to carry out?”
“And that’s what we have no choice but to bank on,” Marjorie said, answering for me because what could I say to make this any better for him, or the situation in general?
“She’s right,” Blaze said. “As it stands, despite the Keep trying to protect itself and mayhap you two, you’ve become a crack in the Realm’s armor.
” He sighed. “Though tempted to say this is all your darker side’s fault for confronting the darkness to begin with, the truth is he only did what was in his nature.
What made sense to him at the time, given his ambitions. ”
“And his need to protect this place and his people,” I couldn’t help but say softly, because it was true. He had acted on behalf of others, no matter what his ultimate ambitions were, and that should be acknowledged.
“I find it hard to believe the Keep and Realm want you to put yourself in harm’s way like that, Katana,” Torsten said, growing more upset by the moment.
“Why would they when you said yourself it recreated the weather that drove you into my darker half’s arms to begin with?
When it all but ensured you would conceive, which was bound to put you and everyone you care about in that much more danger inside its borders, never mind outside? ”
“Unless it knew something we did not,” áma countered, having remained mostly quiet through this, silently observing.
“Unless it understood the best way to keep itself safe was to ensure you left, but not before you came together with both of Torsten’s sides, Katana.
Not until you understood how much you loved all of him. ”
“And I do,” I said without hesitation because it was true, and I wouldn’t deny or lie about it despite everyone in this room not being crazy about his other half.
“But what if you’re pregnant?” Torsten said gruffly, shaking his head in disbelief as he looked at me.
“Are you willing to use our child as bait? Yourself as bait? Because I can just imagine how elated the darkness will be at the thought of having you both. Better still, how willing I would be to do anything to get you back, including handing over my crown, even if I don’t entirely know how to do that. But something tells me he would know.”
“And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to release the Realm from this darkness so we can have a life together, because we both know that won't happen if evil wins,” I said, trying to stay strong and help him see things clearly.
“And I know you’ll be willing to do whatever it takes, too, Torsten, once you’ve had some time to think about it.
Remember, that was my concern before we ended up here.
Your concern, as well, at the time. Right now, you’ve been thrust into the consequences of your darker sides’ actions, so I don’t blame you for how you’re feeling at the moment. ”
“Nor do I,” Blaze said, and Marjorie nodded, making it clear they understood how difficult this was. How hard it was for Torsten, after we finally found safety in the Keep, only to have to leave it behind and face the enemy all over again.
“And what about all of you?” Torsten asked finally, a vein ticking in his temple, his gaze sweeping over everyone but me, asking what made sense given how conflicted I knew he felt.
“Will you protect my mate when we confront Skarde if I’m unable to?
Help me protect the crown even if we don’t fully understand how to do that? ”
“Of course we will,” Ragnar replied as the rest nodded, all seeming ready to go to battle for us. “Need you ask, brother?”
Even as everyone swore their loyalty to keeping me safe, something told me it wouldn’t end up being that simple. Based on the flicker of concern I caught in Marjorie’s eyes, I suspected she felt the same way. While I was tempted to ask her about it, now wasn’t the time.
“Whilst I can’t say I like it,” Torsten finally replied after considering everybody’s responses, “I understand ‘tis for the sake of the people, and I do want to find Frey.” He shook his head. “She and Taro should have been back by now or at least made contact.”
I felt his growing concern about their whereabouts, and it fueled my own. It seemed we weren’t alone, either, because Blaze and Marjorie agreed.
“I sent scouts out earlier looking for them,” Blaze revealed, surprising us. “Hopefully, we’ll hear back soon. Until then—” he looked at áma— “you claimed you had a vision this morning at the great Ygdrassil about what should happen next. Should I assume it aligns with what we just discussed?”
“It does.” She turned her kind, almost mystical gaze our way.
“The best course of action is to leave the safety of the Realm and Keep, because ‘twill not be safe for any of us if you stay, as the enemy will have infiltrated from the inside out.” She shook her head.
“From what I could decipher, you should not go anywhere near Skarde’s kingdom.
Rather, ‘tis best to go somewhere he would avoid, with someone who can best hide you within Helheim and his own darkness from the darkness that seeks you.”
“So the Dragon Lair,” Blaze said. “With Drakkar.”
While undeniably handsome, Drakkar was, by far, one of the most intense, fiercest-looking men I had ever seen, with his multiple piercings and runic tattoos.
Every inch a warrior, he was tall and broad-shouldered like his fellow Viking brothers, with eyes so pure blue they stood out against his swarthy skin.
“The Dragon Lair?” Torsten exclaimed, frowning. “My mate is in heat, and you think we should take her to a lair full of dragons that aren’t directly under Blaze’s rule?”
“But they are under my rule,” Drakkar said, his dragon eyes flaring, unnerving in how they flickered black even if only for a moment. “And I would not let harm come to your mate.”
Torsten flared his dragon eyes right back, almost sounding like his darker half, but then he was likely in agreement. “You’d best not, brother, if ‘tis what we must do.”
“’Tis,” áma confirmed. “And I’ll be going with you as well.
” She looked at Blaze. “You, Marjorie, and Ragnar should remain here, protecting the Realm lest Skarde do the unexpected and attack despite them not being here. Although Marjorie is still recovering, her attachment to the great Ygdrassil is nearly as strong as mine now, so I know she will be able to give you prophetic insight if needed.” She looked from Torsten to Drakkar.
“And I, too, can see your ethereal weapons, so ‘tis best I’m with you.”
“Are you sure that’s wise, áma?” Marjorie wondered, eyeing her with concern.
“I may have gone through a lot when Blaze and I came together, but so did you.” She shook her head.
“You might be free of your succubus-like issues around those of the Realm now, but you’ve yet to face the darkness beyond this place.
Isn’t it a little risky to chance that right now, until you’re more used to your new state of being? ”
“I will be fine,” she assured, her aura flickering golden, almost as if she were communing with the Ygdrassil at that very moment. “This is what the tree requested of me, so I must go for the sake of the Realm and the prophecy.”
“Though Marjorie and I would have preferred to remain with you, given how important this mission is,” Blaze replied after a few moments of consideration and, no doubt, a telepathic conversation with Marjorie, “we sense this is the right course of action.”
“We do,” Marjorie confirmed before standing and gesturing for me to follow. “Come, my friend. You’ll be leaving the Realm within a few hours, but first, I thought we could take some time alone while preparations for your journey get underway.”
The truth was, she wanted to gauge my mental state, as any good leader and friend would, and I said so once we were alone, but not before glancing back to find Torsten’s eyes trained on me as if he didn’t want me out of his sight.