Chapter 23 #3
“So you believe they’re using the mists somehow?” Luna asks, breaking the silence.
Odr glares at her, but responds. “We believe they’re using the mists as a shield to hide their captives from us.”
“And you know for a fact the mists weren’t there before?” Lachlan asks. Freya studies him closely, her brilliant green eyes taking in every detail.
“We do. The mists developed a century ago. Did anyone—older not tell you anything about that?”
“We’ve had quite a few deaths and injuries over the last half-century that wiped out councilors, and a few of our Valkyries. But mainly anyone who would know anything about life here before.”
I swallow the lump in my throat, fighting the urge to sink lower in my chair. Actually, I want to hide away forever.
But Freya’s head shakes from side to side as if she’s clearing my words from her ears. “I’m sorry. Did you say deaths? And injuries?”
“Yes…” Lachlan trails off when I reach out and squeeze the arm he has resting on the table, silencing him. I need to do this. It’s my duty.
“The magic here was gone. Our realm was on the brink of destruction.”
Her eyes widen as realization sparks. “And you were all trapped here.”
“We were,” Mathilda adds. Sorrow lines her face, no doubt thinking of her mom and sister.
“How many deaths?” Odr asks. His face softens, and the tension leaves his shoulders.
“Too many,” Mina replies. Harald’s attention has remained on her the entire time, but now a smirk tugs up the corner of his mouth at the sound of her voice. She frowns at him.
“Recently?” Freya asks, her eyes glistening.
“Two from the court—Elowen and Skadi. Sixteen from the invasion.” My tongue is thick as I force the words out. “Countless before then. It appears the imposter had taken over fifty years ago if we pieced the timeline together properly.”
“I am so sorry we were not here.” Freya’s chin juts out with her words as if she’s fighting back her own emotions.
“You did not know.” My words soften the guilt she no doubt feels. “You are here now, and that’s all that matters.”
She nods stiffly. “What do you know of Julius?”
“When he escaped, he said he would give his regards to Odessa and my Gran when he breached the human realm. But that was it—besides what we uncovered in their cave.”
Freya sighs. “If he was a shapeshifter and working with an asphidra, he could be anywhere. But now we have confirmation that they intend to breach the human realm.”
I shrug and then shift my shoulders to adjust the axe straps. I can’t help it, but I curl into myself. The onslaught of emotions overwhelms me.
She studies my face, sadness creeping over her green eyes as she takes a deep breath. “There are more pressing matters that need to be discussed at present.” I nod, but a breath stutters out of me. Lachlan shifts towards me, offering support.
“Would you like my assistance with her sailing?” Freya asks, reading my expression for what it is.
I nod. “Please.”
“Tomorrow at sunrise should give everyone enough time to reach the capital.” She directs everyone. “Odr, can you go down to the docks with Lachlan,”—she gestures to him, but he looks to me for approval—“and select a ship, a grand one?”
I dip my chin and Lachlan pushes away from the table. He presses a kiss to my temple before leading Odr from the room. “And Mathilda, can you make sure that Skadi is in leathers and not those mundane human clothes?”
Mathilda nods and heads to the door without question. But her shoulders droop with the heaviness of her task.
Which leaves Freya, Mina, Harald, Piominko, Tane, and me.
Freya shifts her attention back to me. “Would you like my help with the war preparations as well?”
I reflect on how little I know about war and the preparation for it before sliding my eyes around the table, to the people who are counting on me to not to fail.
“Yes.”
She nods.
“Harald, can you go with Evander and get training reports? We need to know how it’s going to assess where we need to go.”
He crosses his arms over his leather-clad chest, leveling a glare at where Evander stands behind Tane.
“By the looks of it, not well.” He eyes Tane’s remaining arm.
One moment he’s standing there arms crossed, the next his body is being thrown into the wall.
The resounding crash has the ground quaking and my ears ringing. He crumples against the marble floor.
Mina stands, chest heaving, arms clenched into fists at her side as she watches Harald clamber to his feet.
“You watch your fucking mouth,” she snarls.
My eyes widen in alarm, watching her stare down a bear of a man after using her power to throw him into a wall.
Freya watches the entire interaction with an amused expression, as does Luna. Piominko looks on with a hint of satisfaction. While Evander and Tane look shocked.
Harald stares at Mina with a mixture of anger and…arousal.
“Well met, sprite,” he grumbles, his eyes raking across her body.
The nickname causes a laugh to surface through the grief, but I shove it down. She does resemble a sprite. All she needs are gossamer wings instead of her opalescent feathers.
Evander’s head moves between Harald and Mina. But as she relaxes her fists, he turns to leave. “Come on Harald, before she throws you again.”
Tane’s attention shifts to Mina and she beams at him before taking a steadying breath.
“It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to do that.”
“I apologize,” Freya addresses Tane. “He’s insufferable most days, but exactly the kind of warrior you want beside you in battle.”
Tane nods at her and then looks at me. “And my orders?”
“Rest for now. We’ll begin evaluating your training tomorrow.”
His jaw flexes, but he doesn’t argue. He stalks out the door.
After he’s gone, Luna snorts. “It would’ve been kinder to kill him.”
I whirl towards her, my mouth dropping open, but she cuts me off.
“If you don’t let him fight this out, he will die.”
I shake my head. “I have every intention of letting him fight, but he lost an arm. He needs rest.”
“No, he needs to get back into the training ring to get accustomed to his new life now. You’re coddling him.”
Freya observes our exchange. “If you wouldn’t mind Lena, Piominko has experience in this area and could be an immense help.” She nods towards him and he steps forward with her summons.
“That would be great, thank you.”
Piominko bows to me and then to her before leaving to find Tane.
Which leaves Freya, Mina, and Luna.
“I know you’ve had an emotionally taxing day, and it’s getting late, but did you say you uncovered things that the asphidra or Julius left behind?” Freya asks.
I shove the exhaustion and sorrow further away as I nod.
“We moved everything that we found into the library,” Luna replies for me.
“Show me the way.”