Chapter 38 #2
Luna flips her braid over her shoulder, her face slipping back into its usual show of arrogance. “You’re with me, berserker.”
Harald glances her way before locking eyes with Mina, who’s pouting.
“I’ll catch you later, sprite,” he calls over his shoulder as he follows Luna across the grounds.
Mina’s attention from him never wavers. Three times, he looks over his shoulder at her.
“Come on Mina, you can drop me from the sky.” I grab her hand, pulling her after me and away from the others.
I fall seven times. Seven times and not once do I stay in the sky on my own accord. The last time Lachlan shouts as I fall and then calls time out on any more flying lessons for the day.
“I thought I had it,” I croak, lying face down in the dirt.
I should be used to this by now. I’ve spent a ton of time lying in this dirt recently.
A strong hand rubs soothing strokes down my back.
“Ye are getting closer.” His voice rumbles through me, quelling some of the embarrassment I feel.
“I am so sorry!” Mina apologizes for what is probably the fiftieth time today. “I got distracted.”
She absolutely got distracted as soon as Harald’s shirt came off. And I can’t say that I blame her. That man is a wall of muscle.
“It’s alright.” I crack an eye open, turning my head. “Can someone help me up?”
Lachlan chuckles and scoops me up before walking us over to the water table.
“Get some water and then let’s see where you’re at fighting-wise.” He places a kiss on my forehead before steadying me on my feet.
Luna blips away from Harald, appearing at my side, and I jolt in shock.
“I’m taking a break,” she calls over her shoulder.
Harald spins around, searching for her before he realizes where she is.
“I see that,” he spits. But despite his words, he doesn’t look too upset as Mina strides up to him.
A smile curls his lips as he holds his sword out in front of him. “Come to dance, little sprite?”
He squats down low, preparing to be lifted off of his feet, but in a surprising move, Mina doesn’t lift him. She walks around him, surveying him like an exhibit at the zoo. Round and round they circle each other. A dance.
“Tell me, berserker did you kill many men before your life here?” Her voice is soft, lovely even despite the question.
“I did.” His expression doesn’t change either from her question or his answer.
Mina stops, a hand on her hip as she continues to stare at him. “And do you regret them?”
Her question brings him up short and he halts. My hands grip the edge of the table, keeping me upright as I wait to hear his answer, trying to figure out where Mina is leading this conversation.
“Not at the moment, sprite.” He practically purrs the answer.
She smiles broadly, yanking him off his feet, and throwing him across the training grounds. His massive body crashes through the fence. Wood splinters and collapses under the impact and he lands in a thunderous heap.
“Holy gods,” I whisper, covering my mouth with my hand. She’s gotten stronger and her stamina has vastly improved.
Harald rolls to his side, propping himself up on his elbow, to look at her. There’s no fury or even embarrassment in his eyes. Just pleasure. A broad, eye-crinkling smile stretches across his face and he laughs, loudly, clutching his stomach.
Mina saunters towards him and stretches out a hand to pull him up.
“Come on, you big berserker. I’ll manhandle you some more.”
He lets her pull him to his feet and drapes a massive arm over her shoulder. His hands are the size of dinner plates.
“You’re the only woman besides Freya who’s ever knocked me off my feet.” There’s a gleam in his eyes that doesn’t look purely maniacal as he gazes down at her. “I think I’ll keep you.”
A light, breathy laugh springs from her. “You can try.”
Luna scoffs next to me. The sound reminds me of her presence. “I didn’t see that coming.” Sarcasm drips from her words.
“I hope it stays fun.” I grimace. Luna glances sidelong at me. “She’s had a hard enough life. She doesn’t need to suffer anymore,” I whisper, knowing it’s not something Mina would like everyone to overhear.
Luna’s eyes blaze with violence. “A man?”
“Her parents.”
Lachlan calls my name, holding a bow out in front of him. “Enough rest. Let’s go!”
Shoving off the table, I look at Luna once more. “Not a word.”
Her attention drifts from me to Mina before she walks back towards Mina and Harald. “Never.”
We’re halfway up the cobblestone path to the Great Hall when realization slams into me, and I halt.
It’s silent, not a chattering bird or a rustling breeze through the field of poppies.
Something is wrong. Lachlan stops along with me, the others almost slamming into us.
“What’s going on?” Mina asks.
“It’s…wrong,” I reply.
My eyes scan our surroundings. Nothing is out of place, but I can’t shake the feeling that something bad is about to happen. A memory dances in my mind. The day Julius and Odessa tried to kill me.
“I see nothing,” Lachlan replies, his eyes on me as he tilts his head to the side.
“Come on!” I tug his hand, pulling him behind me as I jog into the Great Hall.
Just as I’m breaching the doors and into the throne room, the rune on the floor flares.
Someone is coming.
A flash of blinding light has us covering our eyes before Freya steps through in silver armor flanked by Odr.
“We’re out of time,” she pants. Her eyes alight with fury. “The Fomorians are attacking Tuadanaan. We must go now.”
I whip my head to Lachlan. His jaw flexes as he mirrors my own thoughts. We’re nowhere close to being ready.
“But—we’re not ready?”
“It’s too late. We have to go now, or their realm will fall.” Her brilliant green eyes are piercing in a shaft of sunlight. I force a swallow and nod before turning to my court.
“You have five minutes. Don your armor, grab your weapons, and meet back here. Move!”
Tane and Mathilda peel off first, heading to their rooms. Evander nods and races towards the guards’ barracks.
Luna travels. Wisps of black smoke are all that is left from her departure. Mina gives a curt nod before racing off to her room.
Which leaves Lachlan standing with his hand stretched out for me.
“My queen,” he whispers. My stomach sinks.
I take his hand, the familiar callouses scraping against mine, as we head off to our room. He flings the door open, kicking it shut behind him.
“Where’s your—”
“Armor is in the closet,” I answer for him.
He heads off in that direction and I stand still for a moment, trying to catch my breath. The clang of metal reverberates through the bathroom and into my room. I look up to see him heaving the chests of armor into the middle of the room.
His and hers.
Lachlan opens the chest closest to him, pulling his helmet and chest plate out. I grab it from him and he stands upright. Strapping on all the plates and cinching them up tight, I work in silence.
I take his hand and pull him to the bed. A crooked smile softens his face, and he chuckles.
“Not that, you idiot.” I giggle. “Sit—I’ll braid your hair.”
He sits before me and I braid his hair back. A long, single plait. The strands of his hair are soft and silken through my fingers. I focus on them to slow my breathing.
Tension knots my shoulders as the upcoming battle looms like a monster in the dark.
When I’ve finished his braid, I pat the top of his shoulders before kissing the side of his head. Lachlan stands and heads to open the chest that contains my armor.
I’m rooted to the bed.
Watching him move with ease in his armor. The strong cut of his jaw flexes as he pulls out the silver, poppy-engraved chest plate that once belonged to my mother. A small gouging scar still raked across it from our last battle.
His attention swings to me. “Come here.”
With trembling knees, I walk to him. My eyes never leave his face as I memorize every line. A strong nose, masculine brow, and the most extraordinary green eyes.
His lips press together like he’s fighting to hold the words back.
The sounds of leather cinching seem loud as he fastens my chest and shoulder plates on me. As he finishes, he spins me around, separating my hair into two sections, and begins braiding it back and out of my face.
I can see his reflection in the mirror and even though I would rather close my eyes and enjoy his hands on my scalp, I force my eyes to remain open. To memorize every second.
Calm and sure, he works with deft fingers ensuring the braid is tight but not painful. He wraps a leather strap around each plait before nodding. My braids stretch nearly to my waist.
Lachlan bends down and lifts my feathered helm from the chest. I turn to face him. His expression is a mix of admiration and longing.
“I’ll be right beside ye,” he whispers, placing the helm upon my brow. “I love ye with everything that I am until my last breath and beyond. Dinna waver for one second on that battlefield. Dinna be a hero, ye stay alive. Nae matter what. The world doesna exist without ye.”
A knock on the door interrupts my reply, and Mathilda peeks her head in. Already dressed for battle, her kohl-lined eyes are connected with a broad streak across her nose. Two vertical lines intersect the black around her right eye, and a rune of power is written on her left cheek.
“Luna is waiting to do your war paint,” she says. A feral grin widens her mouth.
“I’ll be right there,” I reply, looking back at Lachlan. The door closes with a soft click, and I let loose a small sigh.
Taking his hands in mine, I murmur, “One sailing.”
He presses his brow to mine, closing his eyes. “One sailing.”