Chapter 34 #2
The three warriors looked entirely out of place as initiates began dancing on the deck, their hands weaving toward the sky. Borje offered Darcke a large cup of ale, and my second’s throat bobbed as he swallowed several deep gulps.
“You’re staring.” Vero came to the edge of Darcke’s ship.
“No, I am not,” I replied.
She let out a low laugh when I inspected the railing I’d crashed into.
“Your ship is fine.” Vero gestured for me to hurry. “Come on, I missed you the past few days.”
“What is this, anyway?” I asked as I patted Envis, silently asking her to behave.
She was floating so closely to Darcke’s ship, the gold would have rubbed off if it wasn’t ingrained in the wood.
“A party.” Vero wiggled her brows. “We deserve it after that fucking trial, and the karls have been training every hour we were gone, so they do as well. Come on, I want to drink too much ale and gossip about which men we’d not vomit from taking to our hearth.”
“Can we include women too?” Ivren’s famous smile spread across his face when he reached out a hand and I accepted it. “Not that there is anyone here I’d turn away.”
“Haven’t you bedded everyone here already?” Vero quipped.
Her face went red when Ivren turned his bright grin her way.
“Not you,” he said in a low, seductive tone.
My lips pulled as I let Ivren drag me onto Darcke’s ship, but as I touched the bog oak, my back shot straight. There was a gut-wrenching grief in the wood that clawed itself into my chest, and as my breathing stuttered, I whipped my head over my shoulder.
Darcke’s eyes collided with mine, and it was like being struck by lightning.
None of the anger I felt from him played across his face.
Instead, there was so much sadness darkening his face as his gaze moved to the man behind me.
When Ivren released me as I was safely on the other side, the strain from the bond faded.
“You’re finally going to join us mortals?” Geord waved his cup from where he was perched on a wooden barrel, his eyes bloodshot and clothing rumpled.
I ignored him as I accepted a cup of wine from Fedic while Ivren poured one for Vero.
“Thanks,” I said.
“You’re most welcome.” Fedic grinned. “I heard you need it.”
I took a long sip. “You heard right.”
A twinge of worry filled his eyes. “I’m sorry it’s been so hard for you. Ivren told me of the trial. It sounded awful.”
I fought turning around when another onslaught of emotions barreled into me.
“It’s fine.” I clinked my cup against his. “I should have listened to you and Ivren, shouldn’t I?”
The sadness in my voice made the last of Fedic’s smile vanish.
“I can’t tell you if that’s true or not,” he said. “Only you know that.”
“Already regretting your choices?” Kilia taunted as he came to my side. “Not so brave anymore when you nearly let your second die in the trial? I heard he almost got crushed by a tree.”
I whirled to Ottoh. “You’ve been having fun spreading that around? Is that why you saved us? So that you could look like the hero?”
“I haven’t said anything,” Ottoh snarled as he swiped a cup from his sister’s hands. He started walking off before he turned his head over his shoulder. “I saved you because I heard what you said about your people. But perhaps I was wrong in my assumptions.”
It was like swallowing a gallon of ice.
Vero winced. “He’s been with me the entire time. He didn’t say anything.”
Then who? It had only been us four there.
“Great job creating more enemies.” Kilia shoved a finger so hard into my chest I stumbled backward. “I am truly so grateful to be part of your iron-bound so that I have to watch my back day and night for the rest of my life for everyone who hates you.”
“It’s not like they’d hurt me by killing you,” I mumbled.
“What did you say?” Kilia’s smirk slipped off his face as he cornered me against another barrel, eliciting a drunken laugh from Geord while Ivren and Fedic stormed up, ready to get my third off me.
“Stay back,” I ordered.
Fedic shook his head. “You shouldn’t have to deal with this.” He placed a hand on Kilia’s arm. “You should treat her with respect. She is your heir, and she offered you the honor of becoming an iron-bound for one of the strongest families in Skagerik.”
“Is that so?” Kilia asked, his smile making goose bumps erupt over my skin.
“I said stay back.” I jerked my head when Ivren slipped a dagger that had laid on one of the barrels into his palm at the viciousness radiating off Kilia. “Kilia is my iron-bound, and I will deal with him.”
“Elvara—”
“Ivren,” I ordered.
I felt Darcke watching me, and while there was still rage within him, something else broke through the haze that had twined around our bond for days.
Conviction. He believed I could handle Kilia, and while I didn’t need him to, it helped make my voice more assured as I continued. “Leave us. Now.”
After a final look, Ivren did as I said, grabbing Fedic’s jacket to pull him to where Viljan stood. The latter also watched, and his body was so tense he must have been seconds from jumping in as well.
“Come find me after.” Vero saluted me before she joined her brother.
Only Geord stayed, but he looked so drunk I didn’t care as I pulled Kilia to me by the neck of his shirt.
“Whatever you have to say to me, say it,” I snarled.
“I spoke the truth when I told you I did everything I could to save your brother. I could have killed you—several times—but I didn’t.
Instead I made you my third.” My nostrils flared as I tilted my face to his harsh one.
“We are going into a trial any day now, and we’re going to have to work together to survive. ”
“You’re going to get us killed,” Kilia hissed. “Darcke and Ilse don’t even know.”
“Know what, Kilia?” I challenged. “What is it that makes you hate me so much?”
“You know what I’m talking about.”
“Then say it.”
I was so tired of this. All the lying. All the fear of discovery. All the hiding. Having everyone hate me because if I showed them the truth, I’d be dead and my people lost.
“Say it,” I demanded again.
After the last trial I’d realized I would need Kilia on my side if we were going to survive. I would not be able to face whatever it was we would if I also had to keep one eye on my third so he wouldn’t stab me in the back.
Kilia pressed a finger into the flesh above my heart. “You know.”
Curiosity wove along the tether to the other man who might be the death of me.
I turned my back to Darcke.
“Then tell everyone.” I placed a hand over my hip. “Tell them what you believe.”
Kilia swallowed, his eyes darting around us. For the first time there was hesitance in the man’s face.
I let the air I’d held inside trickle out through nearly closed lips. It had been a gamble, but I was pretty certain it was about to pay off.
“See, I don’t think you will,” I continued.
“Because where does that leave you? Darcke would never trust you when he takes over as heir. Ilse is my friend, and she would hate you for it. You’d be as shut out as I am.
” I laughed when his finger dropped from my chest. “But with me? You’ll have freedom.
You’ll have honor. With our understanding you’d be able to do what you wanted as long as you stop threatening me every second you’re around me. ”
I took a deep sip of wine before strolling over to the barrels and heaving myself up on one. “Think about that for a while. I’ll be around if you decide to betray me.”
Kilia stood still for long moments, his eyes staring unseeing ahead while I drained my cup. Then the karl went to the barrel of wine and filled two cups.
As he slammed one down on the barrel beside me, red drops splattered onto my still-damp leathers and all the contents spilled, but I didn’t care as the silver-haired man stalked off to finish his drink by himself.
I lifted my empty cup to the other heirs, smiling when Vero waved for me to join her on the makeshift dance floor. The tension in my marrow began to yield, my own conviction making my limbs move easily as I tapped my heels against the barrel.
Perhaps there was a small chance for me to survive after all.