“No.He has forbidden you from staying behind.”
“What?”I eased out of the blankets, doing my best to leave Halvar undisturbed, feeling the rush of evening cold as I made my way to Fell, settling onto his lap.His face felt hot in my hands.
“Halvar, too.Arik says he will not leave either of you.You are to set out with us in nine days for Byernen and to wherever we go after.He will not tell me where—maybe he has not decided.But these are raiding ships… they will be attacking something or defending something?—”
“That is crazy.”
“I have been fighting with him all evening about it.Halbjern finally forced me out to give us each time to calm.”
“You stay with Halvar.I will talk to him.”And I was up, marching toward the king’s quarters, the absurdity of his demand almost comical to me.Obviously, I couldn’t take a baby on a raid.It was mad.I did not heed Halbjern’s attempt to stay me, nor give Arik time to address me.I simply entered Arik’s workroom, closed the door behind me to exclude Halbjern, and said, very calmly but very loudly, “I cannot bring a baby on a raid.”
King Arik smiled.“Who said anything about raiding?”
I sighed.“You are sending the raiding ships somewhere to do something.It will be dangerous, or you would not send raiders.You would send someone else.”
His eyes were alight.“Someone is pithy this evening.”
“You love Halvar,” I said.“I know you do.You would not put him at risk like this.”
“Would he not be safer among the fiercest of my warriors?”
“No,” I said, switching to Islish without thinking.“Not if they’re doing something wild or dangerous, which they almost certainly will be?—”
“Here, Gentlewoman, sit.Calm?—”
“No.You have taught me to say no to you.Remember?No.No.No.One hundred times no.”
He sighed, a flicker of frustration showing on his face.“Gentlewoman.Let me explain my thinking.You can be of service to me in Byernen.I have many decisions to make quickly once I get there.The truth is that energy is given to the young.What used to race through Jorn’s veins now meanders slowly.I need a young reader’s perspective.The impatience of youth is a form of magic.But beyond that, it has come to my attention—here I will find it for you…” He turned and began flipping through a stack of parchment.“I have come to learn there is a chance… ah, yes, here it is…” He pulled a sheet of parchment out of his stack and turned it so that I might see it.
I came closer, leaning over his work table to see as he tapped the page.
“Yes.Here.See?”
My heart stopped.
“There may be an attack in my absence.”
It was my letter.The one I’d written to Dayne.
How long had he had it?How long had he been pretending not to know that I’d sent it?However much I didn’t want to see his face, I knew I needed to.My eyes shifted up to meet his, and my skin grew as cold as ice immediately.
His stare was full of fire.Threat.White hot force.I’d thought I’d seen his rage before.I thought I’d sensed the fullness of his power.But I hadn’t.Not even close.
“So you see, Gentlewoman.It would not be safe to leave you here.”
I opened my mouth to say something, but his stare was too hard.
“Now.Fell loves you.And he has already lost one of his loves.So we will overlook this.”He lifted the letter.“Once.One time I will overlook something like this.You and Halvar will come to Byernen.I will ensure your safety there and wherever we go after.”
My voice had almost no sound in it.“We cannot?—”
“You can, Gentlewoman.And if you doubt me, do you doubt Halbjern could wrestle Fell onto a ship?He could, but he wouldn’t need to.I could drag you aboard myself, and Fell would follow.He would be angry for a time, but he would forgive because he always forgives me.Let us not be at odds.”
My heart pumped cold blood into my ears.
“I trust that something like this—” Arik lifted my letter once more.“Will not happen again.”
I nodded.
