“I have absolutely no idea. It’s always seemed so strange to me. Why do they care so much that they’ll kill anyone who sees a dragon run drills, or even exercise. But they do. We lost my uncle to the penalty.” Liv looks down now, her back curving as her shoulders droop forward.
And I hate the Dróttning even more. She’s destroyed so many lives for so little cause.
“What do you know about our contact?” I ask after a moment.
“His name’s Knut and he’s part of the rider guard,” Liv explains as her gaze finds mine again. “His job is to serve the leaders of the training facility. He never asks us for anything. I think he wishes we brought some males with us, other than as guards,” she adds with a grin. “He arranges the entertainment for others. Ulfhild’s girls go every few months, but I’ve only been once before.”
“Did you learn anything helpful?”
“I wasn’t working for Bevin yet. This is my first time since then.”
“If it’s for the leaders, why do we have to sneak in and out? And why did some of the girls get caught on the last trip?”
“Oh, it’s not approved. The Konungr and Dróttning would have us all served to the Thunder if they knew.” She shivers, her gaze dropping to her lap. “The thought of being eaten by a dragon,” she adds under her breath before shaking her head and looking at me again. “The men are stuck there for months. Some spend time with other trainers, or maybe students, but most prefer our company. Men always do,” she says with a wink. “Knut makes sure Ulfhild’s girls come often enough to keep them happy with him.”
“What happened last time?” I ask, a tremble rolling down my spine at the reminder that we’re risking much by traveling to the training grounds without the Kastali’s consent. “How were the women caught?”
“They went for a birthday party. Someone important. It wasn’t the best time. The Dróttning’s guards were scheduled to visit a week later, and Knut didn’t want to bring the girls. He wasn’t given a choice. The birthday boy wanted entertainment. Then the guards showed up sooner than anyone expected.”
“How did they get away?”
“I don’t know for sure,” Liv tells me, “but I think Ulfhild paid off a guard. She may have killed another, who wouldn’t take coin for his silence.”
“Does Knut always bring in Ulfhild’s girls? Or does he use other houses sometimes?”
“It’s always us. I saw Frida and Knut together when I was there, and I’m sure they’re friends. They acted like they were close.”
I pause as a shiver rolls down my spine then expands out, filling me with the restlessness and unease that wrapped around me two days ago. The male I encountered in Revalle is here. I’m overwhelmed by a compulsion to find him that’s so strong, I have no choice but to follow it. But then it’s paired with the most intense repulsion I’ve ever felt, a blanket that would smother the pull toward him if I let it. A bitter taste erupts in my mouth as bile rises in my throat.
I’ve never experienced such discordant and overwhelming emotions, triggered by the same person.
“Is everything okay?” Liv’s question draws my gaze back to her, and I realize I’m staring at the door as if I might see the stranger if I focused hard enough. One eyebrow is raised, wrinkling her brow.
“Yes,” I murmur. “I just need to find something. Get some rest,” I add as I stand, swallowing a few times to stop myself from spewing all over her. “And thanks. I appreciate the information.”
“We’re in this together. Anything you need, just ask.”
“I still appreciate it,” I tell her, dropping one hand onto her shoulder with a light squeeze.
He’s moving away more quickly than I’d hoped. Grabbing a cloak, I open the door and check the hall. The rumble of patrons drinking—and everything else—floats toward me but I ignore it. The only sense that matters now is the one that will lead me toward his unexpected presence. My heart rate is increasing with my need to see him again.
I step out, my feet light enough to be hidden by the noise below, and follow my senses. I’m struggling to keep him within my grasp while I jog downstairs and toward the kitchen, my legs moving faster as I try to catch up. I feel a hint of his emotions—the anger that’s driving him. A desperation to get away from something.
Me.
The simple answer strikes me like a hammer.
He can sense me too.
He knows we’re connected.
And he wants to get away from me.
So now I must find him.
But he doesn’t want to be found. Within a few minutes, he disappears. And my heart drops to my stomach. I’ve been here a decade and never felt a power like that. One so tied to me. Suddenly, though, he’s dropped into my life twice in the span of a few days. It must mean something.
I wander the grounds for nearly an hour, finding nothing. Finally, I trudge back upstairs and fall into bed, exhausted. Tomorrow. I’ll search more tomorrow.
