Still, I like him right away, and even more when he escorts us each to our own suite, where we find hot baths waiting. He tells us to take our time, and that he’s arranged a hearty meal for us in the dining room. With plenty of mead and wine.
Yes, I like Knut a lot.
I inspect the room, which holds many places for a hole or even a person to hide, then strip off the ridiculous dress I’ve worn the last two days. It feels so good to sink into the water. I don’t move for a long time, letting the heat soak into me and work out all the stress that built up on the trip. Finally, as the water is turning cold, I wash with the orange and mint soap and shampoo provided. Stepping out of the tub, I grab one of the plush towels from the cupboard and wrap it around myself.
The bedroom is large and just as luxurious as the rest of the house. A massive bed sits against the only solid wall. Windows line both sides, providing a surprising view of the nearby fields and mountains in the distance. This area is supposed to be secret. Why would Knut give us rooms that would put any nearby training activity on display?
I don’t have long to ponder it. A knock on the door drags me from my reverie. When I open it a crack, a woman dressed in a maid’s smock tells me dinner will be served in ten minutes.
Choosing a simpler dress than the one I wore here—nobody’s working tonight—I follow my nose to the meal. It is decadent. Pork roast with sage gravy, two different kinds of potatoes, melt-in-your-mouth butter rolls, and a surprising selection of vegetables. And the wine. Oh, my gods, the wine. It alone is almost worth the trip we took to get here. Almost.
Knut’s an entertaining host. He spends the evening regaling us with tales of the men and women stationed in the Nest. But despite the number of words that spill from his mouth, not a single one reveals the Kastali’s secrets. Dragons are part of every life here, yet he barely mentions them. When he does, the references are vague, lacking any details beyond what every Vanatian knows.
Knut is very good at what he does.
As the meal winds down, I realize Frida’s role here is more than just a bedmate. I watch as her eyes meet Knut’s for the briefest moment. His eyebrows lift slightly, and she responds with the smallest dip of her chin. I guess I know what I’ll be doing tonight.
After dessert—three different options, all of them scrumptious—I join the group for coffee in the library.
“Your patrons will arrive tomorrow afternoon, an hour or so before dinner,” Knut explains when we’re all settled on chairs and couches. He looks at me quickly, then casts his gaze around the room.
“We’ll have a few dozen riders for you. Those of you who’ve been here before know what to expect. Who will want what, who may be more difficult, and who to send my way so I can drug them into oblivion if they’re chasing something you don’t sell.” Knut glances at me again. “You’ll watch out for the new girl?” he asks as he turns to Frida.
“We’ll make sure Sifa knows all she needs to do her work here,” Frida assures him.
“And you can stay for three nights?”
“We’re at your service for three nights, Meistari,” Frida responds with the barest bow, dropping her chin to hide the lips that tip up at the ends. I can feel her laugh from here.
There’s so much more to this arrangement than Ulfhild told me. I wish I could dig into their minds to find answers to the many questions bouncing around mine, but I’d be a fool to use my power to search for the secrets they’re not sharing. Knut runs a mansion important enough to the Dróttning to warrant imbuing him with some of her magic. I can’t risk being caught if he’s able to sense me rooting around in his brain. So I’ll spend my time here doing what any human would—following them around like a stalker. Tonight should be revealing.
Finally, everyone starts to wander to their rooms. I do the same but circle back when my hallway empties. After trekking through the corridors without success, my search takes me outside. I try my best to appear casual, but I can’t risk missing whatever they have planned.
At last, I find them in the last place I’d expect because it’s so close to the manor. As I approach the stables, I hear a whispered conversation. Lightening my steps, I make my way to the closed door and find a hole I can peek through. I’m closer to them than I should be—a male’s-height at the most—so I make sure my breaths are light and silent.
I don’t have to wait long to learn why they’re here. “Ulfhild needs more than that to do her part,” Frida insists stridently. “You ask much of her but give her little to work with.”
“It’s all we have,” Knut responds, frustration warbling his words. “We know about Aksell’s work. We still can’t figure out who’s supporting or directing him. We need your girls to get that for us.”
“Aksell must suspect us,” Frida declares. “He’s very careful when my girls are around. Or perhaps they booted him out. He’s not the strategist he once was. I think the mead addled his brain.”
“He’s still connected to them. We’ve seen him with others within the last fortnight.”
“Then he knows about us, and he’s hiding his secrets when my girls are there. I can’t risk them going to him again.” Frida pauses a moment, her next words hesitant and even more of a whisper. “Take me to Troels,” she urges. “Let me talk to him.”
“He’ll give you the same answer.” The authority in Knut’s voice surprises me. He’s a different male now than he was at dinner. “This remains our best way into Aksell’s home.”
“Then my answer is the same. My girls will not return to Aksell. Find another way.”
Silence fills the air. I can almost see Knut’s face as he considers her demand and his response. His grunt comes a full minute later.
“Tomorrow, after the guests leave, join me here. I’ll ask him to meet us.”
I can’t risk staying any longer. I’ve learned all I can for tonight and slink into the nearby forest for cover. Just in time. The door swings open, and Frida strides away as I find a large tree to hide behind. Knut doesn’t follow immediately. When he emerges, he looks around as if he suspects someone’s been eavesdropping. He finally shakes his head and follows Frida into the house.
Everyone but me sleeps in the next morning. Our work happens at night so there’s no reason to wake anyone early. But I have limited time here and much to learn. I’ll sleep when I get home.
I’m searching for Bevin—Knut has secrets he’ll want—but more for me. I haven’t been this close to one of the dragons’ lairs for a decade, and my only goal then was escape. I’ve suspected since Toffer and I landed here that the magic that drew us into this world is bound to the dragons. I don’t understand exactly how, which is why I need access to the Dróttning’s libraries.
