Page 74 of The Ashborn

Broan shrugged and tossed a bone from his meat over his shoulder. “I grew up an orphan. I didn’t bother to think I had kin.”

“And yer reaction?” Ingrid pressed.

They shared a glance. The whole table had their eyes on him, Yrsa and Lief more hopeful than the scowling forces of the jarl and Ingrid. Ithril remained unamused. At least she’d left the bow behind. Broan paused to put thought into this question. He’d been mildly annoyed the moment Kaelthar revealed he had a family, and the annoyance grew even further the more he talked about them during the trek up the mountains. He didn’t learn much. He could barely pay attention. Broan played it off, but now they were all staring at him, and he couldn’t deny it. He folded his hands together. “I’m pissed. I was put inside a wall and raised myself. Now, I’m twenty-six, and I’ve got to sit through this awkward fucking dinner, answering why I’m not loyal to you yet.”

“And yer magic?” Lief asked, leaning forward with a smile and widened eyes. “I heard you had it as a kitling. I’ve never seen magic meself.”

Lief’s eager eyes sparked a sense of responsibility in his bones. A young lad searching for a brother he never got. Broan had a brother—one he left behind in the forest. What was Danek up to? Broan hoped he found himself a woman or two. Maybe three. His lips twitched. He turned back to Lief. “I’ll show you if you’d like.”

“Aye, that I would!”

“Try that in this city, and you’ll have steel in your back before you speak,” the jarl scowled.

“Above the mountains,” Lief whispered.

Broan nodded.

The night ran on in silence after that. When the plates were empty, Thora stepped forward and cleared the table. The jarl yawned and stood. His eyes scanned the room once more, then he grumbled before leaving. Yrsa rose and swiped at her children to follow suit. When the jarl’s thundering footsteps faded completely, she smoothed her dress. “Ingrid, how is the Warband? Any news from Thane on the Seabound?”

Ingrid sat back down and leaned to the side, propping her feet on the table. “The Seabound returns in a week’s time. Their raid was a success.”

Their mother placed her knuckles together in a half-praying motion. “You’re dismissed, my fierce one.” Ingrid removed her feet from the table and stood. As she motioned for the door, Yrsa grasped her. “They go to the mountains, you follow. Make sure they don’t do anything foolish.”

“Aye.” Ingrid left.

Yrsa turned to Lief. “My boy, the mountain wind hasn’t stolen yer voice yet? Are ye still singin’?”

Lief twiddled his thumbs, shared a glance with Broan, and said, “Only when the halls are empty. Seems the bears don’t like ballads.”

Broan leaned forward, placing his hands on the table as he studied Lief. He wasn’t necessarily surprised to hear the boy sang but he was intrigued to learn about them. It was a nice shift from their experience at dinner. They’d been so rigid during the jarl’s presence, and now, with Yrsa alone, they’d loosened a bit.

Yrsa approached Lief. She placed her hands on both sides of his jaw, squeezing. “Let the bears grumble. The gods gave you a gift. You’re dismissed. Broan will find you when we’ve settled his friend.”

Lief leaned into his mother’s hands. He glanced back over his shoulder at Broan and then let Thora open the doors for him on his way out.

“Oh, my ghost.” Yrsa’s voice floated like a whisper. Broan looked at Ithril first. She sat, eyes glued to the table, but met his stare. Yrsa pulled on Broan’s arm, and he stood. “Don’t let yer father’s cold words deter you from us.”

Broan laughed. “I was raised by a man worse than him, if you’d believe it.”

“Aye.” Her eyes dipped, a sadness emanating in the way her hand dropped from his arm. “Yer father spent years lookin’ for the king. It made him a shell for a time.”

Broan gave her a kiss on the cheek, a surprise to even him. She held it on her face and then floated her hand to his jaw. She studied the firmness of his cheeks as if she’d expected her fingers to float through him. Broan let it warm him for a moment and then stepped away. “Ithril will need a room. I do not expect we’ll force her into an inn.”

Yrsa turned her attention to the Elvish woman, glancing her up and down before nodding. “We’ll be proper hosts. Come, Ithril. I’ll show you our best guest room. Well away from Ingrid and the jarl.”

Ithril bowed in thanks, following Yrsa.

Broan turned to Thora. “Mind showing me where I can find Lief? I’ve got some fucking good magic to show him.”

Chapter 29

—Broan—

Lief led Broan to the tallest of the mountains. When he told Broan they’d have to climb, Broan mocked him. Surely the Mountainborn had better methods of getting to the top than scaling the rocks, but the jarl was a superstitious man and felt stairs gave enemies an easy way to descend into the city.

Broan’s brother handed him a harness, ice picks, and shoes made of spikes to make digging into the ice easier. Ingrid appeared when they first started scaling, slamming her own ice pick into the rocks and flying up with ease. Lief moved faster until they were neck and neck up the mountain. Broan hung there, his pick in the rocks, watching them.

Why the hell was he trying to climb the mountain? He dropped off and let his feet hit the ground, watching Ingrid and Lief climb with impressive stealth. When they reached the top, Broan looked around him. He didn’t see anyone who would earn him a scolding from the jarl. He placed his hand deep beneath the snow until he met stone.