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“No bad ones are coming to take me from you,älskade.” Hagen tightened his hold around her body.
“They did before.”
Herja touched his arm. “She had fitful dreams for months after you were taken.”
A pained look crossed Hagen’s face. He kissed Laila’s head again. “It will not happen again. I swear to you. Gods, I havemissedyou.”
For a few moments, Herja and Hagen tried to get Laila to greet her family, to meet Malin and Bard, but when she would not even lift her head and release Hagen’s neck long enough to look at Gunnar, they conceded she would get acquainted later.
“I will send word to Queen Lilianna,” Stieg told Valen. “No doubt they are frantic.”
“I left . . . I left grandmaj a note,” Laila whimpered.
I doubted a runaway note left the former king and queen appeased. Stieg repeated once again that he’d send word the girl was safe.
“Well.” Niklas clapped his hands together. “This has been delightful, but I suggest we scurry into the nest, sleep, drink, whatever we please. It will not be long before the skyds regroup and we have more battles to fight.”
“I’ll put some of my warriors on watch with yours tonight,” Valen said.
“Many thanks, King,” Niklas said. Valen tipped his chin and as he walked away, Niklas shouted at his back, a laugh in his voice. “Welcome to Skítkast, Northern folk! Where battles greet you and the smell never leaves!”
CHAPTERFOUR
THE MEMORY THIEF
Those who’d remainedinside the nest, guarding the weapons and elixirs, the oldest and youngest among the Falkyns, met us with gusto when we finally crossed the threshold.
Luca had remained to protect the inner nest with illusions should it have come to it. In truth, Niklas and Kase did not relish the idea of Ivar’s son going out in the open too often. Niall was out for his brother’s blood, and it would be a slow death should Luca be captured.
“Gods,” Luca said, sweaty and flushed when he clasped Kase’s forearm. “Every wall shook like the whole damn nest was about to cave in. Von and the other littles have been screaming for hours. Even Ash started praying to each god. You know how he tries to mimic you and your distaste for deities.”
Kase glanced over his shoulder to where Ash stood, stalwart but trembling. “You guarded the nest well, Ash?”
The boy’s dark hair was messy, and he looked too pale. Still, he puffed up his chest. “I said all the ruckus was the earth bender king, but when it didn’t stop, I wasn’t sure. Kept telling the littles, though. Hanna cried a lot. She is asleep now, so is the little Von.”
Kase gripped the boy’s shoulder. He wasn’t fatherly to Ash, more like an older brother, but my heart warmed at the pride in his face when he gave Ash the dignity of meeting him in the eye. Like a man and warrior.
“You were brave,” Kase said. “And you were right, the Northern King was the one shaking the walls. We’ve built a refuge where no skyds will get in.”
“Thank the gods,” Luca sighed. “I can breathe more than all the stink you lot bring.”
“With care,” I warned. “Tonight is an official declaration of war.”
Luca tilted his head, grinning like the pompous prince he was. “Malin Strom. The woman who once looked at me like I was better suited in the bowels of a dog, are you concerned for my wellbeing?”
“No,” I said abruptly. “For Dagny’s and Von’s. I don’t understand it, but for some reason they’re fond of you.”
Luca laughed, and for a moment life almost seemed peaceful.
“Ash,” Kase said. “You’ll be glad to know your Northern companion, the boy you worked with guarding the littles there, has joined the armies.”
“Ellis,” Ash said matter-of-factly, looking around at those of us who likely didn’t know his playmate’s name. “Lost his maj in their wars but used the king’s fury blade—good for stabbing—and killed one of the ugly skyds over there. Except they weren’t called skyds, they were called Ravens.”
“That’s the one,” Kase said, stretching an arm across his chest, then rolling out his shoulder like it ached. “Go greet him if you’d like. For now, it is safe.”
“We’ll join you, Ash,” Luca said. “Von needs to see the shore again.”
Niklas and Junie guided their guild, the Kryv, and a few Northern warriors to sleeping chambers, or cooking rooms where they’d find supplies.
