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“There is a clearing,” the troll said, “where a rocky slope guards the river. Many of the forest folk will trap and hunt there since the moon lights the way. We . . . we take power from the sun and moon and stars.”
“So I’ve heard.” I pinched his thick, bearded chin in my hand, grinning. “You’ve been most helpful.”
With the wave of my hand, the Troll’s neck snapped, jutting bits of his spine out of his skin.
I didn’t spare another look at his crumpled heap before turning toward the others. Valen had blood splattered over his face. The skydguard was dead and missing a hand.
“I know where to look.”
“Then take us there.”
The king was on the brink of losing himself. I knew the feeling. Truth be told, I hoped we both got lost along the way to finding our queens. This damn place deserved a bit of wrath.
Hells, even when I found Malin—and I would find her—I’d likely still slaughter as many folk in the new Jagged Grove as I could find.
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
THE MEMORY THIEF
I landedface down in dry dirt, coughing as a bit was inhaled down my throat. The moment I tried to prop up onto my elbows, I was flattened into the dirt again when Elise landed over the top of me. She groaned, mumbled an apology, and tried to roll off until Ari’s long body pinned the both of us into the ground again.
Head spinning, I coughed, gagged, and untangled my sore limbs from theirs.
Blood dripped over Elise’s brow. Ari had a gash in the middle of his lip and one ear oozed fresh blood from inside. I had few doubts I looked much the same. The rank aroma of my blood filled the dim cavern. If it bothered them, neither Elise nor Ari said anything.
Elise stood, hand on her belly, and cracked her back until she breathed out a sigh of relief.
“Follow the raven.” Ari spat the words through his teeth. He shot to his feet, brushed off his trousers, and looked up at the distant hole we’d fallen through. “Follow the damn raven, they said. Never mind it is a bird from the bleeding hells.”
I rolled my eyes and went to the queen. “Are you all right? The child?”
Her eyes were filled with stark worry. “No pains. I think . . . all is well. It is.”
I suspected she said the words with such vigor to convince herself more than me.
“Child?” Ari blinked, eyes on his queen. “What child?”
Elise swallowed and tried to stand straight under his glare. “Nothing to gawk at, Ari. My ancestors bore children on the battlefields. It is not an ailment; it is merely what it is. Don’t look at me like that. Nothing about me has changed. I can still wield a blade as—”
“Elise.” Ari’s voice was sharp and demanding.
A bit of a surprise to hear him speak to his queen in such a way, then again, the Northern folk were not traditional when it came to their rulers. No mistake, Ari and Elise were friends first.
He closed the space between them. “What do you mean,child?”
Tears brightened her eyes, but she lifted her chin. “I am with child, and I am fine.” The queen’s voice cracked at the last word. “I am. I’m fine, and it will be a wonderful, joyous thing, and Valen will make . . . he’ll be a wonderful father and . . .”
Her words died off when Ari swallowed her in his strong arms. Worry, fear, no doubt tears she’d kept locked inside spilled out against his chest. She clung to his leather jerkin and silently cried.
“Itwillbe wonderful,” he whispered. “I wish you would’ve told me, though.”
“I was busy trying to stay alive.”
“She has not even told the king, I found out by accident,” I said.
Ari closed his eyes. “He deserves to know, Elise.”
“I know.” She wiped her nose. “But you know him and how distracted he gets. Hells, with us missing, he is likely turning to bloodlust. He needs to remain focused on this fight, then we will have a great deal to celebrate.”
