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“Since you are the last line of authority in the Ever Kingdom, I’m here with a formal offer from every realm—a call for peace between our folk,” Valen said.
“No.”
“No thought? No consideration?” Valen shook his head. “Boy, I killed King Thorvald, we both know this, but his death did not come for no reason. Cease this vengeance and let our folk be peaceful again. I have the talisman of the Ever, I know it gives me a bit of power over that kingdom. I will shield these lands from the sea fae if I must. I will see to it the Chasm is warded forever if you choose to wallow in your threats.”
Erik paused for a few breaths, then leaned his elbows over his bent knees. “Tell me this, earth bender.” His voice was rough and dry as scorched grass. “Would you make peace with the man who slaughtered your father?”
“The man who tried to slaughter my father, the man who nearly slaughtered my entire family,” Valen said, “I despised him. I sought revenge against every descendant of his line. If you think I do not understand your anger, you’re very wrong.”
“Then why are we speaking?”
“Care to know how it ended for me?”
“No.”
“Well, you are in chains, so I’m going to tell you whether you want to hear or not.” Valen crouched, holding the Ever King’s stare. “I took vows with a direct descendant of my enemy’s line. My queen was the best choice I have ever made in all my many turns.”
Erik snorted. “There are no queens of the Ever. You’ve nothing to offer me. Might as well save your breath, earth bender, I’ve no interest in your tales.”
Valen shook his head and rose. “I’ve spent time these few days reading any lore we could find on this talisman of your father’s. We’ve determined it is most likely a power from a sea witch, true?”
“Powerful sea witches,” Erik snapped.
“If that is so, then it is a temperamental gift,” Valen said. “A type of magic that is rather unforgiving. It does not like to be lost from the one to whom it once belonged.”
“Witches are damn arrogant,” the boy muttered, and the way he curled his face away, I wasn’t certain he meant to speak.
“How are you so certain the power of that talisman will even answer to you, Erik Bloodsinger?” Valen asked. “It has been under our watch for ten turns, and now, it will remain here indefinitely.”
“It does not call to you,” Erik said, but there was a touch of worry in his tone, like he might not be certain.
“Does it call to you?” Valen studied the boy, but the young king merely returned his scrutiny with a glare. Valen opened his arms. “You’re right, the power within it does not call to me. It is nothing but a thin, gold disc. I feel no power over your kingdom. I only regret that blood had to be shed between us. I do not want your title, Ever King. I want to guide a young royal in peace between our worlds. Nothing more. No conditions.”
Erik leaned forward, eyes burning. “Then you do not know the ways of the Ever. The death of an Ever King does not happen. It is a crime against the kingdom I will never forget, nor overlook.”
Vengeance, hatred, it was as though viciousness had been branded in the boy’s blood. The Ever Folk rose to avenge a fallen king. Doubtless their world was one made wholly of righting wrongs through blood and war.
Valen’s shoulders slumped slightly. “Then, you remain here, King Erik. Until we know what to do with you.”
The boy turned back to the wall as though hardly bothered. Tension in his neck, his shoulders, the way one foot tapped, gave up the truth. The young king was frightened, and he did not want anyone to know it.
Valen abandoned the cell first, me close behind. I paused in the doorway when the boy’s raspy voice broke the silence.
“Warrior?”
Stieg halted. “Erik?”
“Did you kill the other boy?”
“Harald’s son? Yourcousin.”
“Just . . . did you kill him?” Erik snapped. He didn’t turn around.
“No, Erik,” Stieg answered softly. “We’re not the monsters you think we are.”
When the boy didn’t respond, Stieg followed me into the corridor. The clang of the door slammed at our backs and the Rave stepped in front again.
“The boy is lost,” Stieg said as we began to trudge the stairs. “He is doing what he thinks is right by avenging his father. It’s natural. We’d all do the same, but Thorvald was a monster. You weren’t there, but he looked ready to throw Erik onto his blade when he saw the damage Ivar and Britta had caused.”
