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Across the hall, Narza, hair loose, clad in a simple gown, strode in with all the grace of a queen. Her eyes flickered to Maelstrom for a moment, then returned to the table. Another woman, tall and voluptuous, with hair like a dark storm followed, accompanied by three littles.
Squeals of delight shattered the melancholy when the tiniest girl toddled for Tavish, who’d crouched low, arms wide. Soon he was overthrown by squirming, squealing children.
The woman at Narza’s side beamed, kissing Tavish’s mouth through the swarm.
“Narza.” I stood from my seat once my grandmother made her way to the table. “Lady Catriona.”
“King Erik. Queen Livia.” Tavish’s mate bowed her head, but raised her golden eyes, bright as a sunrise. “Earth fae are terrifying, My Lady.”
“At times. I’m sure many of the royals did not appreciate being denied access through the Chasm again.”
“Not at all.” Catriona straightened. “Who claims the queen with red hair?”
Sander and Jonas lifted their hands with pride.
“Can she truly make folk forget how to breathe?”
Sander laughed. “She can. She has. Ask her to share those memories. I think it was a little manipulative of her as we were growing, honestly. She’d justhappento show us what she could do if we were misbehaving.”
“Manipulative or brilliant,” said Jonas. “Got us in line rather quickly.”
The blood hair queen who’d carried me out of my torture as a boy. Livia had told me a great deal about her ability to steal memories in vicious ways.
“We kept this situation vague, as promised. They aren’t aware of the longevity of this decision,” Catriona whispered, and a tremble was there, like she’d not wanted to do it at all.
Jonas picked at a thread on the table runner. “Thank you.”
Valen closed his eyes. “Can we not simply break the one that was done?”
“I told you, Earth Bender,” said Narza. “What’s done is always done. Death or an exchange.”
“I don’t want any more chatter about it,” Jonas said. “We’re not children anymore. We face a life and death moment. The sea witch can face the elven, which we must do to end this. Is that not true?”
I closed my eyes. There were powers on that isle we needed to shatter. Our schemes depended on unraveling spells cast amongst the elven folk, or we would not defeat Larsson.
When no one spoke, Jonas went on, “I will not shy away from this opportunity if I can help. Let’s move on.”
Catriona looked to me. “Before we do, I have something for the Ever King. I was asked by a young prince to deliver this on his behalf. With the hope of defending you in your fight.”
The sea witch passed over a wooden slab. Rough edges were rounded, still a little jagged. Leather straps were messily nailed on the opposing side, a place to slip the arm that would never fit the size of mine.
On the front was the symbol of the Rave warriors from the earth realms.
“Rorik made you a shield.” Livia pressed a hand to her chest, then her mouth tightened, and she pinched my shoulder.
“Gods, what?”
“How is it my brother made you a shield and not me, notour father? I have been gone, and already he cares more for you.”
“Bloodsinger told Ror he was good with a blade,” Aleksi said.
Livia snorted. “Ah, that explains it.”
Grit gathered in my throat when I looked down at the childish shield. No, it would never hold in battle, but . . . it meant something. It meant a great many things.
I rested the shield by the leg of the table and faced the room. “Many thanks, Catriona, for bringing Narza to the Ever.”
“We don’t have long,” Narza said, wincing. “It must be now, or I must return.”
