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“And what is your brother?”
He looked away, either stumped or ashamed. “An unfortunate bit of collateral in the way of my crown. Save your anger for Thorvald, Lady. He is the one to blame.”
Doubtless, Larsson would never see himself as the villain. “So, what is your plan, then?”
“To claim my birthright. I already told you this on the boat.”
“You cannot take the blood crown. You cannot take the Ever. Erik will not allow it.”
The crown of the Ever King was no ordinary crown. Brutal, like the Ever, should one outside the bloodline of the direct heirs don the crown, it would burn and fester on their skin.
Larsson’s face hardened. “Bloodsinger will truly have no choice. I’ve but one task remaining before the wards against me are gone, and I will be able to take the blood crown without injury.”
“Wards against you?”
“A loving gift from my father.” Larsson’s jaw pulsed. “Seemed he preferred the notion of a weaker heir like Bloodsinger, so he made certain I would never be able to return to the Ever.”
Fione sniffed. “What a fool.”
“Aye, that he was,” Larsson said. “We’ve been breaking through Thorvald’s wards for turns now. Had I known I would’ve needed to wait for that damn Chasm to complete the final piece, I might’ve just slaughtered Bloodsinger long ago and taken a chance that the crown would naturally pass to me. Would’ve saved me agreat many turns of his ruthless tantrums and obsession with earth fae.”
I needed to get off this damn isle. I needed to find Erik. One palm pressed to my heart, I tried to summon the heat, the comfort.Serpent, please hear me.
Emptiness answered.
“So, you needed the Chasm to open?”
“I needed you as much as Bloodsinger.” Larsson’s eyes heated.
“Ironic, isn’t it?” Arion’s cheeks flushed from ale and amusement. He refilled his cup from the ewer and took a long drink.
I blinked back to Larsson. “Where do the elven play a role in all this?”
Arion seemed wholly content to scheme with Larsson, but Skadi, she did not want this.
“Arion and I grew up together. My mother was the niece of his father, king of the light clans. At first, he tired of my constant talk of claiming my birthright.”
“Constant?” Arion wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “It was obsession.”
“With the wards keeping Thorvald’s firstborn away, it was likely my desire would never happen,” Larsson said. “Until Thorvald died. I suppose I should thank your father someday.”
My jaw set. “What good did that do?”
“Barriers keeping the firstborn of the Ever King out of the sea realms weakened, and I began to study how to weaken the rest.” Larsson waved a hand. “You don’t need to know all the details, Lady, but I found my way back. Once I did, I think my cousin, at last, saw the merit, and he began his own campaign to be king.”
Skadi drew in a sharp breath and closed her eyes.
“What did you do?” I looked at the elven prince. “Kill your father?”
“My father lives, fae.”
“Arion is positioned to be king over all elven clans,” Larsson said. “But the rise of elven kings is rather cumbersome.”
“Well, we must prove we have what it takes to lead.” Arion winked, losing himself again in his cups.
Larsson went on. “Victory in battle is required of all elven heirs.”
“So, he helps you win the Ever through battle and earns his place as king.”
