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“Foolishness,” he said, using a fallen soldier’s cape to wipe the blood off his sword before sheathing it. “You could have been killed. And what for? A war that isn’t even yours.”
“It’s not that simple,” I countered, annoyed.
“Oh, but it actually is. The North has brought you no good, My Queen. Your father is dead, you have been hunted ever since, and you are on the brink of losing your kingdom. And for what?”
His words pricked my skin like so many tiny needles. There was truth to them.
“For a bunch of worthless rebels,” he said.
“They aren’t worthless to me.” I practically hissed it. Alrick wasn’t worthless. “What is it to you anyway?” I added. As insane as it was, this man didn’t scare me, not one bit.
Rune stared at me, his blue eyes reflecting the flickers of the torch. I felt his gaze penetrate deep in my gut. Not even Alrick had ever made me feel this exposed. Not even when we were making love. How could this man read me like a book?
Rune tilted his head as if he had found something of interest in my eyes, then, suddenly, he forced out a mocking laugh.
“Now it all makes sense. It’s not the rebels you really care about.” He laughed again, this one sounding genuine. “Henrike didn’t write me on her own behalf to come here. She did it for him. I have to say, he played his cards well.”
My head jerked back in surprise. “Played his cards well?” I wondered, not quite keeping up.
Rune shook his head in disbelief. “Alrick, you crazy son of a whore. The gods can only know how you managed to make her yours.”
I was growing angry; his mocking voice was like biting flies.
“Whatever you think you know, you’re wrong,” I said. “But what would it matter anyway? Don’t you want the war in your country to end? Or are you scared that you won’t know what to do once the killing is over?”
Rune’s smile fell from his face. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted.
“May God have mercy!” the voice of a man echoed down to us, followed by loud footsteps and the shadows of several figures.
I didn’t even see Rune draw his sword, but its shimmering metal was already in his hands ready to strike when a group of monks dressed in brown, simple robes arrived.
They started muttering like a group of disturbed geese. I gently placed Dieter's head on the floor and shot to my feet. Not for the monks, but Rune.
Facing the monks, I placed my hand on Rune’s and gently lowered his sword. His skin felt warm and rough, and, much to my surprise, he didn’t resist. He let me lower the sword until the blade was pointing to the ground.
“Who are you?” one of the frightened monks asked. He stepped closer. He had a wide, froglike mouth. They all had short hair, and some were bald.
I straightened.
“Who am I?” I said. “How dare you! I’m your queen. And spare me your false confusion. As things stand, I hold you responsible for the attack on my life.”
They erupted into terrified mutters. The monk with the frog’s mouth glanced at the corpses and made the sign of the cross. Then he bowed. All of them did.
“M-my Queen,” the frog monk said. “You have to believe me that we know nothing of an attack. We are simple monks. We heard screams on our way to choir practice. I cannot express my joy that the Lord has watched over you!”
Rune grunted. “You heard screams on your way to choir practice, huh? Practicing down in the cellars? Maybe if I hang you by your feet, the truth will rush to your brains.”
The monk’s wide lips parted as a sigh of terror escaped. “Do to my body as you please, monster. My soul will be with God.”
“Then let’s send it to him.”
Rune stepped forward, so I tightened my grip around his hand, realizing I’d let it linger there this whole time. He froze. I let go.
“There,” I said, pushing the thought of holding his hand the whole time out of my head. “There is no time. My man needs a doctor. And I need to be brought to the rebels right away.”
The frog monk exchanged looks with the other monks and shook his head at them. I could see the fear in their eyes. They knew something. I was certain of it.
“You hold no power here, My Queen,” the frog monk said. “We only answer to God and those who speak for him.”
