Vale kissed me before going off to help the archers. I loosed a sigh and glanced around. For the first time all day, I was at a loss at what to do and though the day had been long, I wasn’t yet ready for sleep.
Anna nudged me. “Let’s collect snow for water.”
“Good idea.” I fell in line with my friend.
Now that we knew human bodies, along with that of the dead nøkken, were in the water, no one dared to drink from the lake. We were back to scooping and melting snow like we did in the forests—a never-ending task.
“So,” Anna began as, with her hands, she scooped snow into a watertight basket. “Anything interesting happen in the village?”
My mind flashed to the fae affected by the blight, then to the brownie who had called for a healer for a poor youngling.
“People are talking about Vale and me. Apparently, I’m pregnant with Roar’s youngling, and we’ve left Avaldenn until I give birth.”
“What are they saying you’ll do with the child?”
“That I’d abandon it,” I said. “I’d never do such a thing, but such a youngling would certainly be in danger. I’m willing to bet King Magnus would throw it in a lake. One with a nøkken.”
I meant to remain lighthearted, but the image of a nøkken coming across an innocent youngling and pulling it below cracked my voice. I swallowed and tried to fight the emotion rising inside me. Emotions I’d tried hard to hold back all day.
Perhaps it was just a matter of time, but it still surprised me when I failed. Fat, hot tears sprang to my eyes.
“Neve,” Anna whispered. “What’s wrong?”
“I-I—we saw so much in the village, and that was after what happened last night. And . . .” I trailed off before sniffling. “After all this, I’m not sure I’m fit to lead.”
Soft, cold hands landed on my shoulder and unthinkingly, I slipped them beneath my furs. Anna had gloves but needed the heat my furs provided more than me.
“There, what you did with my hand, proves you’re meant to help these people, Neve. That you care more than almost all other fae.”
“I care but that doesn’t negate the fact that so many people have died!”
“They understood the risks when they left the mine. And it’s not like you can control the cold.”
A lie. Or at least, it might be. As a Falk by blood, I might control the Ice Scepter, a magical Hallow of this land that mitigated the worst of winter’s storms and weather. In a handful of days, we’d reach Dergia. Once we were sure the humans were safe, then Anna, Caelo,Vale, and I would leave them there, in peace and freedom.
When that time came, I needed to have made my choice of what I’d do next. If we should risk returning to Avaldenn, or only go to Riis Tower. Both places would likely have some information on the Scepter, but I was of the mind that Riis Tower would be the safest place to begin. Even if we only stopped there for a couple of days, it would give us time to assess what exactly was happening in Avaldenn.
Anna twisted me so that I stared her dead in the eyes. “I’m serious, Neve. Those people knew that risk, and they still came. They came for a chance at freedom.Yougave them that. A chance when they wouldn’t have had one before.”
What she said was true, but somehow, my heart still found everything I was doing to be inadequate.
Can a former slave really become a queen?
At first, fueled by my mother’s insistence that I come west and after seeing everything Roar had done, everything I suspected his ancestors had done too, I was on fire. I wanted change. To protect.
However, after two weeks of travel through the harsh land I’d been born to, I wasn’t sure. Iwasstrong, but strong enough to do what needed to be done?
“Are you thinking that you’d rather go south? Like we once planned?” Anna asked, breaking my deluge of doubt as she scooped more snow into her basket. “Do you want to make a new life where no one knows you? If you do, I’ll understand. No one understands more than me. And, of course, I’ll come with you.”
I turned, caught her gaze, those dark eyes so full of compassion. Exhaling, I scooped more snow into the basket and patted it down.
“At first, going south was an escape. Freedom.” I swallowed. “Now though, no matter where I go, I won’t feel free. There’s always a chance someone will learn who I am and hunt me for who I am, rather than what I’ve done.”
Anna nodded slowly. “Then there’s Vale.”
Unthinkingly, my gaze shifted to the edge of the forest where the prince was instructing archers. Thanks to Vale’s instruction, it was plain that many had improved.
I sighed. Vale. My husband. An unexpected rock in my life. The male I was falling for . . .
