But who?
Everyone who is on our side is shackled against their will in front of me. My other allies are kingdoms away. Word does not spread that fast. So that means we have a mole inside the palace walls.
“You heard Abbot Maxwell. Let us not offend him further. We come to his home, unannounced, and now you call him a liar. You must repent for such blasphemy.”
“Sweetling, the long journey has made you stir-crazy with fatigue. You do not know what you say.”
Aethelbald attempts to smooth things over, but this is the window of opportunity I need.
“I know exactly what I say. Do not patronize me. We will be on our way. Thank you for your hospitality.” I attempt to turn, but Aethelbald yanks on the chain around my throat, almost choking me.
“You forget your place?”
“No, I will never forget that I am your queen and you, you are nothing but your father’s son…both spineless.”
“Say that again,” he challenges, tonguing his cheek.
“I am Queen Emeline, and I do not take orders from a charlatan. Abbot Maxwell, please inform the church that I have had a change of heart. I see that the pushback was a sign from the Lord, showing me the righteous path which I strayed from.”
“What are you doing?” Aethelbald hisses, pulling on the chain. “You signed the paperwork. We had a deal.”
“One which you went back on when you killed my daughter! I will never surrender to you. Or anyone for that matter, because without the support of the church, your paperwork may as well be kindling.”
Everyone looks at me like I’ve lost my mind, and perhaps, I have.
“This is your choice!” Aethelbald roars, spittle running down his chin. “Let it be known that this is all your fault! I was prepared to compromise, but I see now that there is only room for one of us. And I don’t like to lose. Sigrith!”
I frantically search the area for Sigrith, but when I see Skarth’s line of sight travel to the top level of the monastery, I gasp.
Sigrith has Sune and Loki.
They are blindfolded.
My brain lags behind and cannot comprehend what is happening as Sigrith picks up Loki and tosses him over the high wall.
“No!” Skarth bellows, attempting to rescue our children, but four soldiers hold him down. However, they won’t hold him for long; not with rage animating his very being.
Just as Sigrith picks up Sune, I break apart my hands, resulting in the cuffs coming free. Aethelbald is stunned, lowering his guard and losing his grip on the chain. I snatch a sword from the belt of a soldier and drive the sword into Aethelbald’s shoulder.
Instantly, he drops the chain, howling in pain as he clutches his bleeding wound. I don’t have time to relish the sight, though.
I run for Sigrith. “Please no!”
But it’s too late.
Sigrith throws Sune over the wall to his death.
A guttural scream rips from my throat as soldiers attempt to stop me.
But there’s no stopping me.
The devil himself possesses me as I cut down anyone who stands in my way. Fights erupt around me as the brothers commence fighting the soldiers. They are peaceful people, but when their beliefs are threatened, they will fight for what’s right.
No one exists but Sigrith as I focus solely on her. I impale a soldier on the end of my sword and use him as a shield as I fight my way toward Sigrith. When mere feet away, I use my foot to pry off the soldiers from my sword and place it at the hollow of Sigrith’s throat.
To my surprise, she doesn’t fight.
She merely smiles…a smile I know all too well.
