As she steps onto the pier, she notices a larger vessel anchored in the channel.
Another crew of Odo’s?
Aura’s feet barely reach the end of the wharf when her hunterseidrsenses she is not alone. Slowly, she pivots and finds the pier surrounded by soldiers in Skalor uniforms.
In the center stands Queen Lavinia, wearing her signature coy smile and a black velvet cloak over a form-fitting gown the color of melted gold.
“Good Day, little Sigvidsson.”
Aura raises her hands, the fury of her fire element coursing through her veins as she recalls Crystal’s training onranged attacks.
“Nuh, uh, uh,” Lavinia wags her index finger, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t scorch you and your men!” Aura snarls.
Lavinia’s smile widens as she steps aside to allow two men to drag forward one of the few people who could stop both Aura’s heart and hands.
“Mum!” She rushes forward, abandoning herseidr.
A group of guards cross their spears, preventing her from reaching Avina. Her mother is bound and gagged, with sudden terror reflecting in her gaze at the sight of her youngest child.
“I believe your dear mother is a compelling enough reason.” Lavina clasps her hands behind her back, her heels clicking across the decking until she towers over Aura. “You will come willingly onto my ship, where you will provide motivation for my son to embrace his fate. If you choose not to comply,” she snaps her fingers, and one of the guards presses the edge of his blade to Avina’s throat.
Aura glances at the sheer number of soldiers and her mother’s presence, realizing that she and her companions have fallen into a trap. “You knew Calder would never abandon Clementia to Odo!”
Lavinia laughs. “Oh, little Sigvidsson, I anticipated everything.”
She paces past Aura along the dock.
“I knew you allied with that wretchedWicked Wyvernand that she would foresee the fall of Sannhet Burg. I counted on my son’s weakness for you after destroying that tool of a man, Odo. Calder would want to block himself off from me. It was just a guess that between you and the Wyvern, you would be the one he sent to the docks.”She says her name with a sneer that has Aura’s blood boiling.
Aura shakes her head, unable to believe they fell into Lavinia’s hands so effortlessly. “My father will rip your skin from your bones when he learns what you’ve done!”
Lavinia brushes her delicate hands over her cloak. “First, he must overcome his anger at your mother for keeping him under Azure.”
Mum?She glances at Avina, who hangs her head.
“Should the Beast manage that, we all know his need forvengeance mingles nicely with that berserker trait of his—a beautiful concoction that outweighs common sense.” Lavinia glances out over the channel with a smirk.
By the gods, surely Father will not have fallen into her clutches, too.
“You see, little Sigvidsson, your true fear on that dais in the longhouse was not just your father’s death by the hands of my son. No, you had another fear that you would be the cause of more pain for your mother.”
Lavinia stops next to Aura, leering down at her. “Now, look what you’ve done.” She spits in her face before sweeping away. “Your father is in Kaldrgataness, awaiting the Iss Drengr to arrive. We both know how the King of Treland will react. We both know how my son will respond.”
Aura stumbles backward, trying to maintain her logical thought amidst the spiraling emotions. Surely Calder would know this is a trap.
He wouldn’t kill her father.
Would he?
What if Pops berserks and won’t stop?
What if Calder has no other choice?
As if sensing Aura’s thoughts, Lavinia wraps her arm around her shoulders, guiding her back to the troops. “My son has one weakness on the mortal plane. I fear it is you.” She brushes Aura’s curls from her face.
The simple touch enrages the Princess, who shoves away. “Did you ever love him? Did you ever care for your only child?”
