Her older siblings, Bjorn and Thora, thunder down the stairs past him, both tugging at Aura.
“I’m so sorry, little sis,” Thora whispers in her ear before Bjorn yanks her into his arms.
“I am beyond pleased you did not die.” He squeezes her tightly.
Even though her older siblings were thirteen winters older than she and were adopted at different times, the trio had developed a deep and unshakeable bond that rivaled that of blood relatives.
Sigvid leans over the back of the chair, wrapping her in his arms. “I am relieved you returned to us.” He tickles the top of her head with a kiss. “Do not ever fucking pull that shit again.” His warning aims to frighten, yet the irony is that she is his daughter. It would take much more than words to intimidate the Princess of Treland.
“Now,” Sigvid settles into the chair opposite her. “Tell us what happened.”
After an agonizing retelling of her ex-lover’s betrayal to her family, her father rises and begins to pace, stroking his beard with that intense expression of his.
She glances around as her sister and brother settle into their seats in the central room, while her mother sits on the couch with her legs tucked underneath her.
Calder and her uncles are nowhere to be found.
Her stomach sinks as she realizes they are in a close family meeting.
Sigvid stands in front of the crackling hearth, his back to them in an eerily familiar way that has Aura praying to the gods that Calder returns and sweeps her off to anywhere else but here.
“A majority of the Drengr Army stationed in Salt are out scouring the land for that fucking bitch. We are on lockdown in Blackwood until she is dead or safely in Toftlund Jail.” He cracks his neck for effect, and Aura rolls her eyes.
If he would let her search for Isabel, she might be able to locate that backstabbing cunt.
“No one leaves Blackwood until I have answers.” He finally turns to face them, and Aura squirms in her chair at the sheer exhaustion visible on his face.
Fuck, I did this.
“Uncle Sig, I must leave the home to lead the Drengr. Surely, you cannot force me to stay.” Thora protests. “You can use Bjorn and me.”
Sigvid and Slode helped Thora’s father, Steinbjorn, raise her until his death in the War between the Timber and Salt Provinces. Not long after the conclusion of the War for Treland, the King and Queen of Treland adopted Thora and then Bjorn before welcoming the birth of Aura.
Even twenty winters later, Sigvid is still ‘Uncle Sig’ to Thora.
“I know.” Sigvid strokes his long auburn braid. “We will discuss that later.”
“Aura,” her mother leans forward, her finger twirling that same loose curl she has twisted for decades, “what was that girl’s surname?”
“Isabel Kilton.” Thora sits with her arms crossed and her legs spread apart, her forest green eyes staring at the ceiling. “Isabel Kilton of Timber. She was at the top in her Drengr training class andcompleted her Trials with flying colors. A young woman I anticipated would one day rise through the ranks.”
“Kilton?” Avina sits up straighter. “Timber? Are you certain?” Her voice wavers, and Aura feels like she cannot sink any lower.
Please, Goddess of Wisdom, Grandma Maeve, do not allow this to be another person who has hurt Mum.
Thora nods.
Sigvid paces, stroking his beard. “Kilton. Kilton. Kilton.” He whispers in that gruff, deep way that signals the awakening of his berserker side.
As he ceases to pace and directs his attention to her Mum, who looks up at the exact moment, Aura realizes that her life is about to come crashing down.
“Thora,” his voice is so low, Aura curls deeper into the chair, wrapping her arms around her legs. “How could you fucking allow a Manchineel into my Drengr Army!” His bellow trembles her hands.
Her older sister leaps to her feet, looking the youngest Aura has ever seen, the Lady Commander. “It cannot be!” Thora shakes her head, and Aura’s blood runs cold.
“Miriela Kilton was Rendel Manchineel’s favorite mistress. I once caught him with her in the gardens of the Sapphire Palace.” Avina twists her curl. “The same night I met your father.”
King Rendel Manchineel was her Mum’s first husband, who abused her in cruel and unusual ways. Father decapitated him on the battlefield, which led to her parents' official meeting as warring commanders, separate, of course, from their first encounter at Mum’s engagement party.
