“What is her plan?”
“It ends with the death of your soul.”
Calder freezes Rolf’s hands to his legs and throws him over the side. He leans against the railing, watching the Jarl struggle to keep his head above the water.
Aura and the others rush to the side as Rolf drowns beneath the icy saltwater.
“Rolf!” Isabel cries. “I love you!”
Gods, I want to punch her in the fucking face.
Thora kicks Isabel in the back of the knee, knocking her on her back on the deck. “So sorry. I didn’t see you there.”
“Everyone back to theWyvern.” Calder commands.
Thora roughly maneuvers Isabel into the longship while Edmund digs through the pockets of the dead warriors, collecting coins that he stuffs into a pouch hanging around his belt.
“Need gold?” Calder questions as her cousin undresses a soldier and pockets the gems embedded in the dagger's hilt.
“My lifestyle isn’t cheap.” He pats his stomach and moves on to the next corpse.
“Calder?” Aura interrupts him before he can snatch a bag of supplies. Her hand stretches out to touch his forearm, but recoils asshe recalls his command to stay away. “Thank you for saving me. Although now I wonder if our meeting was not so coincidental?”
Why are you not also delivering me to the Queen?
“Not now, Princess. We will talk when we reach land.” He rubs her shoulder.
Once they are all aboard theWicked Wyvern, Calder gestures behind them. “Settle in. We return to Treland.”
Everyone implodes as morale evaporates. Even bound Isabel joins in their shouts of frustration.
Edmund’s voice rises above the rest, and the women quiet their complaints. “I am supposed to be in Pradacia in a Temple to Gullveig, serving as a Gothi. Instead, I am a companion to the Iss Drengr!”
“After this cunt,” Thora jabs a finger at Isabel, “turned out to be a Manchineel and tried to kill Aura, I thought Uncle Sig would revoke my Commander title. Can you imagine how he’ll feel when I show up with an alive Isabel? Not to mention how much I know about your little affair with my sister.”
Damn, did everyone know about us except Pops?
Aura crosses her arms. “This is my life! If I am prophesied to save Skalor, then it is my duty to venture there.”
She pulls her back straight, rolling her shoulders. As she strides up to Calder, she senses her knees quivering under his hardened gaze. Irritation builds at his unamused expression.
He slams his fist against the side, glancing up at the sky as if seeking strength from the heavens. His focus hardens like a torrent of cold rain assailing her. Her broken nails bite into her palms to keep from flinching under his intensity.
Calder lowers until he is at her level. His gaze searches hers, forcing her to swallow hard. “We sail for Skalor.” His guttural growl shakes her bones.
While the others scurry about, setting sail from the wreckage of the other longships, Aura remains at his side. She understands that he will not provide all the answers she deserves. But there are two non-negotiables she must have answered.
“What is the prophecy? The full version?”
He hesitates, and ice shoots out from his fist, resting on the side of the ship.
“Skalor’s salvation requires two. Liberation bleeds at the hands of the god-born child. To make equal upon a field of sunless roses, a willing sacrifice must be taken. Only when Salt melts Ice will peace descend upon the realm.”
She blinks back the confusion of the words. She mutters them under her breath, knowing she must hear them ten more times before committing the prophecy to memory.
“Who is Makt?” She whispers.
Calder grunts at the question. “The reason I lie awake at night hearing the ghosts of my people.”
