“Very well,” Rakel said. It displeased her to keep even part of the truth from Halvor, but Phile was right. If he knew she intended to return Farrin’s sword to him, he would forbid it—princess or not. “Do you think they will believe I can recruit him?”
“Ogle-worthy Oskar thinks you can do just about anything, so he won’t doubt you. Handsome Halvor might, but he’ll come around. He knows you are capable, and you don’t boast of your powers. If you think you can snag Graydim, he’ll come to trust you. When will you tell them?”
“There’s a meeting tonight. It’s a small group—just a few of the magic users, officers, General Halvor, Steinar, and Oskar. I will propose it then.”
Phile nodded. “Smart. We’ll be marching out soon for battle. You’ll want to have your plan blended with theirs before then.”
Rakel nodded. She fidgeted, trying to ease her apprehension.
“Don’t worry, I’ll support you.” Phile offered her a smile. “If you can snag Farrin, it will be a large blow to the Chosen and a boon to us.He’llguard you with everything he has, and I imagine some of his more loyal underlings would come with him, boosting our numbers. It’s the best outcome we could dream of.”
“I hope so.” Wanting to get off the topic, Rakel pointed to Kai and Gerta. “How do you think Kai is doing?”
Phile tapped her lips. “Gerta is treating him the same—bless her soul. If it weren’t for her, I think it would be harder on him.”
“His mother seems to be having a hard time adjusting.” Rakel nudged her plate away from her.
“I noticed that as well. It’s not too surprising, I guess. Even if magic is more accepted now, thanks to you, there will always been some who find it frightening.”
“She is his mother,” Rakel said.
“She’s scared, Little Wolf. Fright makes people do things that are out of character. You of all people should understand that,” Phile said.
Rakel was silent.
“Though I can recognize it would touch a nerve in you. At least he has Gerta’s family. Granny Hilda is as affectionate and warm with him as ever,” Phile said. She offered Rakel a relaxed smile. “And he has you.”
“Us,” Rakel corrected.
“You betcha,” Phile agreed.
Rakel rose. “Would you like to practice?”
“Again?” Though she was surprised, Phile stood with no hesitation.
“Yes,” Rakel said. “I could use the release.”
“Smart girl. If using your magic isn’t enough, we could always try to judge which man in the camp is the most handsome—excluding your brother. Unless…do you have a Bunad in his size?”
“Enough, Phile.”
“No, it isneverenough. Just you wait until Colonel Dimwit is part of the camp. Then you’ll have a complete set of handsome men at your beck and call.” Phile winked and zipped out of the mess hall, ducking the snowball Rakel tried to pelt her with.
“Keep running, Robber Maiden!” Rakel called.
“I intend to!”
The evening meetingwas not precisely what Rakel expected. Prior to dinner, three riders of the resistance movement—still unnamed, although the representatives told her they were now considering being called the Frosted Fellowship—entered Tana.
It seemed the resistance had a sizable force in the area and was eager to help in the battle against Tenebris, so Halvor had extended an invitation to attend the meeting. It wasn’t the extra people Rakel found unusual, but more their….behavior.
“We must thank you, Princess, for all you have done for us,” the first representative—an icicle-thin man named Hròarr—said.
Rakel forced herself to smile, though she quite frankly found their good will a little overwhelming. “Thank you, but I could not have done this alone.”
“No, but you have such a pure and generous heart—to fight on our behalf, when we as a people trembled in fear of you?” Hròarr said. One of the other representatives elbowed him.
“That is no way to talk to royalty,” the elbower hissed.
