“She has to be taken out,” Farrin’s companion said, placing her hand on his arm. She gazed around the trashed gardens. “She’s a true monster.” Her voice trembled. “No one should be able to wield as much magic as she has. Her power is unnatural, even amongus.”
Rakel refused to show that the words affected her. “I believe it could be argued that anyone who hands out curses is a monster.” She kept her voice icy as she mimicked Phile and raised a single eyebrow.
Phile chose this moment to throw Foedus. “Drat,” she said when Farrin partially deflected it. As was becoming custom, the dagger skipped over the blade, this time nicking his knuckles.
“That is an unusual dagger you have,” Farrin said, eyeing it where it had fallen.
Phile rolled and snatched the ugly dagger up. “I received it from a wise old woman who told me it was forged to debilitate dark-haired magic users.”
“I see,” Farrin said wryly as a breeze ruffled his black-tea-colored hair.
Sunnira shivered and stepped closer to Farrin.
Hot anger coiled in Rakel’s belly, and she threw boulders of ice at him.
Farrin fended them off, diverting the baby-sized chunks of ice so two hit Rakel, and one hit Phile, knocking them both to the ground.
Farrin flexed his hand,scowling at the wound Rakel’s brightly-clothed friend had given him. “Go, now,” he said, watching the recovering ice princess instead of Sunnira.
“You have to hear the truth in my words, Farrin,” Sunnira said. “When Tenebris learns how powerful she is, he will order you to kill her.”
Farrin whirled around and stabbed his greatsword into the ground inches away from Sunnira. “You have disobeyed my direct command, Healer Lhava,” he forced out between clenched teeth. He thought he had tight control of his rage, but it must have shown in his eyes and the use of Sunnira’s surname, for she gaped at him in shock. “I told you to stay in our medic unit during the attack, and now I have told you to leave this battlefield. You have failed to comply with both of these orders. If you do not amend your insubordinate attitude, I will speak to Tenebris myself and tell him that front-line service does not suit you.”
“Tenebris is my friend.”
“And I am his best colonel. Stand down, Healer Lhava,” Farrin said. After holding Rakel while she shook with terror, he was close to outright punishing Sunnira for using the curse on her. But although he was one of Tenebris’s favorites, he doubted the leader of the Alliance would look favorably upon Farrin for dealing harshly with one of his closest friends—even if she deserved it.
Sunnira sighed. “I’m sorry, Farrin. I?—”
“Justgo,” Farrin growled, taking up his greatsword again and swinging it to counter an assault of ice swords.
Sunnira bowed her head and finally followed her orders, slipping into the palace.
“No!” Rakel shouted.
“I got her,Little Wolf. Good luck!” Phile shouted, boosting herself up with an agility and ease that Rakel envied.
Farrin watched Phile go, his face showing no concern, and returned his attention to Rakel. “What did the curse do to you?
Rakel glared, furious with Farrin for herding the curse-happy healer off into the palace. Her magic made the snow at her feet swirl, and her entire body ached, and she had to keep her spine stiff just to remain standing.No wonder soldiers run after getting hit by ice. It hurts!“It made me deaf and blind; my only companion was something…evil.”
Farrin’s face was emotionless, but Rakel did not miss the way his leather gloves creaked when he squeezed the hilt of his sword.
“You shouldn’t be fighting after experiencing that particular curse.”
“Probably not,” Rakel agreed. “But you aren’t going to let me get past you and swipe those cursing papers from your healer, are you?”
“No,” Farrin agreed.
“Then we are at odds,” Rakel said.
“You will agree to retreat, then?”
Rakel laughed. “Hardly.”
“You cannot hope to beat me,” Farrin said.
She briefly remembered the pain and fear of their last two encounters, but her will won out.If we don’t take Ostfold, Steinar will die.“Perhaps, but even if I lose, it will be worth knowing I didn’t roll over and let you march on with your evil scheme.”
