“I, Lachlan Freysson, swear my fealty to ye and only ye, Lena, rightful queen of Idirhalla, to serve ye and this realm for all of my days until my last breath.”
His words echo in my ears, the sound ringing loudly.
Time crawls to a stop.
The impact of this moment waits, like the pressure of a needle just before it pierces the fabric. My heart leans towards forgiveness for the man I’ve known my whole life, but my mind cautions me about the man who used me as collateral to reach his own goal. Even if that goal was for the betterment of the realm, my realm.
I clear my throat. “I accept.”
The needle pushes through the fabric. His answering smile is bright enough to stop my heart, but I continue, “On one condition.” His brows raise. “If you ever keep something like that from me again, I’ll kill you.” His eyes widen at my vow, but amusement crosses his lips. He quickly rises and wraps me in his arms.
“If I ever betray ye, I will gladly kill myself and save ye the trouble.”
I smile into his embrace, and he places a kiss on my forehead. A piece of my soul finally returned to me at last. Not just apiece, but what feels like half my soul. His familiar scent fills my nose and burrows into my bones. I’ve really missed this, missed him.
A knock on the door has me flinching away, but he releases me reluctantly. Elowen slips into the room.
But Lachlan cups my cheek, pulling my attention back to him. “I’m going to make sure the boat is ready. I’ll be back shortly to escort ye.”
He saunters from the room, and I feel a pang in my chest, his absence already plaguing me. But I turn towards Elowen, who is deathly silent.
Her eyes are steely, and her jaw is set in stiff disapproval.
“I am so sorry for the deaths of your parents.”
“Thank you,” I whisper. The pain of their deaths and the split to my side warring inside of me. Elowen extends her arms, handing me a new set of training leathers.
“I never would’ve thought Odessa capable of something like that, and I’m sorry I didn’t see it,” she mutters. Her eyes shift into a hazy blue, as if she’s studying the cosmos for any hint of something she’s missed. I take the offered clothes.
“It’s not your fault the power is fading here, Elowen. Don’t beat yourself up,” I reply.
She nods, but looks down at her boot-clad feet before her sharp gaze meets mine. “I need to explain my reluctance to accept you.” My wary eyes meet hers. “I’m sure most people have a sob story about their childhood that explains away their moral failings as an adult, so I’m not going to wield mine as an excuse. But I do want you to know the facts and why I kept my loyalty to her and ignored the signs.” Her tone sharpens, and I sit on the edge of the bed.
“Go on.”
She crosses over to the window and peers out. “I was locked away since I could speak. Seeing visions is not normal for a childand can be construed as dangerous. My parents believed in the latter.” Her admission has my heart stalling in my chest. “No one even knew of my existence for a long time until Odessa. I was alone almost every day of my life before she found me. She liked to hike in the Edda mountains when she was younger. Lucky for me, she came across the cave my parents kept me in. She fought for me when no one else did, and that’s why I have believed her for so long.” Sorrow washes across her face. “The Odessa I knew would never have killed your parents. She loved your mother as a sister, but with their deaths, she killed my allegiance to her. I cannot look past the obvious truth anymore. Something is coming, and I will be on the right side of it, on your side.”
Her words silence me, and for a moment, I can only stare at the woman before me, the woman who has already suffered so much in her lifetime and is still trying to do the right thing.
“Thank you for telling me your story. I understand completely how your loyalty to Odessa kept you blind, and I appreciate your sacrifice in choosing me over her. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain you must have experienced. But you’re not alone anymore, and you never will be. I will not let you down.”
Elowen’s eyes fill with relief, and she nods. “I’m supposed to stay here and recruit help?”
“Yes, the others seemed to think you would be the best person for the job, but now that I know your story, I don’t want you to feel like we’re leaving you behind. This job is very vital to our success, but I do not want to put you in a position that makes you uncomfortable,” I reply.
Something about her facial expression is warning me of her reluctance.
“You’re trusting me with this when I just told you that my blind obedience has prolonged the suffering of this realm?”
“We all make mistakes, Elowen. It’s okay.”
Her eyes widen at my response. “I haven’t ever been allowed to make mistakes before.”
My shoulders slump at her honesty, and I reach out to her, grasping her hand in mine. “I am so sorry.”
She eyes me warily. “I would rather stay by your side, but if it means helping you more in the long run, I’ll stay.”
Gone is the distant, aloof woman I’ve briefly known. In her place is a woman of hardened steel, rage, and retribution. I feel exactly the same. The girl I was can no longer survive. I must be the woman this realm needs. My soft edges begin to sharpen in anticipation of the future before me. Reading my grave expression, Elowen asks, “You will make them pay?”
