Neither parent answered.
“Think of your daughter,” Aelfsi said, though not as gently as Koa. More like a reprimand. Nina turned to Solveig with pleading in her devastating eyes.
Solveig forced her light into the girl, battling the darkness that held her soul captive. The girl sputtered as the shadows leaked from her nose and eyes, escaping the light that Solveig forced onto them.
Shadows crawled down the front of the girl as Solveig hummed a series of runes to banish the dark magic. Despite her disdain for the girl, she tried to salvage what she could, but her soul was empty without the magic.
Solveig’s knees weakened as she ripped the remaining shadows from the girl. North and Easta stepped forward to hold her up.
Dayana’s body slumped to the floor, her parents surrounding her.
“What have you done?” Hugo cried as he held his daughter.
“I saved her,” Solveig whispered, barely able to keep herself up.
“She’s not breathing!” Hugo sobbed, shaking Dayana’s lifeless body. Nina’s silent tears streamed onto her daughter’s vacant face, still set in that unforgiving sneer.
Sobs wracked Nina’s body.
“She was already gone. Now she can rest in peace,” Solveig replied. “I am very sorry for your loss. If I could have saved her, I would have. But the shadows consumed her soul, probably around the time she began having visions.”
“No, no, no, no. Who would do this?” Hugo asked, his eyes whipping around the hall, looking for someone other than himself to blame.
“Think about who you have trusted, who has given magic to your people. He has done this,” Solveig said faintly, giving voice to her suspicion that Ragnvald was behind this as well.
“No,” Nina breathed, her head shaking continuously. “No. Bring her back.” Her words were barely above a whisper. A mother sentenced to watch her child die, helpless.
“I would if I could,” Solveig repeated.
“You did this,” Hugo said, his voice cracking. But there was no conviction behind it.
“Your daughter’s life was forfeit long ago. She is at peace now.” Solveig tried to force as much confidence into her voice as she could, but she was tired.
Nina’s eyes flared in understanding. Though the loss would be felt for the remainder of her days, no mother would want her daughter to be used in this way.
Koa and Aelfsi made their way to Solveig and lifted her out of North’s and Easta’s arms.
“She must rest,” Koa said softly, taking her sister into her arms.
The last thing Solveig remembered was a soft pillow embracing her head as she fell into oblivion, barely noticing as a small tendril of darkness opened its eye in her soul.
Gerriewatchedwithraptattention as Koa carried Solveig from the ballroom, Aelfsi trailing behind.
The atmosphere had drastically changed in the ballroom. What was once a room full of tentative truce for the evening, a moment of reprieve from politics and scheming, had turned to suspicion and fear. It was palpable.
Solveig’s ability to banish the shadows only she could sense would be seen as a blessing to some, and a dangerous power to others.
This development would be a catalyst to the incipient war. The time was coming for drastic measures.
That poor mortal girl.
Her grieving parents whisked the body away and the ball came to an abrupt end.
It was disappointing. Gerrie had had big plans for the evening, one last night of fun before she would be called upon to fulfill her duties. Before nothing would be the same ever again.
Time was a luxury Gerrie didn’t have on her side. There was still so much she wanted to accomplish, so much she wanted to do. Shehad promised Solveig that she would take care of the pettier side of the revenge she was owed.
She assessed Viggo and Noren and grinned inwardly—the pair hadn’t been fazed by the scene and were each downing another glass of wine.
