Viljan gave me a tip of his head as Ipassed him, and I made myself whisper, “Thank you for the heads-up back there,” before I reached the heirs and the chiefs.
My mother nodded to my sword. “That looks like a strong blade.”
Don’t sound so surprised, I wanted to say, but I managed to find a shred of willpower somewhere deep inside me, enough not to cause another scene. So I only gave her a small bow. “Yes, it’s worked out so far.”
“She saved our lives with it,” Ottoh said. “Vero’s and mine.”
My mother rudely ignored him, and an awkward silence built across the dock.
Darcke moved closer when he sensed my unease, but when Seindra’s neck twitched his way, I waved him off behind my back, and thankfully he listened. Even if he was hovering only twenty or so feet away, looking distractingly handsome as he leaned against his dark ship, the sun’s rays making his hair shine golden.
Finally, Ivren’s mother stepped forward, her soft voice a rushing stream in summer as it filled the space. “We’ve heard of the attacks here on Nordoen,” she said. “I’m glad you are all safe.”
“There was another one,” I said. “They found us on Gravsgard.”
No shock flashed across her face at the revelation.
“I sent word,” Ivren said, giving an angry shrug as if he had to defend himself. “They’re happening every day now, and we need to do something.”
As if I wasn’t as frustrated as he was with the king’s mess.
“Yes.” The Solsken chief gave her son a stern look. “Their ships have been spotted. They’re on an island not far away from here. Our king is sending you five to deal with them before you go to the gods. A final challenge, if you will.” She moved her gray-streaked raven hair over a shoulder. “King Gustief and his men will meet you after.”
Worry crawled across my skin, pulling at my shoulders.
I wasn’t sure what made me more anxious: the king sendingus five into battle by ourselves, facing enemies his men couldn’t even keep away, or facing the gods.
The dock squeaked when I shifted my weight.
The gods. Definitely the gods.I knew we’d face them soon, but I needed more time. I needed to prepare. Not that I knew there would even be an opportunity for me to convince them if they’d already made up their minds about me, but I had to at least try.
“What?” Geord stepped forward. “This is not what I signed up for. We have passed the challenges of wood and steel, and we’re supposed to get our runes now. Not go out on a fucking suicide mission.”
“These are not our orders,” my mother replied. “It’s the king’s wish.”
“To risk our livesagain?” Ivren’s face flushed. “We’ve only just returned.”
“Why isn’t he sending some of his own guards?” Ottoh demanded.
Rakkel didn’t speak, but she twisted her hair so violently her mother had to place a hand on her daughter’s to stop knots from forming.
Darcke’s presence was a shadow chasing me through the night, heavy and lethal. When he came up behind me, he wasn’t the only second. Viljan’s composure was broken when he took up the spot beside Ivren, and so was Stefen’s as he placed a hand on Rakkel’s shoulder.
Worried looks were traded between the heirs, and unspoken words spilled like blood onto the dock. Everything we wanted to say and everything we couldn’t was swallowed by the waves crashing against the ships around us.
“What are theorders?” Darcke said through his teeth, his fury as untamed as Ivren’s.
“The king wishes for the heirs to take a ship and ambush them. There aren’t many, but the orders are to kill them all,” Chief Solsken said.
“Does he now?” Darcke challenged.
“Darcke,” I hissed when my mother’s eyes went wide.
It was one thing for us to hold silent conversations about the man who ruled us all—ones we could pretend had never happened—but disrespecting the king before several of his chiefs?
A death sentence. Even if none of them seemed particularly eager to send their children on this mission, offering up their blood when we were so close to earning our runes and our spot as commanders at the Hird.
Perhaps with the exception of Seindra Sweengard.
