We were standing about halfway up a steep cliff. The trees surrounding us climbed all the way to the top, where a beautiful, sparkling waterfall rushed down. Beneath us the lake spread out, and to its side stood the karls who hadn’t joined us up here.
Judging by the brimful horns reflecting the pale moon, they’d conjured a feast out here in the forest. There were even a few instruments playing in the back, the soft tunes of lyre and drum echoing through the night.
Whatever this was didn’t warrant the fearful expression on Rakkel’s face.
But then my eyes traveled to where Geord walked toward aledge about sixty feet above us, his steps assured but his face betraying him—tension making its way through his every feature.
The world muted when he stepped onto the rocky shelf, and his steps faltered as he walked closer to the edge, like a shadow with only the dark sky and bright stars shining behind him.
The music stopped first. Then the conversations, which had been loud and boisterous, shifted, turning into hushed, excited whispers. The wind that had wrapped so gently around us died down until my staggering heartbeat felt as if it could be heard over the water, which was the only thing still roaring in the night.
My breath caught in my throat.
“He’s jumping,” I whispered.
“No.”
I spun when Viljan spoke.
“Fuck no,” my guard said again. “You’re not doing that.”
“I thought she’d left you behind. Haven’t seen you two whispering to each other lately.” Ottoh joined us, waving to the crowd like he was a damned chieftain already, eliciting loud cheers from some of the groups beneath us.
“Say that a—” Viljan snarled, but quieted when I held up my hand.
“It’s not worth it,” I said quietly.
It wasn’t. Not when the choosing was tomorrow.
“So you do have some control over him,” Ottoh sneered. “I wondered. Is he not your lover, then? He doesn’t seem like someone who likes orders when you fuck, but he also doesn’t seem to like Ivren coming close to you.”
My cheeks lit on fire.
“Watch it,” I warned quietly.
Ottoh took a step toward me at the same time Viljan did.
“Stop it!” Rakkel ordered. “Can you idiots just stop!” Her hands trembled by her sides as she turned to Ivren. “Why? Whythis?”
Ivren shrugged, although he wasn’t entirely unfazed when his eyes darted toward the steep drop. “They voted.” He gesturedtoward the karls. “It was this or fighting one of the Morkskog bears. I guess they couldn’t capture one in time.”
A shocked breath flew from Rakkel’s lips. “Bears? I thought this was some simple tradition where we showed off our magic or something?”
I don’t know if I’d ever felt colder. My cheeks strained as I pursed my lips to not let fear sweep over my features. Ivren moved closer to me, but thankfully he was so subtle I doubted anyone saw.
“The karls get to choose what we do,” Ivren replied, his hard eyes contrasting with his bright smile. “We’ve spent weeks evaluating them, and tonight they get to evaluate us. It’s only fair, since their lives will literally be in our hands.”
“They can’t deny us if we choose them,” Ottoh added, his fingers trailing the tattoo that snaked its way over his shoulder, up his neck. “But you don’t want an iron-bound who is hesitant. If they die, so do you. This is the final chance for them to see who of us they are open to bonding with. And…who they aren’t.”
I bared my teeth at the smirk on his face. He bared his right back.
“Vara,” Viljan started, but I whirled, and the look on my face was enough to silence him.
Rakkel shuddered. “Or it’s their final chance to kill one of us.”
“There is that too. And I have a feeling who they’re after.”
I wanted to punch Ottoh’s face so fucking bad, but I clasped my hands behind my back instead.
