My stomach turned when Ivren let him go and the man fell lifeless to the ground.
“Too late.” Ivren winced. “Fuck. I didn’t think!”
Ilse limped as she got up. “What was that? Who are they?”
“Enemies, I’d venture,” I said. “Like the ones who came for you and Rakkel.”
“How did they find you?” Viljan demanded, storming into Ilse’s space. “Did you lead them here? Did you take them to her?”
“No!” Ilse’s face went red. “Of course not!”
“Are you lying?” Viljan snarled. “How would they know where you were?”
“She helped me,” I said when Ilse shrunk under his glare. “She got me out of the water.”
“Why did you need help out of the water?” Ivren asked.
“It doesn’t matter,” I replied. “Viljan, back down.”
“I don’t think so,” he snarled.
I lowered my voice, and I hated how Viljan stiffened at my tone. I’d never spoken to him like this before the Hird. “Back the fuck down.”
“You should listen to her.” Darcke came strolling into the glen, which was starting to feel very crowded. “There is still time for her to change her mind about tapping you for her second.”
Viljan and I spoke at the same time.
“I wouldn’t.”
“She wouldn’t.”
Torden laughed as he followed Darcke out of the forest, the latter shoving Ivren aside so he could kneel by the lifeless man at the heir’s feet. Using two fingers, Darcke checked the man’s pulse.
“Dead,” he confirmed quietly to Torden. “How convenient.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.
Darcke gave me a dismissive look that set my face aflame before he checked the other men, none of whose hearts were still beating.
Torden gave us a weak smile. “Go back to the longhouse. It’s not safe out here.”
I almost laughed. For some of us it wasn’t safe at the longhouse either.
“How did they get on the island without someone noticing?” I asked.
“How indeed,” Darcke mumbled before lifting his head. “Go to sleep.”
“But—” I started.
Ivren took my arm when Darcke’s face hardened. “Let’s go,” he said.
“What about the others?” I asked.
“We’ve already broken up the festivities.” Torden ignored Darcke’s furious stare. “There was another attack on the other side of the harbor.”
“What?” Viljan growled. “Two in one night?”
“They’re getting bolder,” I mumbled.
