Estrid lazily nodded her head, but I suspected she didn’t hear most of what I said. Her brother had, though, and assured me my instructions would be followed.
When she was carried off to rest, my mother and I faced the king. He now sat in his throne again, but he had a more attentive posture. His eyes gleamed, and for some reason, this made me even more uneasy than when I first arrived.
“The rumors don’t serve your abilities justice, Völva Astrid. That settles it.” The king leaned forward, resting his arm on his leg in a posture that was both predatory and imposing. “You will be my new wife.”
Silence.
Not a single person even breathed. The only sound I heard was of my own racing heart. Did he just—
My mother broke the quiet with strained words. “I’m sorry, King Geir, I’m not sure I heard your declaration clearly enough.”
My blood ran colder than it already was from the king’s words. Her strain wasn’t from suppressed joy, but fury.
King Geir grinned. “I was quite clear, but I will repeat myself out of respect for you, Völva Randi. I will marry your daughter, and we will form an alliance like no other. Two powerful families that will bring us glory against our enemies.”
One pounding heartbeat.
Then another.
Then the words that came out of my mouth were the most surprising ones to be uttered today.
“I refuse.”
Chapter Seven
Týr
Bergthorshöfn bustled around me. People moved out of my way as usual. It was nice being in a home territory where the mortals knew me. Any time I had to travel to a foreign land, the people moved about as if I were just like them. It helped in some situations, but overall, I preferred how the people here worshiped and respected me, even outside of battle.
The only exceptions were Astrid and her family. I craved the casual air about our interactions. Yes, they’d respectfully treated me as a god in the beginning, but now that I’d been coming around so often, their treatment had changed, as if I were becoming part of it all.
I hoped that was how they saw it. I wasn’t going to let Astrid go, and I needed to figure out the best way to make my intentions clearer. I could tell her father to give her to me as debt repayment, but that was too hollow. I needed Astrid to want me, not feel obligated to me.
I paused at a stall where a merchant sold fine jewelry. Astrid deserved such things. But what should I get her? This was the most difficult part of providing her gifts. She tended to dodge any questions that would indicate what I could spoil her with.
A tiny mew cried from the cage I carried on my back. Hopefully, she’d at least like this gift.
Something caught my senses, sending me on alert. My back straightened, and I looked around, not being subtle at all. Who is watching me? I looked up and narrowed my eyes.
A raven perched atop a home nearby—watching me. Huginn. Of course Odinn would send one of his favorite spies to check on me.
Having been spotted, the bird croaked and then flew off.
I glanced down at the stall wares again before moving on, unable to choose anything specific, and continued my search. My pace slowed when I heard something unusual murmured through the mingling people—talk of two völvur visiting the king today. One völva visiting was unusual enough, but two at the same time? Could they be Astrid and Randi? I hadn’t seen Astrid in a few weeks, having been kept away with other responsibilities. But I was aware of her name spreading, particularly regarding her power. If the king found out about her—and I’d be surprised if he hadn’t by now—it wouldn’t be a surprise she was summoned.
Then, when someone mentioned the red hair of one of the völvur, I knew it was them. I abandoned my search in favor of a new one—the King’s hall.
The building came into view. People crowded around the entrance, unable to go inside, but hoping to catch a glimpse of the goings-on within. They murmured amongst themselves about a völva who was healing the king’s crippled daughter. That confirmed this had to be Astrid and Randi.
Since knowing Astrid last summer, I’d searched for more witches with actual magic to understand the spread of magic within the mortals. Among the confirmed witches I found, none had the ability to heal on the scale Astrid was capable of. Their abilities only extended to superficial wounds or organ damage. I’d witnessed Astrid heal a nobleman who had an old arm injury from his younger days. She’s the most amazing woman alive.
The crowd gasped and murmured. I couldn’t help but smirk. She’d proven her ability, increasing her notoriety. Everyone would know her name soon. And then they’d know she was mine.
I pushed through the throng of people. Why, I wasn’t sure. I could wait until Astrid was finished with her audience with the king and then see her after, but something in the back of my mind flashed in warning. Maybe it was the murmuring from the crowd still. Or maybe it was the snippet of a memory where I overheard two people discussing when they thought the king would remarry after his wife’s death last winter.
Astrid isn’t married.
“The rumors don’t serve your abilities justice, Völva Astrid. That settles it.” The king’s voice rang out clear to me over the crowd when I drew closer. “You will be my new wife.”
