The Viking's Chosen by Quinn Loftis (23)

I spent the rest of the night pacing in my room, thinking of all the things the Oracle had told me, especially my ability to use my magic to harm others. The idea still rested uneasily on me, but I couldn’t deny the usefulness of the power, should I ever need it. Every time I considered the possibility of using my magic to cause pain, Cathal’s face seemed to subconsciously jump to my mind.

It was early the next morning when I suddenly felt the pull. I was just about to change out of my sleeping gown when my heart sped up and my soul began reaching for the injured being outside the castle walls. Somewhere out there, in the early dawn hours, someone was hurt. I slipped into a light overcoat and hurried to my chamber door. I paused, unsure of what I should say to Torben and Brant. But as the urgency in me intensified, I knew I could hesitate no longer. I pulled the door open and met Torben’s eyes.

“I have to go,” I said as I hurried from the room. I rushed past him and felt the heat of his body as he followed closely behind me

“What do you mean you have to go?” he asked as he followed close behind me. His long legs had no trouble keeping pace with mine and I could hear Brant next to him, stepping in time with us.

“Something is wrong. I need to help someone,” I explained.

“Wait. This could be dangerous,” he growled. “You don’t know what you’re walking into.”

I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter. I can’t ignore an injured being. I have to help; it is a part of who I am,” I explained.

I could sense that he wanted to tell me to stop. I could feel his need to keep me safe, but he knew that I was a healer. There was no changing that. I couldn’t stop being a healer any more than I could stop being a woman.

“Do you know where you’re going?”

“No, but my emotions, the magic inside of me, has connected with the person. I do not feel any maliciousness or evil. Just pain—a lot of pain,” I explained, wondering if I was making any sense whatsoever.

I rushed through the castle corridors until I reached the kitchen where I hurried out the side door. My mind was being swamped with the emotion of the one calling out to my magic, which was something I’d never felt before. The cool night air caressed my skin and the quiet, stillness in the air seemed to hold its breath as it waited for me to act. I was shocked when I turned a sharp corner and my feet led me straight to the door of Cook.

I knocked on the door as fear overwhelmed me. I didn’t want anything to be wrong with Cook. She was not only a worker in my home, whom I’d known my entire life, but she was a friend. I knocked harder and there was still no answer. I attempted to push open the door but it held fast, locked from the inside.

“Step back,” Torben said suddenly and gently pushed me aside. He reared back, pulling his leg with him, and then slammed his foot onto the door putting all his force into the kick. The door splintered as it flew inwards and there was a collective shriek from inside.

“Cook!” I called out as I entered the dim room. “It’s just me, Allete,” I reassured. “Is something wrong?”

“Allete?” A shaky voice came from the back of the room, beyond the small kitchen. “Is that you, child?”

“Yes ma’am. I felt something wrong. Who is injured?”

“Come back here quickly. We have need of you.”

I followed the sound until I reached the rear of Cook’s small living quarters. She sat beside a bed that held the body of a small boy. He couldn’t have been older than twelve summers. His eyes were glazed over, and his breath was very shallow. He had a sheet pulled all the way up to his chest but I could see a red spot staining the linen, growing larger as I looked down at him.

“What happened?” I asked, moving forward to the other side of the bed. I pulled the sheet back and gasped. There was a gaping wound on the right side of his chest. I could only see part of it through the tear in his tunic. I glanced up at Torben who looked ready to jump into action. “I need clean water and dry cloths. I will need to clean it before I heal it so there is no infection afterward,” I told him. He nodded and then proceeded to search out the things I needed.

“He was running an errand for me,” Cook began explaining. “He was in the castle grounds, I don’t worry about him none when he stays in the castle grounds, with all the guards and such walking about.”

I nodded at it her to continue while I gingerly moved the tunic around, trying to get a better view of the gash in his chest.

“He was attacked. He said it was a savage. A large man dressed in animal skins with a crazed look in his eyes. He spoke a strange language, and my boy could not understand him. He said the man just attacked him for no reason. He only got away was because the man was slow, as though he were drunk on mead.”

When Torben returned with the basin and rags, I rinsed my hands in the water. “Dump this and get me more clean water,” I ordered. Then I ripped the tunic away from the boy’s body. He cringed but didn’t move or make any noise. That wasn’t a good sign. He was going into shock.

“Forgive me, Cook, but both of your boys look similar. Which one is this?” I motioned to the child.

Despite the situation, Cook smiled. “This is Evan,” she said affectionately. Her hand reached out and ran across his forehead, and I could see the fear in her eyes though she held it behind her familiar iron will.

I took the towels that Torben had brought me and pressed them to the wound in an attempt to staunch the blood flow, then I soaked one of them in the clean water and squeezed it over the opening and watched as the blood and small amounts of debris flowed out. When the wound finally appeared clean, I laid my hands over it and closed my eyes.

I felt the energy flowing from my body and into Evan’s. I felt the blood flowing from his body abate, and the skin begin to knit itself back together, but it wasn’t enough. I wanted to erase the horror that the young boy had faced. How scary it must have been to stand before a strange warrior who was hell bent on killing you. How would a young boy recover from that without nightmares? I hated what he had been through. I could only imagine how Cook was feeling.

Once I was done and I was sure the wound was completely healed, I stepped back and nearly collapsed. Had Torben not been there to catch me, I would have sprawled out indignantly on the floor like a tossed towel.

Cook pointed to a chair. “Rest, child. You have done much, and I am so very thankful.”

“You aren’t scared of me?” I asked her.

She shook her head. “Why should I fear someone with a heart as pure as yours who gives so selflessly of herself? No, I am not scared of you. I am humbled that you would take your time to heal my boy, and I will be forever grateful.”

Torben brought me the bowl of water and allowed me to wash the blood from my hands and then handed me a clean towel. After a half hour of rest and several cups of water, I finally felt that I had the strength to return to my chambers. “If you need anything at all, please let me know. Send your other son to my room and I will be back in a heartbeat,” I told her. I wanted to stay, but she refused to allow that and Torben was not too keen on the idea, either.

We left her small home. Once outside, I took a deep breath of the cool air. It felt good to be outside, free from confining walls. “Would you mind if we walked to the gardens?” I asked him.

“As you wish,” Torben said and walked beside me with Brant trailing just behind us.

“You don’t have to pretend you are my guard anymore,” I told him, finally having the nerve to tell him that I knew about him.

“Perhaps not for your sake, but for the sake of everyone else, I need to appear as though I belong here,” he explained.

We walked the rest of the way in silence. In the garden, I found my favorite spot to sit beneath one of the large trees. Dawn was slowly breaking, and the light from the morning sun was illuminating Torben’s handsome face. He appeared deep in contemplation, and I wondered at the thoughts swirling in his head. I couldn’t feel his emotions as I had before. A sudden sense of loss overcame me. I hadn’t realized it fully at the time, but having the privilege of feeling what he was feeling, with no words spoken between us, was an intimacy the likes of which I’d never experienced before. We sat there in silence, and I considered how frustrating it was not being able to have free access to his emotions when it was convenient to me. I was curious to know if he wondered about what his mother had told me. Did he care about whether she approved of me? I wondered if he would ask me if she’d told me things that maybe he didn’t know.

He chuckled and sat across from me, leaning against the base of a stone statue that portrayed a great bear. He motioned for Brant to keep watch and then set his eyes back on me. “Go on and ask,” he said with a small grin. “I know you’re dying to, so might as well get it over with.”

“Ask you what?” I asked, playing coy. It was ridiculous of me, but I was embarrassed that he read my face so easily.

“My mother came to see you. I can only imagine all the interesting things she shared with you. Not to mention, I am curious as to how she acted. My mother can have a wicked sharp tongue,” he laughed.

I couldn’t help but laugh with him. “She does at that,” I agreed. I paused to gather my thoughts. “When did you find out about the prophecy?”

“A few months ago,” he admitted without hesitation.

“How did you feel about it?”

“I was shocked, naturally. We have never had a foreign queen,” he explained. “My people have always believed other races to be beneath them. We have always been the better warriors. I am still unsure how they will accept you.”

“Do you still believe others are beneath you?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Not after meeting you. You are every bit, if not more, worthy than a Norsewoman to be my queen.”

My insides quivered at the mention of me being his queen. It felt so real when he said it, and I had to admit that I liked the way it sounded. Part of me really wanted to be his queen, wanted to be his, but another part of me dreaded the idea of leaving my family. How could I possibly leave them? But that was the way of it, wasn’t it? Young girls grew up, were courted until one of their suitors met their father’s approval, and then they married and left the home to start their own families. It made sense, but it did not make it any easier.

“I did not expect to like you,” he said as his face grew serious. “I did not have any idea that I would be able to love you.”

My pulse picked up, even though he’d said the words before, it was still so new and I really liked hearing him say them. But then I considered exactly how he’d worded it and wasn’t sure if I should be offended.

“I just mean that I didn’t know what to expect. I had assumed that all princesses were spoiled brats, but you surprised me.”

A single brow rose on my forehead. “Spoiled?”

He shrugged sheepishly.

“I will admit that I have met my fair share of spoiled princesses. I, however, was not raised to take what we have for granted. I also know that wealth cannot make happiness. Happiness is something we choose, regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. I cannot deny that I have had a tough time finding happiness over the past month as I have dealt with Cathal. In the beginning, I truly wanted to try and find the happiness in the situation, and I feel like I’ve failed at it. But then there was you and you became a bright spot in the darkness that had become my days. I can’t imagine how much worse this could have been had you not been here.”

“Well, you fought against this bright spot pretty hard,” he said. His voice was full of frustration but not of anger.

“Could you blame me?” I asked. “I didn’t know how we could possibly have a relationship as a princess and a guard.”

“And what about now?” he asked.

“I still don’t know how it is going to work, not because I don’t want it to, but because we are both so very strong-willed.” I took a deep breath.

“But you love me?” he asked.

The bluntness of his question gave me pause. I had already told him I did. But then, just as I needed to hear the words from him again, perhaps he needed that every bit as much as I did. “I do,” I said with a small smile.

He scooted closer to me until I could feel his warm breath on my face. “I can’t walk away from you, Allete,” he said in a deep, sure voice. “Now that I’ve met you, and I see what an incredibly beautiful person you are, inside and out, I know that I do not want to face life without you. Bond or no bond, I am yours. I want you to marry me, as soon as we reach your new home. I want you to become my wife.”

He ran a finger across my lips and I found myself leaning into his touch. “We barely know one another.”

He chuckled. “You were on the way to the altar with a man you’d never even met, princess. I don’t think that is a fair argument.

True enough, I thought. “How will your clan feel about you taking a foreign bride?”

“Those who trust my mother will not question it. Those loyal to the jarl are on their way out of this life; they just don’t know it yet.”

“You’re going to kill them?” I asked with wide eyes.

He shook his head “I won’t have to. If Magnus moves when I think he will, your father and Cathal will take care of that problem for me. There was a time that my jarl was a great strategist, but his greed and madness have made him careless and impulsive. He is going to get himself and all those who follow him killed.”

“And you will be taking his place?”

Torben nodded “That is what the gods have decided for me. I don’t know exactly what it will look like or how I’m going to change things, but I do believe that you will play a huge part in it.”

“Me?” I asked as I pointed to myself. I didn’t see how I could possibly make any difference to the health of his clan.

“Yes, you. You are strong and humble. You are smart and innocent at the same time. You have great compassion and discipline. You are a mighty warrior, Allete.”

His words made me feel so much more special that I truly was. I wanted them to be true. I wanted to be this woman he saw, but all I felt like was a teenager on the cusp of adulthood, scared of facing the future and afraid of death.

Little Evan was brought to my mind as I thought about death and how all beings face it eventually—some sooner than others Evan was so very young and had his whole life in front of him. It angered me that there was someone out there who thought they had a right to take another’s life. “Was it a Viking that attacked Evan?” I asked him.

Torben nodded, and his lips tighten. “I heard the description Cook gave. It sounded like it was Magnus himself. That would surprise me. He isn’t usually one to wander too far from camp. He prefers to hold court in the center of his warriors, sending others to do his bidding. If it was Magnus, he could be growing even more unpredictable.

“Why would he attack a young, defenseless boy? Is he truly that evil?”

“Power will do things to a man. It will change him from the inside out. It twists him and makes who he once was become unrecognizable to those around him.”

I thought about his words and realized they applied to more than just Magnus. Cathal too had been corrupted by power. I didn’t know at what point in his life he had been changed, or if it had simply started at an early age because of an example set by his parents, but it was more than apparent that he lived for power. Sitting there with Torben, talking about the future I could have, I knew without a doubt that I could not settle for Cathal. There would be no way to find happiness in life with him.

“What are you thinking about?” Torben asked.

“That I need to go begin getting ready for this dreaded ball.”

His jaw clenched, and he nodded. “And don’t forget to pack. After the ball, we will speak with your father and mother and then we will be on our way.”

Home was the word he left unspoken at the end of that sentence. Although we were headed back to his home and for good reason, he was sensitive enough to understand the pain that I would feel leaving my own land.

“How are you holding up?” Dayna asked as she helped lace up the back of my dress. It was the dress Cathal had given me, with the alterations my mother and sisters and I had added. I was ready for the night to be over and it hadn’t even begun.

“I’m just ready to get this started so we can be done,” I admitted.

“There’s something else bothering you,” she prodded.

Yes, there was. I had yet to tell Dayna everything that was happening between Torben and I. I needed to, but I dreaded telling her I was leaving.

“You might as well tell me because I won’t leave you alone until you do.”

“You might want to sit down for this,” I finally said with a sigh.

She sat on the bed and I took the seat across from her. Dayna’s feet dangled from the side and she began to gently kick them, reminding me of how she used to do that very thing when she was much younger and much smaller. The years had flown by, and now I was leaving my home forever.

“After the ball tonight, I will be leaving with Torben,” I said and felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. There was still so much to tell, but it was a start and that was what I had needed. From that moment on, everything poured out of me. I paused a few times to answer her questions, but Dayna listened quietly in rapt attention.

“That is all,” I finally finished over half an hour later.

“Well,” she said, straightening her dress as she stood from her perch on the bed. “I suppose I had better get Lidia to come help you finish getting ready. I need to go pack.”

My eyes widened. “What?”

She grinned at me. “You didn’t really think I was going to let you go on this grand adventure without me, did you?”

“What about Father and Mother? And your home here?”

“The kingdom isn’t going anywhere, Allete. We can always come back and visit. I was already determined to accompany you to Tara. This will be no different. Besides, Lizzy will still be here. That’s what middle children are for,” she winked. “The oldest goes off to do her duty for the family, the youngest rebels and does whatever she wants and the middle child picks up the slack.”

“You can’t come.” I tried being bossy instead of reasoning with her. Reasoning had never worked on Dayna.

She laughed. “I always find it adorable, sister, when you attempt to tell me what to do and then always seem surprised when I do not obey.”

I wanted to growl at her. “I’ll tell Mother to put Clay on you as your guard this evening.”

She waved me off as if it was a meaningless threat. “Clay refuses to come near me. The last time he was ordered to guard me, I told Cook he didn’t like her meatloaf. She wouldn’t let him eat her cooking for a month. He has learned not to mess with me.” She reached the door, and I realized I was out of time and out of threats. “And it’s not just you I need to keep an eye on. Don’t you remember what I told Brant? How can I make good on my threat to snip, snip if I’m not there to witness his indiscretions?

She waved her fingers at me and shut the door behind her. I wouldn’t lie, I was secretly ecstatic over the thought of having Dayna with me, but I also felt selfish. She couldn’t really understand what it was going to be like living so far away from our parents, in a strange, possibly hostile land. But, for some reason, Dayna had always felt it was her duty to protect me, as if she was the elder sister and I was the younger.

Lidia entered a few minutes later and finished what Dayna had started. By the time the dreaded knock came, I was ready to chew off every finger nail I had and then start in on my toes.

When Lidia opened the door, I had to force my eyes to stay on Cathal and not seek out Torben. I could feel him there, tense and ready to pounce on anyone he perceived as a threat, namely Cathal.

“Good evening, my bride,” Cathal said in a deep, rich voice. “You look,” he paused and I could see him taking in the alterations we’d made. His jaw clenched, as did my own to keep from smiling. “You look stunning,” he finally finished.

“Thank you, my lord,” I curtseyed, but didn’t return the sentiment, no matter how true. Cathal was stunning, but he already knew it and did not need me to remind him.

As I took his offered arm and walked past Torben, I felt him brush his hand discretely against my side and took comfort in knowing he was right there with me and would be no matter what.

Watching my love walk beside a serpent masquerading as a king was like stabbing myself in the heart. I hated Allete being so close to him. I hated knowing that I’d have to keep even a little distance between us tonight, especially after the disturbing news I’d received earlier that day.

After I’d dropped Allete in her chambers, Amund had come to inform Brant and me that Magnus would be making a major move tonight. He and a large group of his men would be infiltrating the banquet dressed as English guards. I had no idea how Magnus expected to pull it off, but then, mad men sometimes seemed to be capable of things that normal men were not.

As we entered the grand ballroom, my eyes immediately began to scan my surroundings. I kept close to Allete, as close as Cathal would allow me without causing a scene. Brant was just as alert as me, but I didn’t miss the way his eyes continually drifted over to Dayna. He would be ensuring she was safe, and I would not fault him at all if he dropped his guard position to protect her if need be.

The room was filled with quiet chatter and music as the orchestra played. I knew, at some point, they would formally introduce Cathal and Allete, and I wondered if that would be when Magnus would do … whatever it was he was planning to do.

My hand continually moved to brace against the hilt of my sword as if assuring itself the weapon was still within ready reach. I would much prefer to be carrying an axe on my back in addition to the sword. I liked having two weapons, if not more on me, but the royal guards only carried a sword. Of course, I had a few small daggers in hiding under my tunic and in boot sheaths, but they didn’t quite carry the punch an axe did. Wielded properly, however, they could be just as deadly.

“There he is,” Brant murmured softly. “As the clock tolls high noon.” This was his way of communicating to me Magnus’s direction without having to point or motion with his head.

My eyes landed on our jarl, and I was shocked at how well he’d managed to disguise himself. His guard uniform was immaculate, and his beard had been clean-shaven. I wasn’t sure if his hair, which usually hung well past his shoulders, was cut, or if he’d managed to hide it under the helmet. Regardless, the wild mane was out of view. He was casually glancing around the room, appearing as though he were simply watching for trouble, ready and willing to intervene if necessary to ensure the safety of the partygoers.

Only a few minutes later, I spotted several more Norsemen. I was still unable to deduce their plan. What did they hope to accomplish here? I wracked my brain, hoping to understand their intentions. If I couldn’t figure out their next move, I might not be able to get Allete out of harm’s way.

Suddenly the music stopped, and the trumpets began their royal call. Once they were silenced, the herald stepped forward to the side of the stage next to the orchestra.

“Lords and ladies, I present King Albric and Queen Alease.”

The king and queen stepped forward and nodded to the applauding crowd. Then King Albric held up his hands and the applause died as he turned his attention to Allete. “Tonight, we celebrate the engagement of my eldest daughter. She has grown into a beautiful young woman and we are so proud of her.” He motioned for Allete and Cathal to step forward. “Please join us as we congratulate her and her fiancé, King Cathal.”

The room became an uproar of applause as the two came forward. The clapping continued for several minutes as the seemingly happy couple waved to the crowd. Finally, the room began to quiet, everyone anxiously awaiting an address from King Cathal and his soon-to-be queen. All of a sudden, I heard a thrum, followed by a distinct whooshing sound. I knew immediately an arrow had been loosed. Instinctively, I dove in front of Allete. In doing so, I caught a brief glimpse of the arrow in flight, zipping through the air like a death sentence, headed straight toward us. She fell back but I didn’t see if she’d been injured. I was too busy taking an arrow to the chest.

The pain was immediate. I hit the stage with a thud and landed on my back. There was a sharp scream, and the room erupted into a melting pot of confused people moving in different directions. Men and women alike shouted and ran for the exits. Confused guards yelled to one another, pulling their swords from their sheaths. Tables and chairs toppled, spilling wine, food, and dishes onto the floor.

I tried to sit up, but as soon as I put pressure on my arm, it collapsed under me. Suddenly, like the image of a beautiful Valkyrie, Allete’s face, was hovering over mine.

“Don’t you dare die,” she growled.

I smiled. “It’s good to see you too, love. And yes, I did just take an arrow in the chest to prove my love for you.”

“Shut up,” she snapped. “This isn’t the time for jokes, Torben. I’ve got to pull this out and then heal you quickly.”

“Don’t,” I said, attempting to keep her hands back. I was too weak to stop her. Why was I so weak?

“You’re losing too much blood. I think the arrow tip is close to the heart,” she answered. I guess I must have asked my question out loud.

I bit the inside of my cheek as she grasped the arrow and jerked it free, with a strength I wouldn’t have guessed she was capable of. I could hear Brant arguing with Cathal, restraining him, trying to convince him that Allete was a trained healer—albeit, not a healer of the magical variety—whose help was vitally important in that moment. Cathal was giving him a thorough cursing, demanding him to move. My loyal friend was having none of it.

“Do not heal me, Allete,” I ground out through my teeth as the pain radiated through my body. “There are some who do not need to know what you can—” A hand slapped over my mouth, effectively shutting me up.

Allete leaned in close to me, her nose nearly touching my own. I needed to focus, but in that moment, all I wanted was for those perfect lips pressed to my own—to taste her one last time.

“I am not going to sit by and watch you die just to keep myself safe. So you listen up, warrior, you are not going to die because I am going to heal you, right here, right now. Are we clear?”

“Kiss me,” I said, ignoring her words. Apparently, that was not the correct response.

“Stupid, stubborn …,” she began mumbling but I missed the rest of it because she firmly pressed her hand to the wound, and the pain was excruciating. I heard her begin to chant but I couldn’t make out what she was saying. All I could hear was the blood rushing through my ears as the pain and agony threatened to steal my consciousness.

I did not know how long it was before the pain began to ease, and the sounds around me slowly returned. There were shouts echoing throughout the ballroom. I could see legs stumbling around us and heard screams accompanied by the ringing of steel on steel as swords clashed. I was still a bit foggy, but I could guess that my people had attacked the guests and the palace guards were fighting back. I wanted to move now to get Allete out of the room, but I didn’t yet have the strength to lift myself.

Just then I saw Magnus’ face appear over Allete’s shoulder. My eyes widened as I recognized the greedy look in his eyes. He knew what Allete was doing. He’d seen my mother do it many times. I could almost see his lust for power as a tangible thing. He knew the kind of power Allete could give him. He wasn’t going to let that go.

“Allete,” I said her name, but she was lost in her trance like state. She had no idea that a wolf was behind her, hunting her. I tried again to get her attention, to shift or move, anything to keep Magnus from being able to take her, but nothing worked. As I laid there, every cell in my body focusing on knitting itself back together in response to Allete’s healing, I was powerless. I could do nothing as Magnus wrapped his large arm around her waist and jerked her back against his body.

Allete’s eyes went wide, and her mouth dropped open. Shock held her paralyzed as she stared back at me. Then instinct kicked in. She screamed, kicked, and fought to get free, but she was no match for Magnus’ strength. His madness only made him that much stronger. She called my name, and I was helpless to respond. It was as though the arrow had been reinserted and pressed all the way into my heart this time. My brain was telling my body to move, but a twitch and a weak groan was all that came in response. No amount of internal screaming at my limbs did any good.

“Brant!” I croaked when I was finally able to speak. “Go get her!”

“Can’t do that, comrade,” he barked back. “You’ll die if I leave you here.”

“GO GET HER!” I roared, but the mountain refused to move.

“He won’t kill her, Torben, you know that. He won’t even harm her. She’s too valuable. But you’re barely hanging on, you dolt. Now, act dead until things get sorted.”

“Brant, I swear by the gods if you don’t…” It was the last thing I said before everything went dark.

The arm around my waist was like a steel band. I couldn’t move so much as an inch, no matter how hard I fought. I looked back to where Torben lay just in time to see Brant knock him over the head with the hilt of his sword. My mouth opened wider, if that was even possible.

Why would Brant attack his commander? Torben was injured badly. Why would—my thoughts froze. “No,” I whispered to myself. “Brant wouldn’t betray Torben.”

The giant who had grabbed me turned to where Brant stood and commanded, “Finish him.” Brant was looking right at us. He gave a small nod. Was he nodding at me or my captor? What in the seven hells was going on?

“ALLETE!” Dayna’s loud bellow reached across the room to me, and my eyes met hers. She was attempting to run to me, fighting against the stream of panicked people moving the other direction. Swords had been drawn and pockets of men fought one another all over the large room.

“Magnus, what do you want us to do?” A tall man, dressed in an English guard uniform, asked the one holding me. I realized then my attacker was none other than the jarl himself.

“Change of plans,” Magnus growled. “Get the men and meet at the boats. I’ve got a prize I did not expect. We can come back and claim the rest after we’ve regrouped.”

The man gave a nod and hurried off. As soon as he was away, I resumed my fight. “Let me go!”

“Sorry, pet, but I can’t do that,” Magnus said as he moved quickly, weaving in and out of bodies that had fallen, some still writhing in pain. “You are exactly what I need. I had no idea you were within my grasp. And to think Torben had been keeping you all to himself.”

“I don’t understand; why do you need me?” Terror was rising in my chest. I was just beginning to realize he’d grabbed me during a healing. He wanted me for my abilities.

“Don’t play dumb, little one. You’re a healer. You must know how valuable you are.”

“Why would I ever help someone who’s kidnapped me?”

“You will do more than help me. You will be my personal healer,” he said as if I was the most privileged woman in the history of ever.

“I will never heal you,” I sneered at him.

“You will. Everyone has a breaking point, Princess Allete,” he warned me. “We will simply have to find yours.”

“Allete!” Dayna’s voice rang out, close behind us.

“In fact, I think we just found it,” he said as he grabbed the shoulder of one of his warriors. “Take that one,” he said, pointing to my sister.

“NO! Dayna, stay back! Run!” I yelled as loud as I could. We clambered out of the palace and across the courtyard under a moonlit sky, my feet kicking all the while. I couldn’t believe how fast the man could move all the while maintaining a grip on my waist with one arm. We were nearing one of the smaller side gates that led to outside the castle walls. Not only was he fast, but his feet were surprisingly silent despite his added load.

I heard a commotion behind us, and I lifted my head. I saw Dayna being carried over the shoulder of another large Norseman. She was flailing like a dying fish and screaming every obscenity known to man. And I was proud of her. Give him hell, little sister, I thought as I debated whether to save what energy I had left. Despite Magnus’ strength, surely he couldn’t run forever. Perhaps, when we finally stopped, an opportunity for Dayna and me to escape would present itself.

Magnus held me tightly and I could scarcely breathe. My ribs felt as if they would break under the strength of his arm. We cleared the castle walls and headed into the trees. Magnus didn’t slow; he just kept running, never breaking stride. Did the man ever tire?

I wondered if anyone was giving chase. There had been so much confusion that I didn’t even know if anyone realized what had happened to us. If they hadn’t, it might be awhile before my father even knew to send a search party after us.

The man carrying Dayna had caught up to us. She was still cursing, though she’d quit flailing.

“Just let my sister go,” I finally said to Magnus. “I’ll do as you ask. Just let her go.”

“Sorry, but I am not inclined to believe a woman who I am in the process of abducting. Your sister is coming with us.

“You do realize that Torben is going to kick your flea-bitten arse, right?” Dayna yelled. I rolled my eyes. She had a death wish.

“Torben is dead, or if he isn’t he will be soon,” Magnus said without a single drop of doubt.

He was wrong. I would know if Torben was dead. I would feel it. Wouldn’t I? Our bond was so new. I had no idea of its intricacies. Oh gods, what if he was dead, and I had no way of knowing? Why on earth did I have to think those thoughts in that moment? Pull yourself together, Allete, I snapped inwardly. There was a time and place for panic, and this was neither.

“Torben isn’t dead you moron,” Dayna laughed. “It will take a better man than you to kill someone like Torben.”

“The archer did the job just fine, and my man will finish it.”

My heart hit my toes. He was talking about Brant. He had to be talking about Brant. Finish him, he’d said, and Brant had nodded as if in answer. Magnus had told Brant to kill Torben. I tried to absorb the information, but it just wasn’t sinking in. I couldn’t reconcile the Brant I knew doing anything to betray Torben.

When I heard the deep thud of footsteps, my eyes snapped open. I hadn’t even realized I’d closed them. I looked down and saw that Magnus was crossing a planked walkway. When I looked up, my eyes widened at the massive ship upon which we were boarding.

Magnus shifted me and threw me over his shoulder. “Oomph,” I groaned as my stomach was squashed.

“You might want to hold still,” he warned and then began climbing. By the time he made it to the top of the ladder that was strapped to the large ship, he was finally sounding winded.

He set me down, and I was lightheaded, momentarily seeing stars as the blood rushed back down from my head. My eyes refused to focus. “Dayna,” I said her name as I cry of self-defense and found her standing next to me.

“Yep, I am here. Just trying not to vomit.”

I swayed on my feet and began to realize how weak I was. “Why,” I started, but then realized I had been healing Torben when Magnus snatched me. That was why I was weak, from the healing. When my eyesight finally sorted itself, I couldn’t see much. Only a few lanterns dim lanterns were lit at various intervals along the ship. But I did not miss for a second that the ship was getting farther from the shore. We were already moving.

“Are you okay?” Dayna asked.

I nodded.

“Turn around,” a man said as he walked up to us with rope in his hands.

“Where would we go?” I asked.

“Can’t jump if you can’t swim,” he said as if he was talking about the weather.

We both did as he commanded. Once our hands were tied, he moved us to a bench. “The jarl said for you two to sit there and not to move.”

Dayna started to say something, but I stomped on her foot and she snapped her mouth closed.

“If we give them reason to think we are going to run, they’ll put us in a more secure location. For the time being, appear complacent,” I explained.

“Torben and Brant will come for us,” she said with a nod.

I cringed. I didn’t want to tell her that Brant might be the reason I never saw the man I loved again, mostly because I did not want to believe it myself.

I turned at the sound of Magnus’s voice. “Come and see what I’ve found, old crone.” He was standing in front of someone I couldn’t see. “I want you to teach her everything you know.”

He finally stepped aside, and Hilda was staring right at me. “Oh, I will definitely teach her everything,” she responded. “Do not worry, Jarl. She will be the best, even better than me.”

I held a look of surprise and unrecognition on my face, as if I’d never met the woman. But my conversation with Torben’s mother came rushing back to me, including everything she’d said about using my magic for harm. I understood immediately. She would teach me, all right. She would teach me how to kill Magnus using the magic that he thought would be healing him.

“Did you see Torben while you were at the castle?” She addressed him, but never took her eyes off me.

“Briefly,” Magnus answered. “He was engaged in battle. The castle guard was much stronger than we anticipated. I cannot guarantee that he will make it back.”

Hilda’s lips twitched slightly. “Don’t count your best warrior out just yet, Jarl. You know, as well as any, that he has a way of surviving impossible situations.”