by Marie Medina
“He’s doing that for his people. He said he’s been thinking such things since before we met.”
“But was he acting on those thoughts then? Did he have any reason to care about those things?” Gregor said. “There’s a big difference between wanting to change something about your world and actually doing it.”
“I guess he wasn’t doing anything about it. He was just living his life, the way we all do, even when we see problems around us.”
“Speaking of problems,” Vadik said under his breath.
Owen tensed as he looked in the same direction as Vadik. A woman with blonde hair came toward them, pausing as two guards approached her. She bowed at the waist. “I come to pay my respects, if I may.”
Asmund rose and moved around Owen to the other side of Vadik, bowing to her in return. “You may, Tasia.” He gestured to his mate. “You already know Vadik, of course. This is Gregor, the Alpha of the wolf pack. And Owen, Ryden’s mate.”
She nodded in their direction before refocusing on the king. “Congratulations on your marriage. It seems the reception was equally eventful.”
“Yes, it looks that way. And thank you.”
She looked to Vadik. “If Ryden wins, I hope we can move forward without resentment.”
Owen leaned forward to see around the king and Vadik. “You believe he stands a good chance?”
Tasia glanced around before meeting his gaze. “I do. He’s quicker than Harald. Has good instincts.”
“He seems to be well thought of,” Asmund said.
Tasia said, “He comes from powerful lines and is very skilled. At everything he puts his hand to.”
“Is that why you wanted to marry him?” Owen asked.
The other three men all went still as they turned wide eyes toward first Owen then Tasia. She straightened and said, “Yes. He’s honorable and powerful.” She glanced at each of them in turn. “Marriage is about alliances. Sentiment does not come into it. When my proposal to the king was rejected, my father and I moved on to the next plan.” She focused on Asmund as she said, “Women in the clan are still second-class citizens, as the humans would say, even though the elders will send us to die or do their bidding quite willingly. I’m one of the few women here who isn’t afraid to speak out about it.”
“Perhaps you’ll find speaking to Ryden about it more fruitful,” Asmund said.
She seemed to actually give that some thought. After a few moments, she said, “Perhaps. His mother was formidable. He’s certainly more likely to give a woman due respect than some.”
“You want him to win?” Owen asked, desperate to hear at least one Fen say the words.
She hesitated, and didn’t really answer his question when she said, “I found his defiance shocking at first, but it’s admirable he won’t back down.”
“Finding a mate has that effect,” Vadik said.
Tasia locked eyes with him again. “The gods certainly seem to have an agenda lately.”
“Then maybe you’ll wed outside the clan after all,” Asmund said. “Your true mate could be out there, and that person won’t see you as merely part of an alliance.”
Tasia frowned, even as something in her eyes softened. “I’ll marry when and if I choose.”
Owen studied her as he remembered Ryden saying almost the same thing to Rafe.
“Finally glad we turned you down then? Pleased to hear it,” Vadik said.
“Still can’t be serious, I see,” Tasia said, shaking her head slightly. She bowed again to the king. “Be watchful, Your Majesty. Some men value their own ends above their honor.”
“Is there any point in asking for a name?” Asmund asked.
Tasia glanced to Owen. “I’m sure he knows.” She turned away without another word and walked off with purpose, her hand on the hilt of her sword and her gaze whipping around at the others who watched her. She wound up across from them, standing alone on the edge of the arena.
Asmund sat back down. “And do you know?”
“Rafe, an elder on the council. He’s the one who attacked me. I can’t think of anyone else.”
“Well, he’s a given. Not much help there,” Vadik said.
“But the fact she said anything is telling. He might be planning something for after the challenge,” Asmund said.
“I wouldn’t doubt it,” Owen said.
“Whatever comes, we’ll be ready,” Gregor said.
Owen nodded, even as the feeling of helplessness continued to grow.
****
Ryden stood in the middle of the room as the elders filed in. Four others followed them, and Ryden frowned. All four of them were close to Rafe or Fendal in some way. Harald came in last and took his seat first. He gestured for the others to all sit.
“You’re ready to begin?” Harald asked.
“Yes,” Ryden said.
Harald looked to the elders and the witnesses first. “The challenges have been explained. Are there any objections?”
They all shook their heads, and Ryden looked to Harald.
“Proceed,” Harald said, sitting back and gesturing to his left.
Doors opened, and two guards came in with a human boy. Before they even reached Ryden, the boy stumbled forward and collapsed. Ryden moved forward as he cursed under his breath. If this was what he thought it was, he’d never again brag about being good with potions.
“Seems to be something wrong with him,” Harald said. “Best get to work.” He gestured to a corner, and Ryden now noticed that the supplies from his home had all been brought here.
But I don’t have my books! Damn you, Harald!
There was nothing to be done, though. He knew any requests he made would be denied. He knelt by the boy and turned him to his back. Pale with shallow breathing, lips swollen. His eyes weren’t bloodshot, and the pupils weren’t dilated. But the moisture in his eyes appeared milky. Ryden felt his pulse, which was hard to find. The boy’s neck and chest felt hot, but his limbs were cold and limp. His mind raced as he picked the boy up and took him closer to the table.
An odd shudder moved through the boy, making Ryden worry a seizure was about to begin, and he looked down. Red blotches appeared on the boy’s skin. He set the boy down as quickly as he could and scanned the table. He could begin with a purgative while he tried to sort the symptoms in his head. He had a couple of options, and he knew every second counted. He grabbed a tincture of mandrake, senna, and elder flower. The symptoms pointed to multiple poisons, so a mixed solution seemed best. The boy’s reaction might give him more clues.
He poured a little down the boy’s throat, waiting briefly to make sure it went down and didn’t choke him. Nothing happened, and he hurried back to the table. If he tried something else to purge the boy’s system, he might cause hemorrhaging. The child only seemed to be about five or six. His mind simply couldn’t fix on what might be poisoning him—snakeroot, oleander, and hemlock seemed the most likely, but he couldn’t completely rule others out. The fact the boy’s pupils weren’t dilated confounded him and caused him to doubt his instincts. He began mixing a stasis potion to give himself more time. He had no way of knowing when the boy had been poisoned, and he felt sure no one would tell him.
The potion took nearly two minutes to make, and he returned to the boy’s side as fast as he could. When he tried to prop the boy up against his leg, he felt something hard in his abdomen. He ripped the boy’s shirt open and saw something glowing. His temper flared as he let the boy drop back. He looked up to see Rafe glaring at him, and he locked eyes with the man for a moment. He ran back to the table and grabbed a knife. He slit the child’s stomach open and drew out a large blood-red jewel. As he stood, the boy’s body crumbled to dust.
“I suppose I should be happy you didn’t really harm anyone, but I don’t like being tricked,” Ryden said.
“If you aren’t prepared for deception, you will always fail.” Harald sat forward in his chair. “You took a bit too long to figure it out, but you did discover the deception
in time. You pass.”
“Do we want someone who does the wrong thing first and then has to backtrack?” Fendal said.
“Two more challenges await him,” Harald said. “No need to worry.”
Ryden tossed the knife to the table and wiped his hands on his pants. They felt clammy and shook a little as he tried to compose himself. It’s over. The boy was an illusion. No one has been hurt. Surely the next task will be different in nature.
Ryden realized everything had gone very quiet and still. He turned around and saw that everyone in the room appeared frozen. After a moment, Mikel stood up. He walked over to Ryden and said, “We have little time. The next task will involve Owen, though I’m not sure how. I’ve been talking with the fae king, and we have a solution. As long as you’re in this body, they’ll be able to find you. But the king can help us on that point. You’ll be able to hide in plain sight the rest of your lives, as long as you’re very careful.”
Ryden blinked. “And why didn’t the king mention this before?”
“Because this is the time to act. We couldn’t risk you and Owen knowing about it. The switch must be made at this moment. This way, the person in your body will fail. The victory will belong to Harald, and you will be free because all will be satisfied.”
The idea astonished him. He could barely believe Asmund was truly so powerful and wondered if it could really work. “They’d never know we’d escaped, you mean. Never come looking.”
“Exactly.”
Ryden thought of Owen. How would his mate feel inside another body? What if they couldn’t shift? Would Owen still be attracted to him? But then he frowned. Owen wouldn’t even consider this idea. “No. We can’t do it.”
“We don’t have time for this debate. The king is waiting to open a portal and perform the switch.”
“But when the second challenge isn’t passed, the next step is execution.”
“This is hardly the time to be sentimental about your body.”
Ryden stared at Mikel. “It’s not about my body. It’s about someone dying in my place. And you heard what Harald threatened. Whoever is in Owen’s body will probably be raped and then killed. No. I could live with the regret, I think, but Owen never could. I won’t run away, especially not if it costs anyone’s life.”
Mikel stared at him a long time. “As soon as I undo my spell, they’ll go get Owen. This is your only chance.”
“No, Mikel, it isn’t. I can save him by succeeding at whatever this task is. I’m sure it will be hard because it’s Owen, but it will also be easier because it’s him. I do want to change things for the better, but I’m doing it for him above all else. The gods gave him to me, and I scoffed at him. So now I have to fight for him, and that’s what I’m going to do.” He paused. “He told me he loves me, and I couldn’t say it back. I don’t even fucking know why I couldn’t. That’s the ridiculous part. He needed to hear it, and I failed him yet again. I have to win. Have to get the chance to say it to him and—”
“I can’t listen to any more of this drivel!” Rafe said, bolting up.
Ryden spun to face the others and found them all watching him. He turned to Mikel, stunned at how he’d been fooled. “A second trick? Is this what we’re reduced to? Expecting deception every moment is another way to fail, I’d say.”
Harald gave him a withering look. “Be glad you passed. You only just barely managed it.”
He looked from Harald to Mikel and then to the others. “What was the test?”
“To see if you would run away,” Mikel said. “You passed as soon as you said it out loud. Nothing else you said mattered. It wasn’t a test of morals or motivations—it was one of honor.”
The witnesses all rose and bowed to Harald before leaving the room. The guards went out as well.
“What now?” Ryden asked.
Fendal stood and said, “We go take our seats to watch Harald take your head off.”
Harald rose. “Half an hour. The guards have gone to make the announcement now.” He strode over to Ryden. “I’d make peace with the gods if I were you. I’m sure they’re already angry because you’ve been claiming they want this.”
“I am at peace with them. I’m going to save my people and drag them out of this icy tomb.”
Harald turned on his heels and made for the door, throwing it open so hard it slammed against the wall. The others followed him, only Mikel remaining.
“He’s angry,” Mikel said. “He was sure you’d fail the second challenge.”
“I was tempted.” He gazed back at Mikel. “Because it was you, I actually believed it. You were very convincing. My feelings for Owen did cloud my judgment. I should have seen through it.”
“But this time, you would have failed if you’d seen through it. Be glad your first thoughts were of Owen.”
“I am. And once Harald is gone, I want everyone to gather in the great hall so I can make our vows properly.”
“So soon? Perhaps you should wait so we can see how much dissent we have to deal with. Gideon and Doron are definitely for you, but Grim seems to be debating with himself. And you know how Rafe and Fendal feel. We can’t know how many will fall in behind them.”
A growl rumbled up from his chest. “No more waiting. My rule is going to be very different, and I want it to be clear from the start.”
Mikel nodded, and Ryden hurried from the room. Guards waited to escort him, and he actually strode ahead of them. The sooner this was over, the sooner he could hold his mate again.
****
Owen came forward in his seat as soon as Ryden emerged through an arch and strode toward the middle of the arena. Four men were pouring sand around the edges of the fighting area, and the man standing in the middle waiting for Ryden read from a large book.
“The sand isn’t special, but it has silver mixed into it,” Asmund said. “It will act as a barrier for the binding spell. Those outside the circle need to be able to easily break the enchantment if anything goes wrong.”
“What could go wrong if they can’t use magic?” Owen asked.
“There are many ways either one of them could cheat.”
Owen watched as the man closed the book and turned to Ryden, who held up his sword, seemingly for inspection. “They only get one weapon?”
“Yes,” Asmund said. “The weapons are provided by a third party, and the decision is made the morning of the challenge. Now it’s being inspected for any signs of tampering from either side. I think decision is made by rolling dice, if you can believe it. My grandfather attended a challenge once. Based on what he told me, a lot has changed since those days.”
“Crowd was rowdier?” Gregor asked.
“Very much so,” Asmund said. “The world is changing, and I think many realize they’re getting left behind.”
A bell rang in the distance, and everyone turned their attention to Ryden and the other man. They both stared in one direction, and after a few moments, they began to whisper together.
“Is something wrong?” Owen asked.
“I’m not sure, but that bell should have marked the beginning of the challenge,” Asmund said. “Harald should have already been out there.”
Owen looked to Ryden, suddenly hopeful. Could the clan leader have had a change of heart? Ryden had said he respected Harald, so perhaps the other man had reconsidered this challenge and what it meant for his people.
Gasps rose up as something came flying from the arch Ryden had emerged from. Owen shot to his feet, as did many others. A man Owen didn’t know came striding out, a sword held in his hand.
“Fendal, what have you done?” the man beside Ryden said.
The man’s voice carried somehow despite the distance. Owen inched forward until his legs hit the bench in front of him. He wished he was closer so he could see Ryden’s face better. Fendal? What are they planning? He glanced around, worried Rafe would join them any moment.
“I’ve rid us of a weak old man whose glory days were long over,” Fendal said. He h
anded his sword to the man beside Ryden. “Inspect it. I challenged Harald directly because he was unfit for the final challenge. If you need precedent, go back five hundred and sixty-three years. Seamus did the same just before Uther entered this very arena to fight Klaus. And the council allowed it.” He pointed his finger at Ryden. “I won’t let you destroy all that we’ve accomplished.”
Murmurs went up everywhere as the sword was inspected. Several other men came to the center of the arena as the weapon was given back to Fendal.
“Who are they?” Owen asked, feeling sick as he watched Fendal flex his fingers on the hilt of the sword.
“They’re the other elders. The silver chains mark them as such,” Asmund said, finally rising.
Owen looked to Rafe, who was actually smiling. “Fendal is Tasia’s father. He has a grudge against Ryden as well. He got really angry when Ryden wouldn’t marry her. He and Rafe must’ve planned this together. What if Fendal’s the one she meant? She may have overheard or seen something but didn’t want to betray her father.”
“Maybe, but it would have to be proven,” Asmund said.
“What kind of world is it where you can cut off your leader’s head just because you don’t think he’s up to a task?” Owen said, knowing he sounded panicked but not caring.
“A world that has to move forward or die,” Asmund said. He put his hand on Owen’s shoulder. “If I open a portal, I need your word you’ll go through it.”
“Please don’t,” Owen said.
“I’ll only do it if necessary, but if it comes to that, there won’t be time to argue.” He turned Owen to look into his eyes. “I might have to do something to save Ryden. Do you really want precious seconds lost at such a moment?”
Owen swallowed and looked to his mate. “No. You have my word. I’ll go,” he said. He bit his lower lip. And if I do, you better fucking save him! He closed his eyes a moment, wanting to pray to any gods that would listen. But he felt nothing. He opened his eyes and saw Ryden looking toward him. He’s all I have. He took a deep breath and let it out shakily. And all I need.
