Victoria blinked.
“Thank you,” he heard her whisper in his mind.
He coughed in exhaustion. She was still in there, but blood now dripped from her like dew from a leaf. One more day. His princess would be free in just one more day. Mika shakily pushed himself to stand and shuffled over to the frozen guards. He willed them back into present time and rushed into exposition.
“...my father invited the entire town into our keep, so they would be safe and fed. He tended to the sick and elderly. Gave up his own food so they wouldn’t go hungry. He sacrificed. I learned that from him.”
The soldiers nodded at him, smiling at each other, though their eyes were disoriented.
“Your father is a good man,” one of them said. “And you do him honor.”
“I try,” Mika said with a genuinely shaky breath. “But I think you’re right. A little rest and I may be of more use.”
“After all you’ve done,” the soldier said, “you deserve it.”
46
Nordruaut
When Angst had first moved to Unsel, he was young and had little in the way of money. Very little. The shoddy room he’d rented was far from a palatial estate, and its location over a barn hadn’t improved matters. Now, this campsite for warmongering Nordruaut brought back memories of that stinky, run-down room.
In his twenties, Angst had thrived on optimism. He’d considered that downtrodden, poverty-struck, and rat-infested barn a challenge, a stepping stone on the path to better things. These Nordruaut weren’t twenty, and not a single pair of eyes greeted him with an ounce or pluck of hope. These eyes seemed to be waiting for inevitable death. His heart went out to them. They looked so depressed that he instantly wanted to help. Until he remembered...he was a prisoner.
Once the caravan stopped, a horde of tired Nordruaut surrounded them. It was like a gathering of curious onlookers gawking at two horses that had collided on the street. They stared, some pointed... Was he supposed to start juggling or something? Jarle pressed his way through the crowd and bared a cautious smile at Angst, until he saw the scowl.
“Thank you for coming, Angst,” he said, crossing his thick arms.
“It’s not like I had much of a choice,” Angst growled.
Wielding Chryslaenor, Angst dramatically leaped off the bokeen mount and was grateful there was enough soft snow to cushion his landing without making him cry out in pain. Maarja led Kala and Aerella to him, not roughly, but they were bound and gagged. Aerella nodded that she was okay, while tears streamed down Kala’s cheeks. Who could blame her? He was scared too. Scared for them, and so angry he shook.
“Where’s my dog!” Angst demanded, lightning crackling along the edge of his sword.
“I don’t know,” Maarja said, holding up her hands defensively. “We looked after attaching you to the bokeen. We were hoping Faeoris took him.”
“Perfect,” Angst said coolly. He whistled. Normally, his whistles sounded like someone spitting corn from their teeth. With Chryslaenor’s help, Nordruaut around him winced and covered their ears.
“Incoming!” Faeoris shouted from overhead.
Angst looked up to see Faeoris throw Scar toward the Nordruaut, giving him barely enough time to put up an air shield. The lab grew mid-air before crashing to the ground. Like dropping a boulder in water, everything within twenty yards, from snow to Nordruaut, was blasted away from the point of impact. He pointed at Jarle, hoping Faeoris would see. She didn’t disappoint.
She rushed past Angst in a trail of light, knocking over standing Nordruaut until she arrived at Jarle. He was already up but unprepared for flight as Faeoris lifted him into the air and brought him to Angst. The Berfemmian dropped him hard enough that he was forced to his knees.
“Kill him?” Faeoris asked.
Angst knew she wasn’t joking. “Maybe,” Angst said, his jaw clenched. “Jarle, by the Vivek, this had better be a good story.”
Jarle remained on his knees, his expression downcast. Faeoris removed the bindings from Aerella and Kala. To Angst’s surprise, Scar leaped into the air and shrank to puppy size before landing in the snow before the young girl. Giggles battled hysterical sobs as she dug him out of the snow and buried her face in the lab’s soft, wet fur.
“Get up,” Angst said, extending an arm and anchoring himself to the ground for leverage. Jarle took his arm and stood, apparently surprised that, despite his size, Angst could help him. “What’s this about? I’m in a hurry.”
“The Nordruaut have tended to Ehrde for two thousand years,” he said, his voice low but his words rushed. “We are hunters, gatherers, and farmers, having left war far behind us. King Rasaol has gathered the eastern tribes. They believe the nations of Ehrde will soon battle, and want to go on the offensive. It could be bad, Angst. The last time we did this...”
“The Mendahir died,” Angst said.
“Yes,” Jarle said with a frown, cocking his head to one side.
“He may be right,” Angst said. “Ehrde may face war, and soon.”
“But Nordruaut shouldn’t go to war for domination!” Jarle said vehemently, spit flying from his mouth. “If we have to fight, it should be to defend our people or end it mercifully! Nordruaut should not rule other nations. We hunt, and tend, nothing else.”
“And you need me because why?” Angst asked testily.
“We need a champion,” he said. “Their champion, Niihlu, wields a foci.”
“Wait, what?” Angst asked. When he’d first met Jarle and company as nomads on the hunt for Vex’kvette creatures, Niihlu had longed for Chryslaenor more than Angst wanted sex. And that’s a lot. Niihlu had challenged Angst for the sword based on some Nordruaut law, and Tarness had represented Angst in battle. Tarness took a beating, but still won the fight, leaving Niihlu a bruised lump. “He couldn’t even pick up my blade. How could he wield a foci?”
“I don’t know,” Jarle said. His hands were out, and his eyes held no answers.
“Rose,” Faeoris said. “At that mage city, underwater, that odd man tried to do something with Rose and your sword. Could it have been like that?”
Angst lowered his head in thought. That tall, bald man had tried to force a bonding between Chryslaenor and Rose. What if he’d forced another bonding, with another foci?
“That’s it?” Angst asked.
“Um,” Jarle said, a perplexed look on his face.
“You kidnapped us to fight Niihlu?”
“Well, yes,” Jarle said, clearing embarrassment from his throat. “He now has a foci, and an army.”
“I have two foci,” Angst said. “And a Berfemmian.”
“That’s right,” Faeoris said, crossing her arms and looking stern.
Jarle’s face brightened.
“I also have one of the most knowledgeable wielders in history.” Angst nodded at Aerella. “A dog that turns into a giant steel-covered beast, a child who can wield magic better than I can, and a Nordruaut who’s been an incredible ally and friend—though I do question some of her recent choices.”
“I...I...” Maarja’s eyes were sad, and she took a deep, brave breath. “I thought you would hate me.”
“What you did was wrong. You shouldn’t have tricked us, and I really don’t have time to fight your war. I’m busy fighting my own,” he said, struggling to keep anger from his voice. “But I would’ve done the same thing to save my people. We’re friends. I wish you’d told me, but really, I understand. I do stuff that pisses off my friends—”
“This is true,” Faeoris said with a nod.
“Indeed,” Aerella confirmed, raising an eyebrow.
“All the time,” Kala piped in.
“Hey,” Angst snapped at them before turning to Maarja. “But you forgive friends and move on. We are friends, right?”
Maarja looked uncomfortable, tugging at her platinum blond braid. After long moments, finally, reluctantly, she nodded. “Yes, Angst, we are friends.”
“Right,” Angst said, not quite feeling the
love. “You owe me a drink, and a hug, maybe two, and then we’re good.”
Maarja nodded with surprised eyes and a grateful smile.
“So, Jarle,” Angst said, facing the skaadi. “You want me to kick Niihlu in the shins while you guys sit back and watch.”
“I don’t like how you describe being our champion,” Jarle said darkly. “But yes.”
“Okay,” Angst said.
Jarle looked at Maarja in confusion, as if seeking translation. She smiled warily and nodded.
“You’ll do it?” Jarle asked.
“This is ridiculous!” Gose barked, shoving past Marja. “He’s so tiny, I could take him—”
“You can take my order for lunch,” Angst snapped.
Gose’s cheeks reddened, and he tried to move forward. “I can’t move.”
It took some effort to hold the Nordruaut’s bones in place—the man was large and powerful, and there was a thick layer of snow and ice between the Nordruaut and actual ground. Angst’s anger swelled as he shuffled through the snow. Standing before Gose, he was face to waist with the large man. He looked up, all the way up, until they made eye contact. His voice came out in a rumble.
“I came here to save my friends, to save my best friend—the future queen of Unsel—and I’m in a hurry!” The last word came out a sharp yell that made everyone nearby jump. “You tricked us, kidnapped us, threatened my friends, and in spite of all this, I agreed to be your champion. What else do you want from me?”
Cold air steamed from his nose, and his armor suddenly felt so close, he wanted to rip it off before tearing Gose apart. Angst hadn’t been aware of the power he’d summoned until sparks crackled from his glowing blue hands. He could barely see the Nordruaut through his blind rage, and considered making an example of this one. Tense moments passed, the only sound coming from his lightning and a gentle, cold breeze.
Aerella placed a hand delicately on his shoulder. “It’s been a long trip,” she said softly.
Angst was unsure if she said this for him, the Nordruaut, or everyone.
“He is not the enemy,” she whispered softly in his ear.
Angst took deep, labored breaths as he released the gathering power. Cold air snuck into his armor, chilling the sheen of sweat brought on by the flash of anger. He nodded once, and Aerella patted his shoulder.
“You hold much power,” Gose acknowledged hesitantly. “I would not wish to hunt you.”
Angst couldn’t help the half-smile that lifted his cheek. He almost chuckled, overwhelmed by a sort of giddiness from the sudden build-up and release of so much power. He muffled it as best he could; they needed to see him as strong, not crazy.
“You can be my warm-up, or my teammate.” Angst set him free and held out his hand.
Gose looked around, his cheeks ruddy as he squeezed his hands into fists and let go several times. With a deep breath, he tried clasping forearms with Angst but Gose’s hand enveloped his from elbow to fingertip. Angst choked down a whimper at the blow to his arm.
“I’ll do it, Jarle,” Angst said. “But it has to be soon. I have people who need me, yesterday. Let’s get this done.”
“This will make a fine story, Angst!” Jarle said proudly, slapping the back of his armor and making his spine pop.
“Hopefully it’s a story about how the little guy beats up the giant,” Angst said warily.
Every Nordruaut within earshot laughed in that guttural way, and Angst sighed through a forced grin. He really hadn’t meant it as a joke.
“Can...can we talk?” Aerella asked, her voice quavering.
“Now?” Angst whispered from the corner of his mouth.
“Now,” she replied firmly.
“I, uh, I need a place to meditate,” Angst said to Jarle.
Jarle, who hadn’t appeared surprised or offended by Angst’s outburst, now looked at him like he’d just requested a last dinner of fish and custard. That thought made him realize how famished he was.
“It’s a wielder thing,” he lied through his teeth. “Aerella needs to help me prepare to be champion.”
“Of course,” Jarle said. “Nordruaut don’t usually mate before battle, but I respect that. You can use my tent.”
“What?” Faeoris snapped, her eyes bearing down on Angst.
Aerella shot her a wide-eyed glance that the Berfemmian may or may not have understood. Her shoulders settled, but she still seemed wary.
“Now what do I tell Heather?” Kala muttered to Scar.
“Thank you, skaadi,” Aerella said with a bow of her head.
She didn’t give Angst even a moment to defend her honor, looping an arm in his and dragging him to follow Jarle. They walked down the path where the snow eventually gave way to ground. Angst felt more than a little awkward about their supposed reason for sneaking away, but couldn’t think of an explanation that didn’t sound stupid.
The tent was large, and separated enough from the others that nobody would hear them talk, as long as she didn't start yelling at him. This mere tent was approximately the size of his house, except taller, much taller. The round exterior was protected by taut leather made from enormous animals. Jarle pulled back a doorway of heavy skins and nodded for them to enter like a good host. In the middle of the tent was a small fire, smoke billowing up through a hole in the center. It was otherwise sparsely appointed, with a small pile of weapons on one side, and a bed of furs on the other.
“I will send a messenger to the east that you will battle in two hours,” Jarle said. “If that’s enough time.”
“It will be,” Aerella said, pulling Angst into a hug. “Thank you.”
Jarle winked at Angst as he let the leather curtain fall. The room became dark, and Aerella remained in his arms for several breaths.
“Kala is right. I really don’t think Heather would approve of this,” he said, jerking his head toward the furs.
“Good,” she said, pushing him away. “Because neither would I.”
“Well,” he said. “If not the sex, what then?”
She rolled her eyes before they became stern. “What was that?”
“What was what?” he asked.
“I could sense the power you summoned,” Aerella said, plopping on the furs near the fire. “That was enough to kill a dozen Nordruaut, not just Gose.”
“Can’t we go back to talking about sex?” he asked, wishing to avoid this conversation.
She patted the fur, encouraging him to sit. He wanted to take it as a cue to leave, but grudgingly removed Chryslaenor from his back and sat close enough to look at her without being too close. Sitting, and letting his guard down, allowed weariness to seep through. A nap sounded like a much better idea than a talk, and Heather would only be mildly irritated by them napping together. He needed his energy to save Ehrde, not to argue. She waited, and waited. He finally let loose a sigh.
“I’m frustrated, and Gose set me off,” Angst explained. “The incredibly slow ride here, the constant worry that you were all in danger, that my friends are in that mage city, Heather being upset, and Tori... I got angry. I think I’m allowed to be frustrated after all of that.”
“Yes, I agree,” Aerella said, sounding more like a mom than the twenty-something she appeared to be. “But that’s not why you were upset. Your anger came from losing Jintorich. You’ve been so certain this entire time that you can do anything, now that you’re bonded with two swords. It must’ve been crushing to feel like you failed.”
Her words were like a slap, with a giant icicle, and Angst reeled. He lay back and took several deep breaths, clenching his hands.
“And now this new challenge, that has nothing to do with the real reason we’re here?” she asked.
“You’re not helping,” Angst said between huffs.
“I’m trying to make you understand that you’re still human. In spite of all the power you wield, you still have limitations,” she said softly. “Angst, even the elements have limitations.”
“So, you’re saying it
was my fault. That my recklessness let Jintorich die?” he asked. The room was becoming blurry, and his eyes felt wet.
“No. I’m saying it wasn’t your fault. I’m saying that Marissa dying wasn’t your fault, either. I’m also saying that Kala sneaking with was not your fault,” she said.
“And sleeping naked with Faeoris?” he asked.
“That was your fault,” she said with a sigh. “But really, that’s a great example. You’re human. You don’t always make good choices. Actually, you rarely make good choices.”
“Not helping again,” he said. “But I think I get it. You’re saying that I believe I’m responsible for everyone else because I wield all this power, so I feel at fault when something goes wrong.”
“You’re smarter than you look,” she teased.
“Thanks,” he said, dryly. “So...it’s not all my fault because I’m not all powerful so I shouldn’t let it make me angry.”
“But that wasn’t anger you were experiencing when Gose threatened you, my friend,” she said. “That was a blind rage.”
She was right. Angst knew deep down that he’d almost lost control. He’d wielded an incredible amount of power, without even trying. But these Nordruaut didn’t deserve to die. In spite of making Angst and his friends prisoners, they were as desperate to survive as he was to save...well, everyone. Angst felt fine, now, but that surge of anger, of rage, had pushed him to the edge of something he didn’t want to revisit.
“Yes,” he said, no longer justifying his actions.
“At this age, I don’t know everything. When I’m older, I don’t feel that I should tell you everything,” Aerella began. “I’ve been traveling through years like a flat stone skipping across the ocean. I’ve spent more time with you than anyone. You’re a good person, Angst, and a great hero. No matter how much you beat yourself up, you always try to do the right thing. A lot of people don’t, and it speaks well of you.”
“Thanks,” Angst said, his cheeks warming.
“The rage isn’t you,” she said. “I believe it’s something else.”
Angst Box Set 2 Page 34
