The Triumphant Daughter

by Sarah Noffke

  “It doesn’t matter who you are. You’re not welcome here,” another giant said, coming to stand next to the first. The others were brushing themselves off or nocking arrows and aiming them at Liv.

  “According to the charter we set up long ago,” Liv stated calmly, “a Warrior from the House of Seven is allowed entry into this peasant village of yours to offer you an opportunity for a civilized accord.”

  “But what if no one knows that you entered our village?” the giant in front of her asked, threat in his tone.

  Liv stepped up as if she were at eye-level with the huge man, snarling as she’d seen Decar do many times. “Do not forget what I’ve done to many of your brothers.” With a flick of her chin, she sent out another blast, sending the giants behind him back down to the ground like dominos that had been kicked over.

  The giant spun, crouching as he checked on his brethren.

  Still calm, Liv said, “They aren’t dead, but the next time they will be, and you’ll join them.”

  The giant spun back around, his cheeks flushed with anger.

  Even though Liv didn’t presently have the strength to do that again, at least not for a few moments, she held up Decar’s staff intimidatingly.

  The giant seemed to consider Decar, maybe deciding whether to believe the threat.

  “Take me to your chief,” Liv ordered. “I don’t have all day to waste away in this place.”

  For a moment, Liv worried that she’d gone too far. Insulting the giants pained her, but she knew that was exactly how Decar would treat them. And Rory had been right—they would have roasted her from the beginning. However, Decar’s intimidation won out. The giant held up a huge hand, directing Decar to the large gate in front of the village.

  “Go on then, Warrior Sinclair,” the giant said. “I will lead you to Chief Dag.”

  Liv couldn’t believe it had worked. If allowed, she would have entered the village as herself, with respect and consideration for who the giants were. She would have offered to protect them, forging a path to a better life among the magical creatures. She would have explained the life that she and Rory had talked about, full of respect for others.

  However, this was still a world run by men with giant egos. And for now, it was better that they believed her to be one of them: Decar Sinclair.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The gate rolled back, pulled by thick ropes. As it opened, Liv found many giants staring at her from the other side. They created a long procession, none of them wearing welcoming faces.

  She strode behind the giant who had acted like the leader, her chin high and a snooty expression on her face. Twice she nearly tripped on Decar’s long robes, the exhaustion from her magical efforts making each movement difficult.

  Reaching into the pocket of her robes, Liv found the Reese’s Pieces that Sophia had snuck in there for her. She grabbed a handful and nonchalantly slipped them into her mouth.

  Chewing with Decar’s mouth was probably the worst part of being him. His teeth didn’t fit together right, and he had a loose crown in the back. Dude should really take better care of his teeth, she thought, nearly laughing at the image of Decar wearing clunky braces. She wondered if the giants would be as intimidated by him if he spoke with a lisp and wore headgear. Sadly, she suspected that they’d still take him more seriously looking like that than they would her.

  If they only knew that the magician who had flattened them twice was a young woman. Liv shook off her frustration and reminded herself of why she was there, risking her life for this mission. It was to ultimately protect the giants, who had reasons for reacting the way they did to magicians.

  The crowd parted as the giant in front of Liv charged forward. Although Liv was eager to study the thatch-roofed houses, creative buildings that blended into the hillsides, and the giants gawking at her, she kept her focus forward. Showing curiosity or appreciation for their village was not something Decar would do. He wouldn’t be the least bit curious about how the giants modestly lived.

  She caught sight of a few women. They were dressed similarly to the men, in thick animal pelts and leather pieces sewn together with rope. Like the men, they wore their light-colored hair in braids, making it somewhat difficult to tell the difference between the genders. The only thing that made it slightly easier was that the men were a bit taller than the women.

  When they had reached the middle of the village, they came to an arch covered in lush flowers. Liv hadn’t expected to enter a garden, or find it absolutely breathtaking if she had. Now more than ever, it was hard not to look around as they entered an area that was sectioned off from the rest of the village by stone walls.

  Rory’s garden was impressive, overflowing with many varieties of vegetables and foliage, but it paled in comparison to this one. The scents of sweet nectar and rich soil wafted through the air, reminding Liv of running through the garden at the House of Seven when she was a child, sprinting away or after Clark.

  The giant in front of Liv stopped abruptly, nearly causing her to run into him. That was mostly because she’d allowed her eyes to wander over the many interesting plants growing robustly from the earth. Most of them she’d never seen before. Everywhere were strange plants with intricate patterns on their leaves or large bulbs of various neon colors, looking ready to burst. Not only that, but birds with yellow beaks and blue underbellies flew around the flowers, making sounds like children chatting. Liv wouldn’t have believed that this place was real if she wasn’t seeing it with her own eyes. Well, Decar’s.

  Another giant stepped onto the cobbled path, and Liv found herself standing in front of the largest one she’d yet to meet. Chief Dag was dressed in a cape that reached the ground. It would have taken many animal skins to make; a single buffalo would not have that much hide. Unlike most in the village, this giant had reddish-brown hair and bushy eyebrows which were scrunched together as he regarded the magician before him.

  Behind the chief were more arbors that led to different paths. The garden seemed to go on and on, each trail leading to a different adventure that Liv longed to explore. She shook off her curiosity, arranging her face into an expression of pure disdain. It instantly made her feel bitter. No wonder her parents had told her never to scowl. Putting on the expression brought on the emotions associated with it.

  Behind the chief crouched a giant who was digging in the dirt. Unlike everyone else she’d encountered on the island, this giant was wearing a floral print shirt and a bonnet on her head. Liv couldn’t make out the giant’s face, but she guessed it was a woman based on the soft curls spilling around the collar of her shirt.

  Chief Dag opened his mouth to speak, but Liv cut him off at once with a tired sigh—the same one Adler often released in her presence. “It has come to the House of Seven’s attention that the one-hundred-year mark is upon us again,” she said, withdrawing the treaty the council had given her from her robes. “As we so thoughtfully promised, we’re giving the giants a chance to join the elves and gnomes in an alliance with the magicians.”

  Chief Dag narrowed his eyes. “From what I understand, the elves are presently questioning their alliance with you.”

  Liv hadn’t expected this. Was this what the council had been busy with when she and Stefan had delivered the report from demon hunting? She recovered quickly, “How would you know what the elves are doing?”

  The crouched figure stood and spun around. “I told him,” Bermuda Laurens said.

  Liv didn’t know why she hadn’t recognized Rory’s mother. The last time she’d seen Bermuda, she’d been wearing a similar getup and a large hat. Liv had thought that Bermuda was only wearing regular clothes because she was visiting Los Angeles. She hadn’t expected her to be dressed like a cheery grandmother among her own people.

  Hiding her surprise, Liv said, “And how would you know?”

  Sticking her meaty hands on her hips—and smearing dirt on her floral print shirt—Bermuda pursed her lips. “I know better than most, Decar Sinclair.
”

  “Our negotiations with the elves are none of your business, Bermuda,” Liv replied, putting an inflection on the giant’s name.

  Bermuda regarded Decar for a long moment, and something flickered behind her eyes. “Old age is treating you well, magician. Why your magic has increased since the last time you cursed us with your presence?”

  Liv tensed at the question. Bermuda could feel her magic? Would she figure out that Decar wasn’t here? Damn Rory’s mother for being so smart and observant.

  “Unlike you giants,” Liv said, thinking fast, “living in a proper place provides us with numerous benefits. But I wouldn’t expect you to understand that.”

  Bermuda laughed and wiped the back of her hand over her forehead. “I see that your old age has done nothing to increase your diplomacy or tact.”

  “Nor has it made you any more attractive,” Liv quipped.

  Bermuda pursed her lips, turning her attention to Chief Dag.

  “I think I’ve fixed your infestation problem with the snorbs,” she said. “The gideons should make a full recovery.”

  Chief Dag nodded. “Thank you, Bermuda.”

  She picked up her gardening tools before offering Liv one more look of disdain.

  When she’d stomped off, Liv shook the treaty at the chief. “Do you want to be included in the alliance or not? I don’t have all day.”

  Actually, Liv was more concerned about shifting back into her normal form. It had been over an hour since Sophia had done the spell on her, and it was unclear how long it would last. Liv had been told that stress was a factor, and she couldn’t deny that her level of tension was higher than usual. How could it not be, when she was surrounded by brooding giants who would like nothing better than to stomp out an evil magician?

  “Under the present circumstances, the giants have no interest in working with you magicians,” Chief Dag said, twirling his large finger in the air. “I suspect that in the future, you’ll have no alliances, especially if you keep strong-arming all the others.”

  Liv unrolled the parchment to find that the Chief had magically given up their option for the next one hundred years, so she was almost done. All she had to do was make her exit.

  “I don’t know what you mean,” Liv said. “We simply offer the others the protection you’ve declined.”

  “Were you protecting those elves in the north that you slaughtered for disagreeing with you, Decar Sinclair?” Chief Dag asked, his voice booming.

  Liv was knocked off-guard momentarily, not expecting this misdirection. “That’s not what happened.”

  The chief nodded. “What you mean to say is that there isn’t any proof, but the rumors are clear about what happened. How can you expect anyone to negotiate with you when you exert your power, striking down anyone who would disagree with you?”

  “That’s not what happened,” Liv repeated.

  Decar had killed a bunch of elves? No wonder the council needed an extra advantage working with the elves.

  “In one hundred years, don’t return to this island,” the Chief stated. “We will send our refusal to associate with magicians well in advance.” He lifted his hand, pointing at the exit. “Leave the village of the giants now.”

  Liv knew better than to say a word, even using Decar’s voice. A bully could only get away with so much for so long. She feared she might not make it out of the village before the giants decided to pool their strength, striking down the evil magician, who even she thought deserved to be punished. What would have caused him to murder elves? For disagreeing? That couldn’t be the whole story. She needed to find out more.

  When Liv turned around, the crowd at her back parted. She picked up her pace, pretending she was leaving of her own accord. Decar wouldn’t tuck tail and run. Instead, he’d hold his head unnecessarily high and sweep through the village like it was he who couldn’t stand to be there one moment longer.

  When Liv stepped to the other side of the large gate, they almost shut it on her heels. She hurried over the hills, knowing that the portal couldn’t be created until she was close to the water. The giants had certain wards around their village, and water was a powerful conduit for portals that increased their power, making them easier to use. That would be necessary for Liv since she currently lacked much of her strength.

  She popped another handful of Reese’s Pieces into her mouth, chewing rapidly before swallowing quickly.

  When she was over the last ridge and the ocean was only a few yards away, Plato appeared. Relief filled her stomach, making her smile. The expression probably appeared strange on the old man’s face, and Liv wondered if that was why Plato was giving her a strange look. A moment later he disappeared without saying a word.

  “I get that he’s an ugly mudder, but you can handle looking at him a little longer,” Liv said, noticing that her hands were now her own. She was starting to turn back. The timing couldn’t have been any better.

  With her legs changing back to normal, she nearly tumbled down the embankment leading to the beach. It was harder than before to negotiate the path to the cave.

  When Liv had finally made it into the shelter of the cave, she realized that the hair on her shoulders was shorter, healthier, and blonde. She was nearly back to normal. Drawing in a breath, she prepared to create a portal home.

  “I knew it was you,” a voice behind her said, making her freeze.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  If running had been an option, Liv would have done it, putting as much distance between her and the person at her back as possible. However, she was in a cave, with potentially a lot of dead ends ahead of her. Not only that, but she was pretty sure one of her legs was longer than the other since she was still changing back, making running on the rocky shore difficult and also dangerous. And she wasn’t sure she could make a portal with her heart beating as rapidly as it was.

  Therefore she reluctantly turned to face Bermuda Laurens. Liv wasn’t sure at first that she’d heard the voice correctly, with the ocean winds howling past her ears. However, when she turned, she confirmed what she’d expected.

  With her hands on her hips and an unsatisfied expression on her face, Bermuda regarded her with ultimate contempt.

  “What exactly are you doing here?” the giant asked. There was still dirt smeared on her chin.

  Liv couldn’t even imagine how ridiculous she looked right then, halfway between her form and Decar Sinclair’s. She smiled meekly, but it probably looked very wrong on her face. “So, funny story—”

  “I don’t want a story,” Bermuda said, cutting her off. “That’s what magicians tell others when they want to deceive them. Tell me the truth, Warrior Beaufont.”

  “The council was going to send Decar Sinclair to discuss the treaty with Chief Dag,” Liv began in a rush. “However, I knew that if he came to the Isle of Man, he’d sense Turbinger, creating even more problems for us, especially because you didn’t tell anyone that it’s been recovered. And in not doing so, conveniently forgot to mention to anyone that I recovered it. That made it pretty impossible for me to go on this goodwill mission, since the giants would have never allowed me entry. And worst of all, Decar would have come here and caused more problems, killing more innocent magical creatures. So Rory came up with the idea that I’d come disguised as Decar, who the giants will strangely deal with. The plan was to get the treaty declined formally by Chief Dag so the giants got to live in peace without interference from magicians for another hundred years. And now the mission is accomplished, and the giants are safe, along with Turbinger.”

  Bermuda regarded the Warrior for a long few moments, her eyes searching Liv’s. “Are you looking for a thank you?”

  “Mostly I’m just hoping that you’ll quit treating me like I’m an awful reject,” Liv dared to say.

  “If you’re doing all this to win my boy’s heart, it won’t work.”

  Liv couldn’t stop the laugh that burst from her mouth. “Did you think… Oh, my god, Rory and me? You’ve got to
be kidding.”

  “He’s the best catch the likes of you could hope for,” Bermuda stated.

  “He’s my friend,” Liv argued.

  “Magicians don’t have giants as friends,” Bermuda said. “They use them, and discard of them when they are done.”

  “Although I know you have had many experiences that would make you believe that, it’s not true for Rory and me,” Liv objected. “He’s helping me. Well, we’re helping each other. We want to find out what the House of Seven has been covering up and fix things.”

  “I’ve held Turbinger, and know that what you seek to fix is impossible,” Bermuda said. She took a step forward, making Liv take a step back.

  “How can uncovering forgotten history be impossible?” Liv asked. “All we need is evidence. This is just the beginning of the search. There are many places left to look.”

  Bermuda shook her head of soft brown curls. “Because it’s been buried too long. I tried at one point while I was writing my book, and it didn’t end well.”

  “What?” Liv asked in disbelief, noticing that the tide was rising. It would lock them in the cave if they weren’t careful, slowing drowning them. “You know about all this?”

  Bermuda nodded, scorn flashing in her eyes. “I knew that something wasn’t right. I started poking around, and my poor husband Gabe, Rory’s father, paid the price.”

  “How is that?” Liv asked.

  “The giants believe his transport stone malfunctioned,” Bermuda explained as the water rushed over her ankles. “That’s what Rory believes too, and I have no evidence to the contrary. However, I believe that the House of Seven was behind Gabe’s death. I’d been warned when I was doing my research to leave certain things alone. Hints had been dropped, but I didn’t listen. When Gabe died, I finally did. Somethings aren’t worth uncovering, not at the expense of losing those most valuable to you.”

  “But don’t you see?” Liv argued. “Whatever they are covering up, whatever they don’t want us to find, we have to do it, no matter what. Others will come after us and try, and meet the same intimidation.”