Sephia squeezes my fingers. “You are allowed to be confused. You’ve lived through a transformation, and I do not mean just what Sten Rask did to you. You have experienced something most people can never understand. Do not torture yourself over how you feel right now. You need to give yourself time.” She turns her head and stares at me, her green eyes mesmerizing me into silence. “Time. That is what you must demand of yourself, and others. Don’t make rash decisions, Varna Lund. Don’t make choices based on what everyone else wants for you—or anything except what your heart says. It will tell you the answer, if you will listen, although it may not speak clearly for a while. So wait. This is the best thing you can do now—allow yourself time to decide.”
I nod, swallowing a lump in my throat.
Sephia releases my hand and strokes the side of my face with her fingers. “I have faith in you. You will know what to do when the time is right. Just remember to trust your own heart. It is a mighty heart,” she adds, with a little smile. “Now, let’s join the others. We can be happy for them, and with them, and perhaps, find some happiness ourselves. What do you say?”
“I say you are very wise, and I’m glad you are my friend.”
“Now that,” Sephia says, as we walk back, arm in arm, “makes me very happy.”
WHEN WE REACH THE OUTSKIRTS of the village, I’m thrilled to see the enemy’s troops have abandoned their camp.
“They don’t have the stomach for a prolonged occupation,” Erik observes. “Not with their leader gone. It seems he was the driving force behind the invasion.”
Encouraged by a wicked sorceress. I shift in my saddle and offer Erik a smile, but don’t voice this thought aloud.
“I’m just glad they are gone. It’s time we were home. I can’t wait to tell Mother and the twins everything.” Gerda casts me a sly smile. “The twins will be so outdone to have missed all the excitement.” She kicks Bae into a lope.
We urge our horses faster to follow her. Luki slips into the woods.
“He won’t go into the village,” Thyra says. “He knows better. Don’t worry, he will be waiting when Kai and I leave town.”
By the time we ride into the town square, the noise of our arrival has drawn most of the villagers out of their shops and houses.
Expressions of amazement fill the air. The villagers cluster around us as we dismount.
“We thought you were dead,” Nels Leth says.
Anders takes Gerda’s hand. “Nearly, but not quite.”
Nels, who’d raced forward with his arms extended, as if to take Gerda into an embrace, drops his hands to his sides and stops in his tracks. He can see the love shining in Gerda’s eyes when she looks at Anders. Anyone can see it.
My mother pushes her way through the crowd. She hugs Gerda, then me, complaining the entire time about our irresponsible behavior. “Who is this then?” She steps back and glances from Anders to Erik and back again.
Gerda lifts her chin and looks Mother in the eye. “These are the soldiers you wanted to turn over to the authorities. These are the men who saved our lives, several times.”
Franka and Nanette jostle their way to Mother’s side. Erik meets their astonished stares with a grin.
“Anders Nygaard, Madame Lund.” Anders leans over his cane to give her a little bow.
Erik follows suit. “Erik Stahl.”
Mother huffs and slides her hand over her head, pushing the cap off her hair. “Well, I never.”
“Anders and I are getting married,” Gerda says.
The twins shriek in unison.
“If you will allow it.” Anders bows his head again.
“And even if you don’t,” Gerda says, while a blush creeps over Anders’s face.
Mother sighs. “Well, we should not talk about this in the street. Come along, all of you, and we’ll discuss this at our home. Yes, you too, Kai Thorsen. Your mother is there—she’s visiting us today. I’m sure she’ll be delighted to see you again.” Mother examines Thyra. “As well as whomever this is.”
Kai drapes his arm over Thyra’s shoulders. “My wife, Thyra Winther Thorsen.”
Mother’s blue eyes widen. She shakes her head. “Very well. I suppose we can sort all this out, one way or the other.”
She continues to mutter and shake her head as we make our way through the crowd and head for home.
The twins, as if stricken dumb, keep shooting glances at Anders and Erik.
Nels Leth is the only one who speaks again, and that is to offer Gerda and Anders sincere, if stammered, congratulations.
LATER, AFTER ENDURING a barrage of questions, too much tea, and demands to detail our adventures one more time, Erik and I slip out into the back yard.
“Are you sure you want to work for us?” I ask, as he takes my arm.
Erik laughs. “Yes, as long as I can avoid too many meetings with your mother.”
I lead him to a bench placed beneath a wisteria vine. “Look.” I tug on one of the leaf clusters. “It reminds me of Sephia’s cottage.”
“Only, no longer blooming.” Erik slides my arm through the crook of his elbow and rests his hand on my knee. “Finally, a moment alone.”
“Yes.” I study my fingers.
“We haven’t really had a moment to talk since ... ”
“Since you kissed me?” I glance up at him from under my lowered eyelashes.
“Yes, since then.” Erik tips his head and stares up into the tangle of wisteria vines.
“You must realize you’ve given Gerda ideas.”
“I think she already had them.” Erik looks back at me with a smile. “I mean, it does sound perfect, you must admit—me, managing the mill for your family, and being Anders’s best friend, and you, being Gerda’s sister. It would be a fairytale ending, wouldn’t it, if we were to marry?”
“Yes, but we can’t allow others to decide such things for us.”
“No, I agree.” Erik’s expression turns pensive. “I’m very happy for Anders and Gerda, of course. And I do want to marry, and you and I ... well, we have the makings of a great relationship. But I think it would be good if we didn’t rush into things.”
“I agree. Now Master Stahl, you needn’t look so surprised. I have goals to accomplish before I’ll even consider marriage. For one thing, I’d like to take over Dame Margaret’s cottage and establish myself as the local healer. Also, you need time to prove yourself at the mill.”
“Prove myself—yes, I suppose I do.” He gazes down at me, a smile tugging the corners of his mouth. “To you too, I think.”
“No, I didn’t mean ... ”
“It’s all right. The truth is, I would like to court you. Take my time, and do it properly.”
I tap his knee with my fingers. “Picnics by the river? Village dances? The annual parish festival?”
He grins. “Exactly. Perhaps those things aren’t as exciting as what we’ve already experienced together, but I think that’s best. It gives us time to see how we feel about each other in the midst of our ordinary lives.”
“I like that idea.” I lay my head on his shoulder.
“Although, I admit it’s a gamble for me. Over time, given my charming personality, you may decide you prefer someone else.”
Erik’s off-hand tone alleviates my anxiety, but I’m still glad he can’t see my face. “Just as you may decide you actually prefer a beauty,”
“Now, about that.” He straightens, forcing me to sit up and look directly at him. “There is one thing I want you to understand. Honestly, it’s important you know this, whether we end up married or not.” He clears his throat. “I need to tell you a story. Will you humor me?”
I nod.
His expression turns solemn. “All right, here it is. Listen very closely, Varna Lund.” He places his left hand over both of my hands. “When I was searching for you in that burnt-out village, I stumbled over people you’d helped and asked if they knew where you had gone. I attempted to describe you, but they stopped me and said they knew who
I was talking about. ‘The lovely lady,’ they said. ‘The girl with the eyes of a saint.’ Their faces lit up when they mentioned you, the same light I’ve seen in the eyes of people admiring a work of art—awed and adoring.
Then I found you, sitting with that poor dying woman. You held her hand and gave her comfort. Shared her pain. Once, near the end, she gazed up at you and I glimpsed a look in her eyes that took my breath away. It was as if she saw an angel, or the loveliest person she’d ever known. The most beautiful girl in the world.
And then I looked again.
And I saw it too.”
With my hands captured, I cannot brush away the tears rolling down my cheeks. He leans forward and gently uses his right thumb to wipe them away, one by one.
“Who knows what the future holds, Varna?” He releases my hands and pulls me into a close embrace. “I just want you to know, regardless of what we decide to do with our lives, and whether we marry or simply remain dear friends, I will always love you.”
“And I you.” I lift my head to look into his eyes. “That much we know. Time must decide the rest.”
Erik smiles and sits back. As he tilts his head to look upward, he drapes his arm around my shoulders and pulls me to his side. I lean into him and follow his gaze, until we’re both watching wisps of cloud sail like small boats on a clear blue sea.
Yes, time will tell. And whether I ultimately walk alone, or with someone by my side, I know my best future will be revealed if I’m brave enough to open my mind and heart to all possibilities. Sephia’s recent words resonate within me. Even if it requires years, I must not make my final decision until I find my own path—the one my heart knows, without a doubt, is right and true.
The one I choose.
Acknowledgements
I WISH TO THANK THE following people for their contributions to this book and their support of my writing career:
My agent, Frances Black of Literary Counsel – thanks for always answering my questions, providing guidance, and boosting my confidence throughout this process.
My critique partners, Lindsey Duga and Richard Pearson – thanks for your advice and support.
My cover design and formatting team at Deranged Doctor Design – thanks for the beautiful work on this series.
My author colleagues at Silver Wings Publishing – thanks for your support.
My family, especially my Mom and my late Father – thanks for your love and guidance throughout my life.
My husband, Kevin G. Weavil – thank you for being my best beta reader and fan. I truly appreciate your unwavering belief in my writing.
Finally, I must acknowledge the genius storyteller without whom SCEPTER OF FIRE could not exist. Thank you, Mr. Hans Christian Andersen.
AVAILABLE NOW
CROWN OF ICE
Book One in THE MIRROR OF IMMORTALITY Series
SNOW QUEEN THYRA WINTHER is immortal, but if she can't reassemble a shattered enchanted mirror by her eighteenth birthday she's doomed to spend eternity as a wraith.
Armed with magic granted by a ruthless wizard, Thyra schemes to survive with her mind and body intact. She kidnaps local boy Kai Thorsen, whose mathematical skills rival her own. Two logical minds, Thyra calculates, are better than one. With time melting away she needs all the help she can steal.
A cruel lie ensnares Kai in her plan, but three missing mirror shards and Kai's childhood friend, Gerda, present more formidable obstacles.
Thyra's willing to do anything — venture into uncharted lands, outwit sorcerers, or battle enchanted beasts — to reconstruct the mirror, yet her most dangerous adversary lies within. Touched by the warmth of a wolf pup's devotion and the fire of a young man's love, the thawing of Thyra's frozen heart could prove her ultimate undoing.
Available now!
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Meanwhile, mankind is turning from the old ways. Now the tree is dying and time is running out. Hoping to save it by rekindling the people’s faith, a desperate Raziela commits an act of sacrilege to perform a miracle.
But when the disillusioned Phalyrians receive a gift from the gods, they send their most ruthless mercenary to hunt down its source. His arrival forces Raziela to question everything she knows. As the two execute a careful dance of secrets and hard truths, they pit the fate of humanity against the wrath of the goddess.
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About the Author
VICTORIA GILBERT TURNED an early obsession with reading into a dual career as an author and librarian. An avid reader who appreciates good writing in all genres, Victoria has been known to read seven books in as many days. When not writing or reading, she likes to spend her time watching films, listening to music, gardening, or traveling. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and some very spoiled cats.
Through Snowy Wings Publishing, Victoria is the author of The Mirror of Immortality series (Crown of Ice, 2017; Scepter of Fire, 2017), a YA fantasy series adapting Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tales. Her short story, The Cat and the Conjurers, is part of the 2019 Snowy Wings anthology, A Touch of Magic.
Victoria also writes mysteries. Her Blue Ridge Library Mystery series—which includes A Murder for the Books (2017), Shelved Under Murder (2018), Past Due for Murder (2019), Bound for Murder (Jan. 2020), and a fifth book in 2021 – is published by Crooked Lane Books. She is also writing a new series for Crooked Lane, the first book of which, BOOKED FOR DEATH, will be published in June 2020.
Social Media Links:
Website/blog: http://victoriagilbertmysteries.com/
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaGilbertMysteryAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VGilbertauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriagilbertauthor
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