by Jackson Lear
I nudged Agnarr. “What does that mean?”
Bong.
Everyone froze, waiting for whatever was supposed to come after.
Do do doooooo.
Bong.
Agnarr grunted, annoyed with himself for what he was about to say. “There’s a new king. Or queen. You need to let me go.”
“Convince me.”
“You don’t get it, do you? The first thing a new king does is display an overwhelming show of force by eliminating his enemies. There will be hostages, there will be slaves, and everything that every noble up here has built will be forfeit to keep their lives. Then, he’ll go to war against whoever either gives him the least or deserves it the most.”
“So that’s you?”
“And you. My family is still at risk.”
“You sent your son to his death so I’m thinking that you care more about your own safety than theirs.”
“You were going to help me be king.”
“There’s still time.”
Do do doooooo.
Bong.
Jarmella looked to me. “His people are going to be shitting themselves right about now.”
Yep. Forty uneasy northerners who were more desperate than ever to turn around before it was too late. And just one of me to calm them down.
The single beat of the drum continued to thump through the forest. There was a new monarch on the throne and no one outside of Brilskeep knew who it was. Maybe it was Desdola. Maybe it was a vampire. Maybe it was nothing but a desperate ploy from the castle to get all of the nobles to agree to pick a new king already.
I stopped a hundred yards from the northerners, still trying to figure out just what the hell I was going to say to them. I stopped again at fifty yards. Was spotted by Ithka. Decided that I might as well blunder through this and see if anything at all was going to fall into place.
Half of the northerners stood upon my arrival. Concerned. After all, half of the vanguard had hurried into the trees to catch a vampire and I was the only one to return. Odalis and the rest of our people remained nearby. All nervous. There was no way Dalo or Benar would be able to hobble to safety, not if Agnarr’s people all turned on us.
Torunn approached. “Saskia?”
“We got her.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“You should kill her.”
“When we get back to Galinnia we will.” I looked to Odalis and Wilbur. “How is everyone?”
“Good sir. Where’s everyone else?”
“They’re on their way. Torunn, the deal we have … it’s still good, isn’t it?”
He squinted at me. “What do you mean?”
“We help you get your prisoners back, you help us get to Orkust.”
“Yes. That is our deal.” He searched the forest behind me. “Where are rest of your people?”
“They’re coming. I just wanted to thank you now and everyone here for helping us get this far. No matter what happens we will tell General Kasera of your sacrifices. There will be no revenge on you, on Agnarr, or on anyone in Faersrock.”
His squint didn’t fade. “What happened?”
Two more northerners approached. Their names unknown to me. One with an ax, one with a sword. Not all that threatening but still worthy of concern.
I could handle three. Three was a good number if I could get the drop on them. Then I would have to run for my life and kidnap a bunch of sailors in Ice Bridge and force them to sail a stolen ship back to Galinnia.
I said: “It was a heist, wasn’t it?”
Torunn shook his head. “I do not know this word.”
“In Brilskeep. Elizandria and Agnarr were working together to rob Draegor, weren’t they?”
He shook his head again. Less convincing this time. “No.”
Yahnson and Stassa came closer. Now too many to strike at and still have a chance of getting away. But if I did exactly that then nine members of the vanguard would be executed because of me, no question.
“It was, wasn’t it?” I said. “Look, I don’t mind. In fact, I think it was done very well and I am genuinely impressed. It’s how I got my silver coins.” I held one out to him. He took it, looked it over, handed it back.
“I do not know what you mean.”
By now I had the undivided attention of everyone in the group as they all wondered why I was talking to Torunn as quietly as I was. Something had gone wrong. They just didn’t know what.
“We found him. Agnarr. He’s one mile away.”
Torunn held a steady look, unsure of what I was getting at but in no mood to give himself away.
“He betrayed us, didn’t he?”
Torunn slowly glanced to the rest of his people, confirming their location. Odalis gave a quick signal to the rest of the vanguard. Get ready to move. Unfortunately it was seen by half of the northerners.
“Stassa, can you help?”
She stayed pinned to the ground. “What’s going on?”
Torunn slipped into his native tongue. Something about Agnarr. All eyes turned towards me.
“We have Agnarr,” I said, louder this time.
“Oh shit,” muttered Wilbur.
The rest of the northerners stood. Ready.
“He told us the truth, that he and Elizandria arranged for Torunn’s crew to be ambushed by Draegor. Agnarr wanted us brought to Brilskeep. Then Elizandria helped us to escape as a distraction while her people broke into Draegor’s vault and robbed him. That’s why no one wanted us to take the mountain pass, isn’t it? Because there was a chance we would find him along the way.”
Twenty two northerners to my left. Eight to my right. The rest dead ahead. Odalis and the injured on my right but few of them would be unable to make a complete run for it.
“Desdola knows what happened in Brilskeep. She’s been directing Saskia towards Agnarr for days, hoping for us to meet. Whoever is the new king or queen knows that the people of Faersrock just robbed them. You’re going to need our help to survive this.”
“Lies,” said Torunn.
“Desdola knows. And there is a new person on the throne, right? Does anyone here know who it is?”
“Maybe you should ask your vampire.”
“We will. Our deal is still good. We help you, you help us. Agnarr is coming as well.”
“No.”
“I wasn’t asking.”
At last I understood the fear of the farmers and fishermen from a raider attack. The look in Torunn’s eyes had shifted towards a reckless frenzy of pure anger.
“The deal we have includes handling Desdola. We want her and the vampires gone. So do you.”
“We want Agnarr.”
“He’s one mile away.”
Torunn seethed, looking for his opening.
“Do you want Agnarr back? Then this is how it happens. Do you want your prisoners back from Draegor’s cavalry? Then this is how it happens. We have the same goal. You help us, we help you.”
Stassa stepped forward. “If the witch knows Agnarr robbed her then she will send more people to attack Faersrock.”
“Then we have to hurry. Even if the nobles don’t trust her they will want to go after the money that Elizandria and Agnarr took. When we get to Ice Bridge we’ll attack the cavalry and free your people. That will hurt them greatly. If there is anyone here who wants to go back to Faersrock at that point they are free to do so. Anyone who wants to stay with Agnarr can help us sink the rest of Draegor’s fleet and sail out of here as fast as we can.” I looked over the agitated faces, waiting to see who would strike first. “Like it or not we have Agnarr. We know he betrayed us. We know he’s responsible for ten of my people dying. He’s coming with us to Orkust. If Torunn comes with us we will release Agnarr into Torunn’s care. We’re not going to kill him. We’re not going to ransom him. He’s just going to sit down with Miss Kasera Lavarta and have a conversation; one that will save everyone in Faersrock. Miss Kasera Lavarta is a good person. She has a good heart. She wo
n’t fuck you over like Agnarr did to us.” I stepped back towards relative safety. “It’s up to you.”
Torunn dipped his head to one side, considering his options. For once their lack of united leadership seemed to work in our favor. The quiet voices of dissention flittered through the group while others focused on their prisoners held by the cavalry, on asking if Agnarr really did stage a heist and what the hell he was thinking by doing all of that right under Desdola’s nose. I could only assume they didn’t realize how powerful she had become and how far her sight stretched. Or maybe they hoped that she would be dead by now since most of the nobles in Brilskeep would’ve been quite happy to run her through.
Dalo and Benar were on their feet, ready to hobble to safety. Weapons at the ready. Arguments flew among the northerners while Odalis kept Wilbur locked onto me, ready for any signal I sent their way.
The shouting turned into violent roars of betrayal, of personal priorities that far outweighed anyone else’s. Some tempers settled, others boiled over into toxic silence. There were no doubt forty of them considering if they could take me on and get away with it. The easy answer was yes. Could they take me and nine members of the vanguard at the same time? Also yes. Could they do all of that and get Agnarr back alive?
“Torunn? Time’s up. What will it be?”
Silence settled amongst the northerners. Glares from one to another. At last Torunn, Yahnson, and Stassa turned. Approached. “Agnarr is alive?” asked Torunn.
“Yes.”
“Injured?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Saskia bit him.”
Eyes widened. The vanguard started to pray.
“He wasn’t going to come without a fight, despite us not wanting one. Elizandria gave him up and took her mercenaries away. The rest of Torunn’s crew gave him up as well. Agnarr was too dangerous to approach and he threatened to kill us. He was like a trapped animal. So, I unleashed Saskia onto him.”
“Your vampire is still alive?”
“Yes.”
“Now she knows taste of human blood.”
“Yes.”
“She will be unstoppable.”
Yahsnon studied me carefully. “We want to see Agnarr,” translated Stassa.
“Okay. You three first.”
“All of us.”
“All of you will, but you three first.”
They shared a look between them while half of the northerners in the rear were ready to burn me alive.
“Okay,” said Torunn. “We come with you.”
The look on Odalis’ face was nothing less than sheer dread as we left him behind.
Chapter Fifty-One
“Cut me loose!” barked Agnarr.
Torunn, Stassa, and Yahnson watched me carefully, waiting for me to make a mistake. There was a good chance it was going to be now.
I gave the signal to Kilmur. “Release him.”
I honestly believe that Agnarr didn’t expect me to do that. He stared in bewilderment as the young infantryman untied the rope around his wrists and stepped away to safety.
The northerners shifted awkwardly, unsure of what was going on. The remaining eleven members of the vanguard stood strong. Plan known. Indecision gone.
“As I said before, we’re not going to kill him. We’re not going to ransom him, either. He is our ally. He assured us of safe passage to and from Faersrock, he gave us a chance to leave on our own accord, and he is giving us a chance now.”
Agnarr sneered at me. “I have seven captains who will hunt you down.”
“I wasn’t talking to you. Torunn is going to make sure that Agnarr returns safe and sound.”
“I am?”
Agnarr’s venomous sneer grew. “How dare you …”
“I dare away. If there is any trickery here, anyone who turns against us or tries to stop us from getting to Orkust, Agnarr will be restrained again and he won’t be freed until one of the Kaseras tells me to release him. That could be days from now. It could be months, depending on how valid Desdola’s taunts against us have been. So let’s all behave, all right?”
Yahnson knelt next to Agnarr. Spoke in his native tongue. Menrihk translated. “What should we do?”
I guess Agnarr didn’t realize that the general had sent more than one translator. “Yes, Agnarr. What should we do?” I asked.
Agnarr chewed on his cheeks. Seethed. Another horn blasted from Ice Bridge and a single beat of the drum helped to speed things up for him. “Okay. My people will help you get to Orkust, then we all leave. I’m not meeting a Kasera.”
I searched the rest of the vanguard. They were practically dead on their feet, drenched in exhaustion with little more on their mind than being desperate to return home. But we came here so that Alysia could have a genuine meeting with Agnarr. If I upheld the deal with Agnarr then we were going back empty handed.
I looked to Jarmella. She offered a single, resigned nod.
“Okay. You help us get to Orkust, then whoever wants to leave can do so.”
“I will want to leave.”
“You may. Torunn? Pass it on to the rest of your people: Agnarr has agreed to come with us to Orkust, we have agreed to release him and anyone who wishes to leave. As soon as we reach land it will be goodbye. There won’t be any tricks from our side.”
“They will want to hear him say it,” said Torunn.
“I understand. No tricks.”
“No tricks.” Torunn slipped away, returning to the northerners. Yahnson and Stassa remained nearby.
“You set a vampire onto me,” hissed Agnarr.
“In your condition I’d be very careful about drinking vampire blood. How far away from Ice Bridge are we?”
“Six miles.”
“All downhill,” said Jarmella. “We could be there in two hours.”
We moved closer, meeting the rest of Agnarr’s people along the way with Odalis and the others in the rear, possibly enveloping the northerners, possibly with the northerners managing to split us in half.
I nudged Agnarr in the back. “Tell them.”
Agnarr grunted. “We will help them get to Orkust. Then we will leave.”
“No tricks?”
“No tricks.”
“Good. Everyone look alive. There are sure to be scouts in the woods and traps within the ground. Let’s move out. Injured in the rear. Archers on the side, watching our flank. Menrihk with me. Odalis? Good job keeping everyone safe.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Jarmella circled her hand through the air, signaling to the rest of the vanguard. Some registered it. Others didn’t.
“Everyone up.” Stretchers were lifted. A loose formation engaged.
It took less than a hundred yards.
“We shouldn’t go this way,” said Agnarr. “Much safer taking the path we came in on.” He pointed to the north. Heads turned. Realized their mistake immediately. I dropped one hand to my sword. Another to my blade. Searched the northerners while Jarmella and Torunn followed Agnarr’s line of sight, their attention turning away from the agitated raiders.
And there it was. One of them – Boden – was staring right back at me. Huffing despite being freshly rested. A knife in his hand and Saskia’s stretcher nearby.
I tried. “All eyes …!” Was too late. Boden uttered a simple spell. Odalis tripped, dropping the stretcher to the ground. Boden sliced through the first of Saskia’s restraints.
Agnarr slammed into me but I was braced for it. He fumbled for my wrist, trying to get to my sword. I spun, slamming my elbow into the side of his face. Dropped him.
Boden cried out as the first arrow pierced his waist. Shouts splintered through the forest – most of the northerners having no idea what was going on while a dedicated six hurled their axes at the vanguard and swiped at anyone close to them.
Boden went for Odalis, desperate to skewer him until Saskia wrenched her hand free, clamped onto his arm, and sprung into the air with him as a human shield. She burrow
ed her teeth into his neck while the rest of us ducked and weaved and cleaved our way through our attackers.
Jarmella fired off her final spell, the collision of power bursting through Saskia and Boden alike, both shrieking as each and every rib shattered at once. Jarmella flopped to the ground, the strain too much to deal with. Rolled onto her back with blood running from her nose. Saskia leapt away, dropping the now too heavy Boden to the ground as archer after archer rained hell upon her.
“HANDS!” I shouted. “Let me see your hands!”
The surviving men and women of Faersrock threw their weapons down, hands up, surrendering immediately. Three northerners lay dead. Four squirmed from arrow wounds and spell blasts.
I strode forward. Stopped in front of Volbrig, his arm broken and his forehead bleeding. “Which one of them attacked you?”
He pointed to a squirming guy in front of him. “That one.”
I looked to Benar. “Did anyone else attack Volbrig?”
“No. Just him.”
The squirming guy tried to crawl away on his back, holding one hand out towards my face like he was ready to fire a spell at me. I rammed my sword through his throat. Twisted. Pulled back.
“Odeh. Which one attacked you?”
“Her.”
On it went.
“Torunn!”
“I didn’t know.” Hands up. Weapon on the ground.
“Would you have stopped them if you did?”
“I would’ve tried.”
“Jarmella? You okay?”
She climbed to her feet. Needed Menrihk’s help to steady her balance.
“Good. Torunn, do you still want all of your people to live?”
Eyes heavy. The regret of Mikael’s offer to introduce Agnarr to us now seared into his soul. “Yes.”
“Then I’m promoting you. Strip Agnarr. Throw his clothes away. He can keep his boots and loin cloth. When you’re done, gag him, bind him. Keep your sword on him at all times. Deltas? With me.”
We found Saskia a quarter of a mile away, limping, collapsing with every staggered step.
“Saskia!”
She turned. Heaving. Shaking. Hair matted across her face and covered in blood. The soft snow still falling around her.
