by Rinelle Grey
The woman nodded, though she looked shaken. “I'm fine. But why did he do that? He just woke up and grabbed my sword. He was muttering something about Jasyn. I tried to tell him he was safe here, but he wouldn't listen.”
Brianna turned to Jasyn. “Perhaps you can tell us what the problem is? I didn't hear much, but it seemed like his problem was with you, not us?”
“Mugos has a problem with everyone who isn't fawning at his feet,” Kriss muttered.
Brianna’s eyes flicked to Kriss.
“He said he wished he was still a troll,” one of the humans in the crowd said.
“And he said they'd thrown magic at him before,” another one added.
Jasyn winced. Mugos had put his own spin on things, as usual, making the situation sound damning. “I can explain,” he said. He looked down at Mugos. “But perhaps we’d better see him settled somewhere where he can't hurt anyone first?”
Nodding, Brianna gestured to two men in the crowd. “Take him to the mages camp and keep an eye on him,” she said. “I'll come and have a talk with him later. And see that guards are stationed in every house that has visitors.”
The men nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” They picked up Mugos, a hand under each arm, and dragged him off.
“You two can come with me.” Brianna nodded to Kriss and Jasyn. “Everyone else go home and relax, everything's settled now.”
Jasyn and Kriss followed her back the way they had come.
When they were inside and the door closed, Brianna said, “I think it's time we learned a little about each other and discussed what's going to happen now. I doubt this will be the last issue we have.”
He hadn’t expected to have this conversation so soon. If only he'd had a little more time to plan what he was going to say.
But he didn’t, so he took a deep breath. They could work through this. “What do you want to know?” he asked.
“Let’s start with who that was.”
“Mugos,” Kriss said. “The former champion—that’s, the leader of our people—and my ex-boyfriend.”
Brianna looked at her, eyes narrowed. “So he has an axe to grind. I get that.” She studied them. “So I take it one of you is the champion now?”
“Both of us, actually,” Jasyn explained. “It’s complicated.”
“Isn’t it always? So how did both of you become champion? I take it it’s not something that’s passed down the family line.”
“No. Troll leadership is determined by physical strength. Anyone who can beat the champion becomes the next champion,” Jasyn said.
One of Brianna’s eyebrows raised. “So you beat the champion in a physical fight?” She looked at Kriss. “Both of you? Isn’t that a bit unfair?”
“Neither of us would have fought him if he wasn’t aiming to kill us,” Jasyn said dryly. “When it comes to that, you don’t have the time to think about fair.”
A smile lifted the corners of Brianna’s mouth. “True. A leader who decides to kill anyone they don’t like is hardly a good leader. So what are we going to do about him now?”
Jasyn sighed. “I don’t know,” he admitted. He looked over at Kriss. “I should have killed him in the first place. I’m sorry.”
“Yes, you should have. But we can’t change that now,” Kriss said bluntly. “And we can hardly kill him in cold blood.” She turned to Brianna. “What do you do here, in the human village, when people are violent towards each other?”
Brianna thought for a few moments, then shook her head. “That’s never happened before.”
“Never?” Kriss asked.
Brianna shook her head again. “Not like that. In Bymere, the big city near the mouth of the river, people would fight in the inn sometimes. The innkeeper would call the city guard and they would take those people away.” She paused. “And on Isla de Magi, I think they have dungeons where they put people who hurt others.”
“You mean, lock them up?” Kriss asked.
Brianna nodded. “Perhaps we could take Mugos there?”
Jasyn hesitated. It all seemed rather serious. “That seems a little extreme. He hasn’t caused any real problems in the last two years. What if this was just a result of shock, a product of the transformation? At least we need to give him a chance to explain.”
Kriss put her hands on her hips. “Didn’t you say earlier that you should have killed him when you had the chance? Are you going to pass up another chance to deal with him once and for all?”
She had a point.
And yet… “One more chance. If he screws up again, then you can decide.”
Kriss sighed. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Brianna was watching them, a half smile on her face. “Right, then. But I don’t think I should leave him here while Lyall and I go back to Isla de Magi for our wedding. In fact, I’m a little hesitant to leave anyone behind who might cause problems. But we also can’t put off this trip, since we have to heal Lyall’s mother. So how do you all feel about packing up and coming on a journey with us?”
Jasyn hesitated. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea to try to convince all the tro… my people to come with us. They’ve undergone a big upheaval already, they need to settle for a bit first. Perhaps it’s best if just Kriss and I come.”
Brianna nodded. “Of course. That makes sense.” She frowned thoughtfully for a few moments, then her face brightened. “I know, we can leave Urster in charge. I’m sure he can manage everything perfectly. We’ll bring your Mugos with us, of course. Is there anyone else you think might cause problems?”
Kriss listed the names of three of Mugos’s staunch supporters, two of whom were her brothers.
Brianna nodded. “Well, as soon as we have everything sorted, we’ll set off.”
17
Healing
Kriss couldn’t help staring. Ahead of her, perched high on the cliffs, was a palace that had to be seen to be believed. Its even grey was completely unnatural, but it was nothing compared to the colour of the cluster of little peaked rooftops. Kriss didn’t have the word to describe the colour, but eventually she decided it was the colour of the shallow water of the sea, where it lapped over the sand.
That, and the gentle rolling of the waves under the boat were just two of many things that were unfamiliar. All she wanted was to ask someone to turn the boat around and take her home. It was all too different. She didn’t belong here.
Not that the humans hadn’t been excessively kind. Lyall and Brianna were gallant hosts. Each night, Kriss had sunk into a soft mattress with a full belly. There hadn’t been a moment where she felt a lack of hospitality from the humans. But everything had a sense of strangeness to it, and it was too much for her mind to take in.
The speed at which they’d travelled, accelerated by magic, hadn’t helped.
The only thing she felt grateful for was that the urgency, combined with the close quarters of the ship, meant there hadn’t been any opportunity for her and Jasyn to be alone.
Somehow, even the trust and closeness they’d shared for the last two years had been broken by their transformation into humans. She needed some time to come to terms with the change. How could she begin to figure out how she felt about him when she didn’t even feel comfortable in her own skin?
And then there was the question of what would happen to the trolls now. Where would they live? What would they do? She didn’t have any of the answers. And instead of being home with her people, working it out, she was miles away, going to the wedding of two people she barely knew. It didn’t feel right.
“Excuse me,” a voice said. Kriss turned to look at the young man who stood there, and he gestured to the pile of rope near her feet. “I need to tie the boat off.”
“Of course.” Kriss stepped out of the way and looked around for Jasyn.
He stood a few metres further along the railing, talking earnestly to the mage prince, Lyall.
“That’s an amazing building. Was it built by magic?” Jasyn said.
“Mostly. It was built before I was born of course and kings have been adding to it with each reign. It’s rather piecemeal, but it works somehow.”
Kriss bit her lip. Jasyn, the one who had been quiet and reserved amongst the war-like trolls, was in his element here. He had asked so many questions during the trip, soaking up everything the humans told him. He didn’t seem at all bothered by his new body, or by the strangeness of everything.
They were so different. Of course, she’d known that from the start. She was a warrior, and Jasyn was a scholar. The fact that they had nothing in common wasn’t new. So why was it bothering her so much more now?
The sailing ship nudged the edge of the dock, and the sudden stop caused Kriss to stumble. She gripped the railing to steady herself, glancing around to see if anyone had noticed.
Only a few metres away from her, Brianna also stared out at the castle and the carriages waiting to meet them. She didn’t look excited though, she was biting her lower lip, her expression troubled.
So Kriss wasn’t the only one who was nervous about this journey. She hesitated—she barely knew the human woman—but the urge to find someone to relate to was strong. Brianna was a warrior, like Kriss was.
“Are you all right?” she asked quietly.
Brianna plastered a wide smile on her face. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Kriss hesitated. It was plain Brianna didn’t want to talk about it. She should let it drop. But something in the haunted expression in the other woman’s eyes stirred her sympathy. “I don’t know. I guess it is hard for me to come this far away from my own village.” Then she realised. “It’s not the first time for you though, is it?”
Brianna gave a laugh, but it was nervous rather than amused. “No, this is my second time. Although it’s the first time anyone knows I’m a twin.”
Of course, that was it. “You’re worried that the people won’t accept your marriage to Lyall? Or your sister’s marriage to Terion?”
Brianna looked earnest. “Don’t say anything to the others, please. Everyone here thinks that with the king’s agreement it’s a done deal. But I worry that if he comes up against opposition to the idea, he might change his mind.”
And here Kriss was worrying about things feeling strange. Her worries were minor compared to Brianna’s. Kriss put her hand on the woman’s arm. “Lyall loves you. He’s not going to let anything come in the way of that. And I’m sure being able to heal the queen will go a long way towards convincing everyone.”
Brianna let out a sigh. “I know, that’s what Lyall said. But I’m nervous about the healing, too. What if we were wrong? What if we can’t heal her after all? What if healing Lyall was a fluke?”
“Could you have healed her if you had the power of a twin marriage?”
“I don’t know. Lyall says that no one on Isla de Magi has had twins for centuries, so…”
Kriss interrupted her. “Wait, what?”
“No one has had twins for centuries so they don’t know how powerful the twin marriage could be.” Brianna stared at her.
“That doesn’t make any sense. We generally have one or two sets of twins every couple of generations and, if the force they sent to your village is anything to go by, our population is much smaller than that on the island.”
Brianna stared at her. “You’re right, it is strange.”
“What’s strange?” Lyall came up and put his hand on Brianna’s shoulder.
She looked up at him and the expression in her eyes caught Kriss off guard. For those few seconds, Brianna was completely happy and carefree.
Jasyn joined them too. The smile he gave Kriss was genuine, but it was the smile of friends, nothing more. Kriss ignored the flash of disappointment she felt. She was just jealous of their relationship. But she didn’t want Jasyn to be in love with her. That would just be one more complication, and she didn’t need any more complications right now.
Brianna’s expression grew serious. “Kriss was surprised that there had been no twins born on Isla de Magi for centuries. Apparently, they have twins in their village every few generations. And we had the same in Eryvale. So why are they so rare on the island?”
Lyall stared at her, the blatant look of surprise comical. “I don’t know. There isn’t any reason that I know of.”
“And yet, something like that can’t be random,” Jasyn said. “Not when you have, how many people?”
“Thousands,” Lyall replied. “Far more than the hundred in Eryvale, or the hundred or so who used to be trolls.”
It was unlikely to be natural, so there was only one other reason Kriss could think of She waited for someone else to say it. But when they didn’t, she said “Seems like someone didn’t want you to have twins.”
Lyall’s eyes widened. “You think the curse didn’t only go one way? That your people cursed ours as well?”
Kriss shrugged. “It seems like a likely possibility. It is far less obvious than the troll curse, but somewhat fitting. Since my people felt strongly enough against the twin law to fight and die for their belief, it seems possible that they would want to prevent your people forcing anyone else into a marriage they didn’t want.”
“Do you think the curse was lifted at the same time as the troll curse, or is it still there?” Lyall asked.
“I have no idea. And I think that’s a problem for another day,” Kriss said. “They’re waiting for us to get off.” She indicated the men in gold and sea blue livery, who waited near the wooden bridge they had lowered to cover the distance between the ship and the dock.
“Right.” Lyall nodded. “We can talk about it later. Might be best to keep this between the four of us for now.” He looked at Kriss specifically, waiting for her answer.
Well, she had no reason to tell anyone. “Sure.”
Lyall smiled, then turned and took Brianna’s hand. “Shall we disembark, my princess?”
There was that look again. Shy but besotted. Kriss had to look away.
Her eyes fell on Jasyn, who held out his hand.
Even if he wasn’t besotted, it was reassuring to slip her hand into his and to have company walking down the bridge and the dock. So many eyes were on them, the local people were curious and interested. It was a relief not having to face them alone.
Would their faces be so friendly when they found out that Kriss and Jasyn were the other mages they had feared all these years? Lyall and the king had agreed it would be better to deliver the news in person, after the queen had been healed. Accepting that the ‘other’ mages weren’t a threat would be hard for people who, as Brianna had explained, had believed them to be evil all these years.
Right now though, no one even noticed Kriss or Jasyn. The locals didn’t even spare a second glance for Mugos and his friends, who were all led out of the ship under guard. Their eyes were all on Brianna and Mianna. And the expressions ranged from wide-eyed surprise, to narrowed suspicion. Kriss winced. It seems Brianna’s fears had been well founded.
“You’re a twin,” a man accused, stepping out of the crowd.
“You lied to us,” a woman echoed.
They turned to Terion and the two little girls who hid behind him.
“Whose twins are those? And who are you married to?” the first man asked.
The king stepped in front of them. “The twin law is being abolished. Brianna and her twin, Mianna, are free to marry whoever they wish.”
There were gasps and murmurs of anger from the crowd. This was not going to go well. Kriss was very happy that she wasn’t the centre of attention.
“You’re going to let all that power slip through your fingers?” another person demanded. “Right now, when we need it most? This could be our victory over the other mages and you’re going to just let it go?”
Brianna stepped forwards, holding Lyall’s hand. “The other mages are no longer a threat. And we have discovered that we are far more powerful as four than as three.”
Kriss had to admire her bravery. Stepping forward an
d drawing attention to herself at that point couldn’t have been easy, but it did have the desired effect. No one else stepped forwards or commented, instead, they looked at each other.
The king spoke again and everyone listened. “Brianna, Mianna, Lyall and Terion are going to demonstrate this power by healing the queen’s injuries. If you want to see, be at the palace square in an hour.”
This time, the response was an enthusiastic roar.
*****
Jasyn had no part in the planned magical ritual, but he watched with fascinated interest nonetheless.
Brianna, Mianna, and Terion all looked pale but determined. Lyall seemed oblivious to the hushed crowd watching from the square below the balcony. He must be used to it.
Jasyn was glad he and Kriss weren’t the focus of this display. He was quite happy standing off to the side of the palace balcony, half-hidden by the blue velvet curtain, out of the crowd’s sight.
“I will lead the healing, the three of you just lend me your magic and follow my lead,” Lyall said. “The same way you did when Brianna healed me back in Eryvale.”
Mianna, Brianna, and Terion nodded solemnly. The queen sat in a chair full of cushions, giving them an encouraging smile. By now, Kriss had heard the story of how her back had been permanently injured by the king’s jealous ex-wife. The magical injury had never been able to be healed and she hadn’t walked since.
The king held her hand, looking at her lovingly. Around them, the two twins and their partners all held hands, forming a chain.
Jasyn’s eyes widened as colours began to flow out of them, forming a rainbow that flowed over the queen. Jasyn held his breath. Would this work?
There were gasps of amazement from the crowd below.
The rainbow of colours almost completely enveloped the queen now, framing Lyall’s frown of concentration and the three pairs of clasped hands.
Time seemed to stand still, though in reality the healing only took a few moments. Then Lyall let the colours fade. Everyone looked at the queen.
