by K. M. Shea
“What we need is someone who has defense-focused magic, and who can guard you while you’re out of it,” Phile said.
“Defense-focused magic?” Rakel asked.
Phile used Foedus to make patterns in the gravy smeared across her plate. “Like Farrin’s. Magic that can counter other magic. Kai has it, but he’s too young and untrained.”
“He’s a child. We cannot put him on the battlefield.” Rakel glanced at the little boy. He was unaware of her scrutiny and smiled at something Gerta said.
“All I was saying is that Kai has defensive possibilities, too.” Phile spun Foedus across her knuckles. “Unfortunately, he’s the only magic user we’ve found so far with such powers in Verglas. Though that does raise a good point we could press on your brother and Halvor.”
“What?” Rakel asked.
“Perhaps we could dispatch a few people to search for magic users outside of Verglas who could help. There are plenty of enslaved and repressed magic users. Any of them would jump at the chance for freedom, and I’m sure there must be some with the kind of powers we need.”
Something about the idea made Rakel uneasy, though she couldn’t put her finger on it. But Phile has the right idea. Recruitment would help us greatly. Rakel thought of Farrin, and she frowned. I wonder…why did I not think of this previously?
“We do not have to journey outside of Verglas to recruit,” Rakel said.
“Oh really?” Phile eyed Rakel. “Because I would love to know where you are going to dredge up a magic user with powers comparable to Farrin’s.”
“I don’t have to find anyone. I will, as you put it, poach him.”
Phile stood up and almost flipped her plate. “What?” She looked around and realized her sudden movements had caught a lot of attention, so she smiled and plopped back down on the chair. After a moment she leaned across the table and growled. “You want to poach Farrin Graydim? How do you intend to do that? Waltz up to him and say ‘I beg your pardon, Colonel Graydim, loyalist and top military officer of the Chosen Army, I have decided I want you for my army. Would you come with me?’”
Rakel thought for a moment. “That sounds about right.”
“And you think he’ll agree?”
“There’s a good chance he will.”
“Why?”
“Because he has feelings for me.” Rakel sipped her apple cider. “I feel ashamed for not thinking of it sooner. I wondered, but it hadn’t occurred to me to push.” Perhaps telling me his background was a cry for help? She winced. I should have stopped him from leaving. If Tenebris learns he spoke to me, I imagine the consequences will be even worse. When she realized Phile hadn’t said a word, she looked up from her drink.
The Robber Maiden was slack jawed, caught in a rare moment of shock. “He has feelings for you?”
Rakel blinked. “I thought you knew. You made enough implications about our friendship that I assumed you did.”
“Of course I knew! But I didn’t think you would recognize his affection for at least a thousand nights!” Phile thrust an accusing finger in her direction. “How did you—a socially awkward exile who barely understands the meaning of friendship and lived like a mountain man in the hills for twelve years—realize that Farrin Graydim fancies you?”
Rakel frowned at the backhanded compliment. “I have a tolerable understanding of what friendship is.”
“Now you do! When I first approached you to practice fighting in the morning, I had to drag you kicking and biting into it.”
Rakel sniffed. “I would never do something so low as biting another person.”
“How did you figure it out, Rakel?” Phile’s voice was solemn, and her dark eyes were crinkled with confusion.
She is serious. Rakel settled her hands on her lap. “It was not as difficult as you seem to think. I was aware of the concept of love—it’s a theme often presented in fairy tales, and I owned several volumes of those when I first arrived on Ensom Peak.”
“That means you knew such a thing existed. You had no way of knowing Farrin felt that way about you. How did you figure it out?”
Feeling uncomfortable, Rakel knit her hands together. It felt traitorous to share Farrin’s heart—though he had done little to disguise his feelings. “It was the way he acted. No one—not you nor Oskar nor Halvor, no one I have ever met—looks at me the way he does. You, Kai, and Greta embrace me without thought. Farrin often touches me and is slow to move away—as though he treasures the interactions. I did not have a category for the way he treated me, so for some time I assumed it was because he saw us as enemies. It took me a shamefully long time to categorize his actions and realize what they meant.”
“I’m shocked.” Phile hunched over her plate. “I didn’t think you would ever get it. I was saving up that tasty tidbit of information to launch on Halvor and Oskar when we needed an edge to win an argument.”
Rakel, no longer feeling badly about holding out on her effervescent friend, raised her eyebrows. “I see.”
Phile removed her kerchief and ran her hands through the fringe of her ponytail. “You think he will be convinced that easily to leave Tenebris?”
“Farrin Graydim is more similar to me than you know,” Rakel said, thinking back to the beginning of her acquaintance with Phile. “He longs for someone to accept him in spite of what he is and what he has done. If we offer that and do not ask him to slaughter, I am almost certain he will join our cause.”
“Will you pretend you love him?” Phile said.
Rakel blinked in surprise.
Phile used Foedus to point at her. “You can’t fool me, Little Wolf. I know you don’t love him, yet. Will you mislead him to assure that he will join us?”
“No,” Rakel said. “If I did that, I would be no better than Tenebris.”
“What?”
“Farrin has a painful history—as I suspect most of the high-ranking officers in the Chosen possess. Tenebris freed Farrin and used his gratitude to recruit him.” Rakel paused, realizing that Phile’s earlier recruitment suggestion had been similar. We would have freed the magic users from their oaths. We are nothing like him.
“I see. It’s admirable that you plan to be honest with him, but do you think his attachment is so strong that he will join us even though you do not love him?”
Thinking back to his pained expression, Rakel nodded. “He’s searching for a way out, I think, but he is afraid no one will take him. If I present a token of my trust, he will come.”
“I have to admit, I find your confidence in his feelings irritating. I was looking forward to using the knowledge of his admiration against you for weeks to come.” Phile sighed and rested her chin on her hands. “So…a token? What would that be?”
Rakel adjusted the sleeves of her linen shirt and said nothing.
Phile sat up. “No—you aren’t thinking…?”
Rakel met her gaze. “It would make my trust unmistakable.”
“It will also get you tossed back to Ostfold when you suggest it to Halvor.”
Rakel peeked at the general, who was listening to an oral report from one of the soldiers. “I don’t want to go behind his back. He deserves to be informed, but…”
“But he doesn’t trust Farrin. Even if Farrin showed up with a white horse and a bouquet of flowers, he would have him run-through,” Phile admitted. “Oskar would react even worse.”
“Oskar is more prone to giving me whatever I want,” Rakel said, realizing with surprise that it was true.
“Yeah, but something tells me he’s not going to let this one go so easily. If you succeed, you’ll be inviting an enemy into the camp.”
“Isn’t that what Crow is? He has made himself well liked.” Rakel gestured to the talkative mercenary, who was chatting up Hilda.
“Fine. You’re right. You should tell Halvor what you’re going to attempt, but I would keep quiet on your idea for a token of faith.”
“Very well,” Rakel said. It displeased her to keep even part of the truth
from Halvor, but Phile was right. If he knew she intended to return Farrin’s sword to him, he would forbid it—princess or not. “Do you think they will believe I can recruit him?”
“Ogle-worthy Oskar thinks you can do just about anything, so he won’t doubt you. Handsome Halvor might, but he’ll come around. He knows you are capable, and you don’t boast of your powers. If you think you can snag Graydim, he’ll come to trust you. When will you tell them?”
“There’s a meeting tonight. It’s a small group—just a few of the magic users, officers, General Halvor, Steinar, and Oskar. I will propose it then.”
Phile nodded. “Smart. We’ll be marching out soon for battle. You’ll want to have your plan blended with theirs before then.”
Rakel nodded. She fidgeted, trying to ease her apprehension.
“Don’t worry, I’ll support you.” Phile offered her a smile. “If you can snag Farrin, it will be a large blow to the Chosen and a boon to us. He’ll guard you with everything he has, and I imagine some of his more loyal underlings would come with him, boosting our numbers. It’s the best outcome we could dream of.”
“I hope so.” Wanting to get off the topic, Rakel pointed to Kai and Gerta. “How do you think Kai is doing?”
Phile tapped her lips. “Gerta is treating him the same—bless her soul. If it weren’t for her, I think it would be harder on him.”
“His mother seems to be having a hard time adjusting.” Rakel nudged her plate away from her.
“I noticed that as well. It’s not too surprising, I guess. Even if magic is more accepted now, thanks to you, there will always been some who find it frightening.”
“She is his mother,” Rakel said.
“She’s scared, Little Wolf. Fright makes people do things that are out of character. You of all people should understand that,” Phile said.
Rakel was silent.
“Though I can recognize it would touch a nerve in you. At least he has Gerta’s family. Granny Hilda is as affectionate and warm with him as ever,” Phile said. She offered Rakel a relaxed smile. “And he has you.”
“Us,” Rakel corrected.
“You betcha,” Phile agreed.
Rakel rose. “Would you like to practice?”
“Again?” Though she was surprised, Phile stood with no hesitation.
“Yes,” Rakel said. “I could use the release.”
“Smart girl. If using your magic isn’t enough, we could always try to judge which man in the camp is the most handsome—excluding your brother. Unless…do you have a Bunad in his size?”
“Enough, Phile.”
“No, it is never enough. Just you wait until Colonel Dimwit is part of the camp. Then you’ll have a complete set of handsome men at your beck and call.” Phile winked and zipped out of the mess hall, ducking the snowball Rakel tried to pelt her with.
“Keep running, Robber Maiden!” Rakel called.
“I intend to!”
The evening meeting was not precisely what Rakel expected. Prior to dinner, three riders of the resistance movement—still unnamed, although the representatives told her they were now considering being called the Frosted Fellowship—entered Tana.
It seemed the resistance had a sizable force in the area and was eager to help in the battle against Tenebris, so Halvor had extended an invitation to attend the meeting. It wasn’t the extra people Rakel found unusual, but more their….behavior.
“We must thank you, Princess, for all you have done for us,” the first representative—an icicle-thin man named Hròarr—said.
Rakel forced herself to smile, though she quite frankly found their good will a little overwhelming. “Thank you, but I could not have done this alone.”
“No, but you have such a pure and generous heart—to fight on our behalf, when we as a people trembled in fear of you?” Hròarr said. One of the other representatives elbowed him.
“That is no way to talk to royalty,” the elbower hissed.
“It is I who must thank you for your loyalty and bravery,” Rakel said, eager to get their attention off her. “I have heard of what you have done—how you have freed villages farther south. Thank you for your courage and sacrifice.”
“Of course, Princess. We are honored by your words,” the third representative chimed.
Hròarr nodded emphatically. “We are!” he insisted.
Rakel exhaled with relief when she saw Oskar and Steinar taking their seats—leaving a space between them for her. “If you’ll excuse me, I wish to sit with my beloved brother for the duration of the meeting.”
The elbower tilted her head. “Beloved?” She then ducked and blushed furiously, catching her blunder. “Begging your pardon, Princess.”
Rakel jumped on the reaction, anxious to prove how highly she thought of Steinar. “Yes. It is unfortunate our lives have been a misery of misunderstandings, but I can now say with confidence that I implicitly trust my brother. Verglas is lucky to have him as its King.”
Hròarr studied Steinar. “As you say, Princess.”
“Thank you. If you’ll excuse me.”
“Of course, Princess!”
Rakel offered the trio another small smile and began to make her way towards Oskar and her brother. “May I?” she asked, indicating to the seat between the two men.
Oskar’s green eyes twinkled. “Of course, Princess. It would be our greatest pleasure.”
Steinar offered her a tepid smile and adjusted the chair so it wasn’t crooked.
“There are more in attendance than I thought there would be,” she said. They’d been forced to commandeer the mess hall.
“It is to be expected. It will be the first real battle we’ll have since Tenebris’s arrival,” Oskar said.
“What about the villages we’ve freed?” Rakel asked.
“Those skirmishes hardly count. We faced nothing but mercenary troops—and only two of the villages had a magic user posted in them.” Oskar said.
Rakel leaned back in her chair with relief when she saw Phile enter. She hadn’t counted on suggesting her plan of action—recruiting Farrin—in front of so many. The support Phile would give would hearten her.
“I believe the talks are about to begin,” Steinar said.
In the front of the room, General Halvor stood with Snorri at his back. The scout fussed with the block model he had constructed of the area where they were hoping to make their stand. Halvor—his arms folded across his chest—watched the gathering with his usual guarded expression. When he caught Rakel’s gaze, he bowed to her and to Steinar.
“If we might begin,” General Halvor started.
The occupants of the room quieted and sat on benches and chairs or leaned against the walls.
“I am pleased to announce that we will have more troops than originally estimated. The southern resistance has sent a considerable number of archers to aid us,” Halvor said. “They make a welcome addition. After speaking with their leaders, I hope to keep them hidden in the crevices of the hills on either side of the battlefield, allowing us to attack the Chosen army on three sides.”
Some of Halvor’s officers nodded and took notes. Ragnar raised his hand. “If you don’t mind my asking, sir, will they be hiding using forestry methods, or do you plan for the princess to shield ’em?”
“Members of the resistance are particularly skilled at attacking Chosen troops and disappearing into the landscape. They will employ this technique to limit their losses and continue to aid us,” Halvor said.
“I could build ice walls—like the ones I made around Tana—to shield them,” Rakel said. “It’s just a matter of making slits for arrows and lookout holes.”
“It is a good idea,” General Halvor said, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. “But unfortunately, we will not be able to carry it out.”
Phile moved to stand across the room from Rakel and tilted her head. “Why not?”
“The princess is the only magic user we have that can defend against Tenebris. We are extre
mely fortunate to have Liv in our ranks, which means the curses are deadly, but not the instant kills as they were for our troops in the south,” General Halvor said. “We cannot risk dividing the princess’s attention between Tenebris and elsewhere.”
Rakel raised an eyebrow. “I made a glacier and rammed an entire army into Ostfold in a matter of minutes. I am capable of keeping a wall-structure up and occupying Tenebris. Tenebris is powerful, so he most assuredly has a price as I do. He will be limited in some way.”
“You are capable, but if you are unconscious for a number of days, the Chosen will likely trample us. We must assume they know your price, as Colonel Graydim witnessed it. Additionally, if Tenebris has a price or limit on his magic, we have not discovered it—though we have some suspicions,” General Halvor said.
“Crow doesn’t know it?” Phile stood on her tiptoes and waved to the mercenary when she spotted him.
“I’m sorry to say I’m as ignorant as a fledgling,” Crow said. “Tenebris barely tolerated us foot soldiers, but I don’t think even his colonels know what he pays to use his magic.”
“What are your suspicions?” Steinar asked.
General Halvor bowed to the king. “The unusually long amount of time he spent in the south seems odd, given the strong push he made when he entered Verglas. After the Battle of Gaula, he did not use his powers so extensively again.”
“It does seem strange,” Oskar admitted. “Has the resistance heard anything?” he asked, addressing the three representatives.
Hròarr shook his head and ran his hand through his scrubby hair. “We’re fair ignorant of the way magic works, sir. Though it’s possible someone from the far south noticed. There are a few older women renowned for their…arts, and one of them belonged to one of the first conquered cities. It’s still locked up tight as a hazelnut, though.”
“It sounds like Grandmother Hilda’s contact,” Oskar said.
“We will present her with a request to inquire further with her contacts,” General Halvor said.
