“That is very sound advice,” Kasper said.
Something must’ve occurred to Linnea, because she suddenly perked up, her eyes bright and excited. “But she’ll listen to you. She trusts the pair of you. If you talk to her about Mikko, she’ll have to listen to you. ”
“My Queen, I think you’re being a bit a rash,” I explained carefully. “Marksinna Lisbet is far more likely to listen to you than she is to two guards from another kingdom. As the Queen and her blood, you possess far more clout than we ever could. ”
“Nonsense. ” Linnea jumped to her feet, undeterred. “Nana still thinks of me as a child. She respects your opinions. You must come with me to talk to her at once. ”
“At once?” Kasper asked.
“Well, I’ll give you a moment to get dressed. ” Linnea glanced over at his shirtless torso. “But as soon as you’re finished. ”
I sincerely doubted that we could change the Marksinna’s mind, not to mention that I wasn’t convinced Mikko was innocent. Of course, I wasn’t convinced that he was guilty either.
Page 42
THIRTY-ONE
sequester
Linnea held my hand as we ran down the hall, practically dragging me along behind her, and as we entered Lisbet’s chambers, she continued to do so. I wanted to let go or pull free, but she squeezed so tightly I thought she needed it.
“What are you all doing here?” Lisbet asked, sounding more harried than surprised.
Despite the early hour, Lisbet was already up and getting ready for the day. Instead of her usual gowns and dresses, she wore suit pants with flowing wide legs and an elegant top, while her matching jacket lay carefully on her bed. She flitted about the room, putting in large dangling earrings, barely stopping to look at us.
“We want to talk to you about Mikko,” Linnea said, summoning all her strength.
“I have a great many meetings today, all centered on him,” Lisbet replied tiredly. She began rummaging through the drawer on her vanity. “I can’t imagine there’s anything more I have to say about him. ”
Linnea stepped away from me, letting go of my hand. “But Nana, he’s innocent! Bryn and Kasper think so too!”
Kasper appeared startled by this declaration, since he’d never said anything indicating he felt that way.
Lisbet apparently found what she was looking for—a heavily jeweled bracelet—and she straightened up and looked over at us as she put it on. “Is that true?”
“I haven’t seen any evidence that’s shown King Mikko’s guilt definitively,” I replied, choosing my words very carefully so as not to alienate Linnea, but I need to be truthful. “But I haven’t been allowed to see very much evidence at all. ”
Lisbet nodded. “That is an unfortunate necessity. ”
Every time Kasper and I had tried to get more information yesterday, we’d hit a wall. While I wouldn’t go as far as to suggest that Lisbet declare Mikko wrongfully accused the way Linnea had, I did realize that now was the perfect opportunity to see if Lisbet could remove some of those walls.
“If we had more access, I’m certain we could be of help—” I began, but Lisbet held up her hand, silencing me.
“You’ve already been more than enough help,” she said. “But I’m afraid your time here has run its course. Members of another tribe—no matter how well-meaning and how educated—cannot be involved in deciding the fate of our King. ”
I lowered my eyes. “Of course. ”
“Things are changing a great deal here, and I truly believe my granddaughter is much safer, and that is because of you,” Lisbet went on. “Both of you have been integral in improving our way of life here in Storvatten. ”
“We have been compiling a report of our recommendations,” Kasper said, since it seemed clear that Lisbet was about to give us leave. “What would you like us to do with it?”
“I would like you to complete it. We will definitely be taking all your recommendations under advisement,” Lisbet said.
“But Nana, Mikko…” Linnea whined, impatient with all the talk not about her husband—which was understandable given her desperation.
“Linnea, my love, we have already gone over this many times. ” Lisbet spoke sweetly, but strain was visible in her face—the tight smile, the irritation in her eyes. “The inquest will decide what happens. I know you love him, but you must wait—as I must, as the entire kingdom must—to find out the truth, and then you must learn to be satisfied with whatever that may be. ”
“But this isn’t fair! It’s not right!” Linnea shouted with tears in her eyes, then turned to me. “Bryn! Tell her!”
At first, I said nothing, caught off guard at being put in such a position, but I finally came up with, “My Queen, you know my thoughts on this won’t affect the outcome. ”
“She is right, Linnea,” Lisbet said. “You must learn to be patient. ”
Linnea pushed back her platinum ringlets and tried to stay collected, but she’d only had the most tenuous grasp on composure all morning. It all became too much for her, and she burst out sobbing. Her grandmother reached out to comfort her, but Linnea pushed Lisbet off. Mumbling apologies, she ran into the adjoining bathroom and slammed the door shut behind her.
“I’m sorry for her outburst,” Lisbet said. “She’s still very young, and the past few weeks have been very hard on her. ”
“No need for apologies,” I assured her. “But it sounds as if you’re saying our time here is done. ”
Lisbet walked over to the bed and put on her suit jacket, a large sapphire brooch already pinned to the front. “I do think you’ve helped as much as you can. ”
“What of the Queen’s safety? And your own?” I asked.
In the back of my mind was Konstantin’s warning that my life was in danger in Storvatten—assuming he had actually visited me in a lysa, and it wasn’t simply a stress dream. Either way, it didn’t matter. If I felt that Linnea wasn’t safe or that I had a job to do here, I would argue to stay.
“I am looking into it, off the radar of the guard, and I will get to the bottom of things. And I can assure you that I value Linnea’s life more than my own,” Lisbet told me emphatically. “Her safety will be my utmost priority. ”
“Marksinna, I know how much you love your granddaughter, but with all due respect, the kingdom has already been falling down around you,” I said. “And I fear the both of you will continue to be in danger. At least as long as Bayle Lundeen is in charge. ”
“Today, I will attend a meeting where the acting monarch is declared in Mikko’s absence,” Lisbet said. “I am going to do all I can to ensure that I get the position, and my very first act will be removing Bayle. ” She stared down at me severely. “This kingdom will not fall apart as long as I’m around. ”
I wanted to argue with her, but the truth was that Lisbet had far more power than I did. She was much better equipped to handle the heft of the Skojare problems than I was. By removing Cyrano Moen, and by convincing Lisbet to remove Bayle, I had done all I could to keep Linnea safe.
“I’m sorry I don’t have more time to talk to you, but as you can imagine, it’s a crazy time here in our kingdom,” Lisbet said. “Once you complete the report, deliver it to me. Then you are free to head back to Doldastam. ”
THIRTY-TWO
valediction
In the week since Kasper and I had left, Doldastam had warmed up some, but it was still buried under snow, which was typical even for May. I’d gotten so used to looking out the windows of the Skojare palace and seeing the dark water surrounding us, it was a strange relief to see the overcast sky and snow-covered landscape.
Page 43
After Marksinna Lisbet had told us our time was done, Kasper and I had spent the better part of the day perfecting our extensive list of recommendations. I wanted to be certain I wasn’t leaving Linnea defenseless, and when I handed the list to Lisbet, I reiterated that they could call upon us should they need anything agai
n.
My goodbyes with Linnea had been short and bittersweet. She didn’t say much, instead preferring to sit with her head down and mumble her gratitude. I thought that would be it, but when I turned to go she lunged at me and hugged me fiercely as she cried against my shoulder.
“You mustn’t forget about me, Bryn,” she said between sobs.
I wasn’t sure what to do, so I awkwardly patted her back and said, “Of course I won’t. ”
“And you will come back, right?” She let go of me and wiped her eyes, trying to collect herself again. “If I need you?”
“Of course. I will always be here if you need me. I won’t let anything bad befall either you or the King,” I promised her, although I had no idea how I’d be able to keep that promise from Doldastam.
Linnea smiled at me with tears streaming down her cheeks. I didn’t want to leave her like that, but Kasper insisted it was time to go. We’d been ordered to move on, so there was nothing more we could do there, and I left Linnea in the hands of her grandmother.
The Storvatten palace was in chaos, with people running this way and that down the halls. The meeting with Marksinna Lisbet, Prince Kennet, and an advisory board had been deadlocked most of the morning, and they had adjourned without reaching a decision on who would be King, in part because none of them agreed how long the King would be absent.
Usually, a footman would have carried our bags to and from our rooms when we arrived and departed, but today either the footmen were busy caring for arriving Skojare officials from other towns, or someone was too busy to instruct them. Either way, Kasper and I were left to tend to our luggage ourselves.
I didn’t mind, except that the halls were inordinately crowded, making it harder to get by.
“We shouldn’t be leaving,” I muttered to Kasper as we made our way through the labyrinth the halls had become.
“This all comes with the Högdragen territory—you do what you’re told as long as you’re told to do it, and then you move on,” he replied simply.
We managed to make it to the door in once piece with all our possessions. I paused, looking back at the icy palace around us.
“Do you think Linnea and Mikko will be all right?” I asked.
“I think that with Lisbet in charge, things will be safer here than they have been in a very long time,” Kasper said.
He was right. We had begun to make changes to the guard, but Lisbet would be the one to finish them. Besides, Linnea could always reach me in a lysa, and I would come the second she called for me, if she did.
I had opened the front door to the palace when Kennet came running out to stop us, pushing through everyone bustling around the main hall.
“You were really gonna leave without saying anything?” Kennet asked, out of breath because he’d literally jogged over to us.
“You have a lot on your plate today,” I said. “I wasn’t even sure where you were, and I didn’t think you’d have the time. ”
“I always have time for you, Bryn,” Kennet assured me with a smile.
Kasper stood awkwardly next to us and cleared his throat loudly. I wasn’t sure if it was to remind me that he was there, or to emphasize that openly flirting with the Prince was frowned upon. But it didn’t matter. I planned on keeping things brief.
“Thank you for making time for me while I was here, Prince. ”
“It has truly been my pleasure. ” Kennet stared down at me, his eyes that brilliant blue that I’d thought only existed in movies, and a wry smile played on his lips. “Until we meet again. ”
And that’s how I’d left Storvatten—feeling an odd mixture of pride and uncertainty. I had done the job I had been tasked with, and I had done it to the best of my ability. But leaving the palace while it was still so unstable didn’t exactly make me happy.
It was midday on Tuesday when we drove through the walls that surrounded Doldastam. The gate was locked, and the two Högdragen manning it were incredibly thorough in checking our IDs and credentials. I was honestly a little surprised they didn’t search the SUV at the rate they were going.
After my time in Storvatten and the long drive back, all I really wanted to do was put on something comfortable, go brush Bloom, and then maybe curl up in bed with a good book and lose myself for a while.
Of course, there wasn’t time for that. At least not right away. Kasper and I had just completed a mission, which meant that we had to debrief King Evert.
Because of the added security, Elliot Väan—a Högdragen guard—met us at the door instead of a footman. He and Kasper worked together a lot, and they were good friends. As Elliot led us down to the meeting room, he and Kasper made small talk, and I tried to adjust to being back home.
The Kanin palace definitely seemed darker after the glass walls and frosty wallpaper in Storvatten. Here the stone surrounded us, lit by kerosene lamps. Though there were elegant touches, with jewels and antiques in every corner, there was definitely something much more medieval about the Kanin palace.
As we got closer to the meeting room, Kasper asked Elliot, “How have things been while we’ve been gone?”
Elliot shook his head. “Things are not going well. ”
“How so?” Kasper asked, and I turned toward them, my interest piqued.
“It’s too much to tell you right now. ” Elliot gestured toward the doors to the meeting room. “The King may fill you in anyway, and he should be here shortly. ”
I wished he would’ve said more, but meeting with the King took priority over small talk with a guard. As I went over to the table to take a seat, Kasper cleared his throat.
I looked back at him, standing tall with his hands folded behind his back. “What?”
“A member of the Högdragen stands. ”
“But we’re having a meeting with the King. I always sit. ”
Kasper stared straight ahead. “A member of the Högdragen stands. ”
“Are you saying I should stand?”
“I’m not in a position to give you orders. ”
I rolled my eyes. “We’ve just spent a week working together. If you think I’m doing something wrong, tell me. ”
Page 44
His mouth twitched, then he turned to me and said, “I think you get too familiar with people in authority. ”
My jaw dropped. I’d expected maybe a small admonishment about my posture or something. The only thing he’d really corrected me for in Storvatten was that I didn’t stand tall enough.
“Don’t look so shocked. ” Kasper sighed, and his shoulders relaxed. “I’m not trying to be mean, and it’s good that they like you. It speaks well of how you carry yourself and interact with others, especially those in power who are generally slow to grow fond of those who serve them. ”
“You wouldn’t have brought it up if you didn’t think it was a bad thing,” I said.
“I think it’s a dangerous thing,” he clarified. “Queen Linnea treated you more as a friend than a servant—which is what a guard is, when it comes down to it. ”
I lowered my eyes. “Things were strange in Storvatten. The Queen needed someone to rely on. ”
“It’s not just there though,” Kasper said. “You’re too friendly with Ridley, and he’s your boss. You talk back to our King and Queen. ”
“My job is to serve this kingdom to the best of my ability, and that means I won’t stand idly by if I think the wrong thing is being done, even if the one doing it is wearing a crown. ” My voice grew louder as I spoke. Kasper had been speaking to me as gently as he could, but it was hard for me not to feel defensive.
“Bryn. ” He glanced toward the door, as if expecting the King to come walking in, and he pushed his hand palm down in a gesture indicating that I should lower my voice. “I’m not attacking you. I know you have the best intentions, and you’re good at what you do. ”
I folded my arms over my chest. “That’s not what it sounded like. ”
/>
“When I’m working, I set aside my opinions and feelings,” he explained. “I simply do as I am told. My job is to follow the King’s orders, and when I’m done, I’m done. My day is over, and I go home to Tilda, and soon I’ll come home to a baby. There I have opinions and thoughts, because that’s my life. That’s where those things fit. ”
“You care about your job just as much as I do,” I countered.
“No, I take my job as seriously as you do,” Kasper corrected me. “The things that matter the most to me aren’t my job or the King or the Queen. They’re Tilda, and my family, and my friends. Those are things I’m passionate about. But at work, I keep my mouth shut and do my job. ”
I shook my head. “Well, I guess my service is more than just a job to me. I’m willing to sacrifice anything to help our people”—I couldn’t help but think of Ridley, and I swallowed back the ache he always brought to my chest—“so if I overstep my role, it’s only because this job matters so much to me. ”
“I’m not trying to upset you, Bryn,” Kasper said. “I admire your devotion—everyone does. It’s how you’ve gotten so far. All I’m saying is that it’s not good when you make your job your whole life, and it’s even more dangerous when you mistake the people who reign over you for your friends. ”
I opened my mouth to argue but stopped myself when I realized I was being defensive. Because what he’d said was true. Every night when he went home to Tilda and their future child, I went home to an empty loft.
It was the life I’d chosen for myself. But was it really the life I wanted?
THIRTY-THREE
operations
Even a ride on Bloom couldn’t help me shake my unease. The horse tried his best, galloping along the wall that surrounded Doldastam as fast as he could, but when I took him back to the stable I still wasn’t feeling any better. He nuzzled me more than usual, his mane as soft as silk as it rubbed against me, and I fed him an extra apple before leaving.
The debriefing with the King had gone about as I’d thought it would—he’d already heard about Mikko’s arrest and mainly been interested in who would be ruling the Skojare in his absence. But Evert had seemed more distracted than normal, and he left the meeting within a few minutes with brusque congratulations on a job well done.
I wanted to work off the anxiety that Storvatten and Konstantin and even Kasper’s lecture had caused, but that required dealing with everything that went along with going to work. So that left me walking around town, trying to clear my head. My path took me by the tracker school, but I deliberately gave it a wide berth in case I spotted Ridley. I definitely wasn’t prepared to see to him yet.
As I walked by, I glanced over at the training yard behind the school. A split-rail wooden fence surrounded the yard, in an attempt to keep out the children who mistook it for a playground. Most of it was flat, level dirt with the snow shoveled away, but there was a climbing wall and a few other obstacles.