“Forgive me, but I do not believe you are as frail as you would like me to believe,” I told her as I took a step sideways, keeping myself close enough to make it to the door if I needed to escape.
“Then you are not as dumb as I first thought,” she chuckled.
Now that was just rude. “You never answered the first question; who are you?” I asked again, this time with a little more bite in my tone.
The woman’s eyes widened as her smile grew larger. “Yes, I think you will do just fine,” she muttered. “I am the Oracle of my people,” she said with a voice much stronger than the one she’d been using. “I am the seer and the teller. I am the healer of the sick and injured. And I am the woman who will teach you to use your magic, as well as hone other abilities you do not even know you have.” She paused. “Oh, and my name is Hilda, and I will also be the grandmother of your offspring.”
“I have no offspring.” The words tumbled out before I could think about how ridiculous they sounded.
“Hmm,” Hilda said as she narrowed her eyes on me. “Perhaps I spoke to soon.”
“What?” Now I was just confused.
“You aren’t dumb. A little dimwitted might be a better description.”
“Bloody hell, woman. I am not dimwitted. I am confused, and maybe in shock. Yes, definitely in shock. But I am not so confused as to know that I don’t have any offspring.”
“Of course, you don’t have any offspring. You still have your maiden head.” Hilda shot me a sharp look. “You do, don’t you? Because I have a feeling my son would be a tad irritated and likely to kill whoever took it if he finds out otherwise.”
I rubbed my hands over my face and let out a groan. At no point during the day had I thought I would be entertaining an Oracle and discussing the matter of my womanhood. “First of all, I do not appreciate my virtue being questioned,” I said, raising a finger. Then, raising a second, I added, “And I have no idea who your son is, nor do I have plans to share a bed with him and bear his children. And third…” I held up another finger. “What do you mean you are going to teach me to use my magic? How do you know what I can do?”
Hilda walked slowly over to one of the chairs next to the small table where I often took my meals when I did not wish to dine with the court. She kept her eyes on me while she took a seat. The woman leaned back as though to get comfortable and then motioned for me to take the seat across from her. When I had done so, she began to speak.
“As I said, I am an Oracle. I come from the North Country, the clan of Hakon.”
I sucked in a breath. “You’re a Viking?”
“I’m a Norsewoman,” she corrected. “But really, I am simply a woman—a woman from another part of this world, child. I am not a foreigner from another world. Like you—a woman from this land—I have all the necessary parts that make me a woman and nothing more. We are no different.”
When she explained it like that, I had to admit it made the differences we claimed to be so unsurmountable seem ridiculous. What did it matter if we were from different parts of the world? Did that somehow make one of us better than the other? Did the fact that I was born in to a family that was royal make me worthier of life than one who was not? If anything, Hilda’s life was more valuable because of her abilities. I might have been able to heal others, but I could not see into the future.
“You said you could help me understand what I can do?” I reminded her.
“Get comfortable, it could take a while.”
I glanced at the door, a motion that did not go unnoticed by her keen eyes.
“He is aware that I am here,” she told me.
“You mean Torben?”
She nodded. “It is driving him crazy that I won’t allow him to come in and listen.”
“You can keep him out?” I asked hesitantly.
“Of course, I can,” she said indignantly.
“How? Do you have more magic than just the healing and seeing?”
She chuckled. “It’s called being a mother and teaching respect. He will not enter because I have asked him not to, and he respects and trusts me.”
My shoulders dropped. “Oh,” I said simply.
“Magic,” Hilda began. “This is an old power that is passed through the blood. It lives in the very cells of a person. It is not exactly clear why some people inherit it in a family while others do not. I would presume to think it is like the fact that some siblings have blonde hair while others have brown. Certain traits are past to certain children. Perhaps the gods know who will be better capable of wielding something that can hurt or help those they encounter.” She paused, looking as though she was anticipating questions. I simply stared right back, waiting for her to continue.
“I’m sure that you have learned certain things about your magic through trial and error since you have not had a tutor. For instance, you’ve learned to chant to use your magic. Your words help draw out the power that lives inside of you. Words are powerful, especially words that are spoken out loud. You must never forget that. Your words not only have the ability to heal, they also have the ability to destroy.”
“Wait,” I held up a hand to stop her. “You mean I could hurt someone?”
She nodded. “Of course. Every action has an opposite reaction. So if you are healing someone who has a tear in his skin, you can either make it better and close up the skin and repair the tissue, or you could increase the tear and damage to the tissue.”
My mouth dropped open. I felt my chest tighten as I considered the horror of such an ability. How could I ever use my magic for something so evil? Could I destroy someone if I had to? Would I use such power against someone such as Cathal? I didn’t know because as much as I abhorred the idea, I would not deny the secret comfort that came in knowing that I was not completely helpless anymore, especially when it came to the king that had treated me so cruelly. If I needed to hurt, him I could.
“But you need to understand,” Hilda continued. Her face grew serious as her lips tightened and her silver eyes narrow on me. “Every use of magic has its consequences. When you use it to heal, it depletes you of your strength for a time. You are essentially using your life force to heal another. When you use your magic for damage, the consequences are even more detrimental. Using magic for a dark purpose removes a part of your soul along with the magic. It can tie you to that person forever because you imprint a part of yourself on them. It is impossible to do ill to another without dire repercussions. It is imperative that you remember that before you act in such a way. Also, the more you use your magic for ill, the more you will crave the surge of power you will feel later, after the exhaustion has worn off.”
“Have you ever used your magic in such a way?” I asked the question before I could consider just how personal it was.
Hilda’s eyes became thoughtful, and I wondered what memories she was considering. Judging by the haunted look that came over her face, I guessed they weren’t pleasant.
“I have,” she admitted. “One hopes to never find herself in a situation that requires she act in a way that requires her to defend herself or those she loves. But despite having magic, we are still limited in how we can affect the outcome of what we see. And there are consequences if we do attempt to intervene.”
“What would drive someone to use her magic for harm?” I asked. I knew in my spirit that the woman before me was not evil, so I knew that she must have had a justifiable reason for her actions. Regardless, I felt compelled to ask her motivations.
Hilda seemed reluctant to tell me exactly what she’d done, but after several minutes, she finally gave in. “I have been under the thumb of the jarl in our clan. He is basically the equivalent of your king. He knows what I can do. Those in my clan only know that I am an Oracle. They do not know about my healing ability.”
“You don’t use it for your clan?”
She shook her head. “The jarl will not let me use it on anyone but himself. He keeps me by his side wherever he goes. He doesn’t, however,
know of my ability to do harm with my magic. I have had to make sure to be subtle over the years, lest he deduce that I have had something to do with any of his health problems. Over time I have been drawing his life force from him any time I have been required to heal him. But despite my age, there is still much I do not know about magic. For instance,” she held up a finger. “By drawing his life force, I have caused a kind of madness in him. He has become more and more paranoid over the years. He has insane grandiose ideas and has convinced himself that he is invincible. My intention was to shorten his life, but I did not know in what way that would happen.”
“You want to kill him?” I asked, not hiding the shock in my voice. Murder just seemed so extreme. But then again, hadn’t that been what my family had essentially been planning for Cathal if it came to that?
“You do not understand how evil this man is.”
I snorted out an unladylike sound. “Oh, I bet I have a clue.”
Hilda’s eyes softened in understanding. “Yes, I am sorry about that. Torben explained to me what that monster did to you. You’ve been able to keep him from doing it again, I trust?”
“Thanks to your son,” I said. “Tomorrow is the engagement banquet. So far, Torben has managed to keep me from being alone with King Cathal.”
“Magnus, that’s our jarl, has no concern for anyone but himself. If he continues to lead our clan, he will drive us into extinction. There is only so much war a country can endure. Eventually, there are no more men to fight. Young boys cannot continue to assume the duties of those that have perished. They simply do not have the strength or experience to do such things.”
“And this is the man who has come to my home?” I asked.
“I told you, he is going mad. He must be removed from his place of leadership, and it is clear that the gods are making a way for that to happen. The prophecy makes it clear that Torben is to lead, but he can only do it with you by his side. You bring him balance, and he keeps your power grounded.”
“Myra explained some of what is happening between Torben and me,” I told her, suddenly needing to get as much information about my soul match with Torben as possible. “You have a soul match and an anchor?” I said as I tilted my head slightly. “Right?”
She nodded. “Torben’s father.” Her voice was full of love. “He was my anchor and my perfect match in every way. I am not as old as I look,” she chuckled. “Did Myra explain why you need Torben?”
I nodded.
“Well,” Hilda motioned to herself. “This is what happens when you continue to heal but don’t have an anchor. Every time I heal Magnus, I lose more of my life. I am aging much more quickly than I should. Part of me is glad. I am tired and ready to join my husband on the other side. But then, the rest of me still has a lot of living to do.”
“What about the bond?” I took a deep breath. “Torben and I bonded.” I said it as though we’d been caught doing something were ought not to have been, which seemed ridiculous. “And now, we can sort of sense each other, I guess.”
Hilda nodded. “That does not surprise me. Each anchor and his healer have unique abilities that evolve after their bonding. Some can read each other’s minds. Some can feel what the other feels. And some have the ability to soul speak.”
My brow furrowed. “Soul speak?”
“It is a very intimate communion where the souls are able to communicate with each other without the conscious effort of their owners. The best way I can explain it is that even when you do not realize it, your soul may need the comfort of its mate. Those who can soul speak, well, their souls reach for one another when they need it without you choosing to do so.”
The breath whooshed out of me as I considered her words. The level of intimacy that something like that would bring seemed mind boggling.
“How will we know if we have that ability?” I asked her.
She shrugged. “Everyone is different, and abilities appear of their own accord. It is not an exact science.”
“Thank you,” I said after a few moments. “For telling me all of this.”
She smiled at me. “I like you, Allete, but then I knew that I would.”
I chuckled. “Must be weird to know how you’re going to feel before you feel it.”
“I’m used to it.”
“Oh,” I said quickly when I noticed she was heading for the door. “One more thing. Myra said I will have the ability to be a seer. When will that start?”
Another shrug. “Depends on many things.”
When she said nothing more, I tilted my head at her, and my brow rose. “You do realize how frustratingly vague that is, right?”
Hilda shrugged. “I am an Oracle. It is my place to be vague. Otherwise, people would not think for themselves. I will not take someone’s free will to make something happen that is supposed to happen. It will either happen, or it won’t.”
The Oracle stood and gave me a warm smile. “You are a good match for him. The gods knew what they were doing when they chose you for him and him for you.”
I wasn’t sure how true that was, considering how much we bickered with one another.
“I must be on my way before the jarl realizes that I’m missing. I gave him the slip back on the beach. Men panic when you start talking about the flow of a woman. Little did he know that I am much too old to even have such a problem anymore.” She laughed as though it were the funniest thing ever. And I couldn’t help but smile.
She left quickly, giving me a brief hug, and I wanted so desperately to ask her to stay. For some reason, she made me feel as though I could handle anything and everything that was headed my way as if I was easily capable. Hilda’s presence had reassured me that I was not in this alone; she was like me and understood what I was going through with the new bond with Torben. But I knew I could not come to rely on the comfort and strength of another too much. There might come a day when I would need to stand on my own two feet, just as she had done for so many years without anyone to aid her.
“I have fought many battles, few of them worth the effort. But now I have found a battle worth everything. For Allete, I would destroy any enemy, cast away any darkness, and willingly lay down my life. Winning her heart is worth all of that and more.”
* * *
~Torben
I spent the rest of the night pacing in my room, thinking of all the things the Oracle had told me, especially my ability to use my magic to harm others. The idea still rested uneasily on me, but I couldn’t deny the usefulness of the power, should I ever need it. Every time I considered the possibility of using my magic to cause pain, Cathal’s face seemed to subconsciously jump to my mind.
It was early the next morning when I suddenly felt the pull. I was just about to change out of my sleeping gown when my heart sped up and my soul began reaching for the injured being outside the castle walls. Somewhere out there, in the early dawn hours, someone was hurt. I slipped into a light overcoat and hurried to my chamber door. I paused, unsure of what I should say to Torben and Brant. But as the urgency in me intensified, I knew I could hesitate no longer. I pulled the door open and met Torben’s eyes.
“I have to go,” I said as I hurried from the room. I rushed past him and felt the heat of his body as he followed closely behind me
“What do you mean you have to go?” he asked as he followed close behind me. His long legs had no trouble keeping pace with mine and I could hear Brant next to him, stepping in time with us.
“Something is wrong. I need to help someone,” I explained.
“Wait. This could be dangerous,” he growled. “You don’t know what you’re walking into.”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter. I can’t ignore an injured being. I have to help; it is a part of who I am,” I explained.
I could sense that he wanted to tell me to stop. I could feel his need to keep me safe, but he knew that I was a healer. There was no changing that. I couldn’t stop being a healer any more than I could stop being a woman.
“Do you know where you’re going?”
“No, but my emotions, the magic inside of me, has connected with the person. I do not feel any maliciousness or evil. Just pain—a lot of pain,” I explained, wondering if I was making any sense whatsoever.
I rushed through the castle corridors until I reached the kitchen where I hurried out the side door. My mind was being swamped with the emotion of the one calling out to my magic, which was something I’d never felt before. The cool night air caressed my skin and the quiet, stillness in the air seemed to hold its breath as it waited for me to act. I was shocked when I turned a sharp corner and my feet led me straight to the door of Cook.
I knocked on the door as fear overwhelmed me. I didn’t want anything to be wrong with Cook. She was not only a worker in my home, whom I’d known my entire life, but she was a friend. I knocked harder and there was still no answer. I attempted to push open the door but it held fast, locked from the inside.
“Step back,” Torben said suddenly and gently pushed me aside. He reared back, pulling his leg with him, and then slammed his foot onto the door putting all his force into the kick. The door splintered as it flew inwards and there was a collective shriek from inside.
“Cook!” I called out as I entered the dim room. “It’s just me, Allete,” I reassured. “Is something wrong?”
“Allete?” A shaky voice came from the back of the room, beyond the small kitchen. “Is that you, child?”
“Yes ma’am. I felt something wrong. Who is injured?”
“Come back here quickly. We have need of you.”
I followed the sound until I reached the rear of Cook’s small living quarters. She sat beside a bed that held the body of a small boy. He couldn’t have been older than twelve summers. His eyes were glazed over, and his breath was very shallow. He had a sheet pulled all the way up to his chest but I could see a red spot staining the linen, growing larger as I looked down at him.
“What happened?” I asked, moving forward to the other side of the bed. I pulled the sheet back and gasped. There was a gaping wound on the right side of his chest. I could only see part of it through the tear in his tunic. I glanced up at Torben who looked ready to jump into action. “I need clean water and dry cloths. I will need to clean it before I heal it so there is no infection afterward,” I told him. He nodded and then proceeded to search out the things I needed.