FORBIDDEN TALENTS (37 page)

They drew together, huddled around their sputtering fire with blankets covering them in pairs and threes. The wind had died down, letting the snow fall thick and silent.

They are coming. Elves
. This was what they’d come out here for, to seek out the Light Elves, to find a way to stop the Dark Ones. And now they were coming. He ought to be afraid, but he wasn’t. Maybe he was too cold to be frightened. All he felt was curiosity.

White flakes fell, turning the trunks of trees only a few steps away into shadows. Periodically, they would shake the accumulated snow from their blankets, then hunch down again. Baruq paced around the perimeter of their group, looking outward, the only one not feeling the cold.

They’d stopped talking some time ago, the words frozen in their throats. It seemed too much effort to sully the muffled silence. Now they just waited.

“
There!
”

Baruq’s voice startled Ragni. Blinking, he looked where the
pinnsvin
pointed.

Shapes moved among the trees, coming closer. Four tall, and one short, and what might be a sledge pulled by a reindeer.

All of them were watching the Elves approach now, waiting, as the shapes grew closer. Ragni shut his Talent, not wanting to be inundated with his companions’ fear, curiosity, hope, and alarm. The Elves were man shaped at least, but that was to be expected from Dahleven’s description. They stopped only a few feet away, ranging themselves in a row. The tallest pushed his hood back, revealing a handsome, human-looking face with high cheekbones.
“
I am Valender, of the
Lios Alfar
.
”

Ragni tried to read each one in turn, only to be disappointed. He could no more read the Elves than he could Baruq.

When he got to the last, shortest person in the Elves’ party, his breath choked in his throat. He knew that familiar signature of emotions.

He couldn’t hear the rest of the introduction. The others in Valender’s party pulled back their hoods but he didn’t see them. His eyes were riveted to the smallest figure. He stared, his heart stopped in his chest, unable to look away, unable to breathe, except for the merest whisper.

“
Saeun!
”

DAHLEVEN MAINTAINED A neutral expression as Father Wirmund was shown into the small reception chamber.

I do
not
need this now
.

At least it wasn’t Angrim’s brothers coming back for another round. You’ve had another murder, they’d say. Is this how you keep your people safe?
How indeed
?

Wirmund scanned the room carefully, probably for Gris. The Chamberlain’s Talent for blending into the background made a lot of people uncomfortable, but the Overprest was in luck today—Gris had stepped out for a moment. His face relaxed ever so slightly, then assumed a sad smile.

“
Lord Dahleven.
”
The old priest greeted him with an inclination of his head.
“
Father Vali told me of Halla’s death. How inconvenient for our investigation.
”

“
Yes. I imagine Halla found it rather inconvenient as well.
”

Wirmund didn’t look in the least abashed by Dahleven’s implied rebuke. He pulled the chair on Dahleven’s right around so it nearly faced him and sat down uninvited.

“
But perhaps not so for everyone?
”

Dahleven cocked an eyebrow.
“
Oh?
”

“
The time is past when we need pretend with one another, Dahleven. We both want what is best for Quartzholm and Nuvinland, and that will best be achieved if we work hand in hand toward that end.
”

Dahleven’s heart sped up and his senses heightened as they did just before battle—and he had no doubt that’s what he now faced. Unfortunately, he wasn’t fighting with weapons of his choice. Nor did he yet know what field he was engaged upon.

“
As acting Kon, the stronger your position, the easier your job will be,
”
Wirmund continued.

What is he getting at
? He decided to ignore Wirmund’s presumption and the dropping of his honorific.
“
I won’t be acting Kon after the next Althing. Either Father will recover, or another Jarl will be chosen as Kon.
”
Being Jarl is headache enough for now
. And yet
…
He did want to continue the reforms Neven had started. Women should be able to own their own property. Husbands shouldn’t be able to sell their wives into thralldom to pay off their debts. Depending on which Jarl was elected, Neven’s dream of rule by law, rather than whim, could be lost.

“
You may be untried, but with a little encouragement the other Jarls will see your merit—especially with my support.
”

“
I’m glad to know the support you’ve given my father will be there for me as well.
”

“
Actually, that support should be mutual, don’t you think?
”

Dahleven curled his lips in half a smile, hating the slippery, shifting ground of this game of words.
Now we come to it
.
“
So let’s stop pretending, as you said.
”

“
Baldur’s priests can better carry out his will if we have the support of a strong Kon. We must continue to root out apostates such as Jorund and Saeun. They undermine the strength and character of our society and lead others into heresy.
”

Dahleven couldn’t disagree that Jorund had needed to go, but he doubted that Saeun had led anyone astray—unless he counted himself.

Wirmund paused and looked him in the eye.
“
And you will need my support if you are to keep even the Jarldom, given your liabilities.
”

A bolt of alarm shot through Dahleven, but he forced his hands to remain loose and relaxed on the arms of his chair.
“
I have no liabilities that would keep me from my inheritance, Wirmund, unless you intend to manufacture some.
”
I hope
. The alternative was much more dangerous.

Wirmund’s smile was slow and confident.
“
You should have killed Halla sooner, my lord. And Eirik. I know you’re Fey-marked.
”

Dahleven managed a derisive snort.
“
Fey-marked? What nonsense.
”
So Halla was his creature
.

“
And yet Halla and Eirik are dead. We can both speak to a Truth-Sayer about what Eirik told her, if you wish,
”
Wirmund’s voice oozed false cordiality.

It would be so easy to snap his scrawny neck
. But Wirmund was an old hand at this sort of game. Dahleven didn’t doubt that he had protections in place, perhaps even magical ones. And the other Jarls would ask questions if the Overprest just disappeared. Some of them might not care that he’d killed the dried-up old meddler, but they’d want to know
why
.

Wirmund’s thin lips curved in a cold smile.
“
Shall we call a Truth-Sayer, my lord?
”

There was no need to answer that question, and they both knew it.
“
And if you throw Quartzholm and Nuvinland into disarray, where will your strong support come from, then?
”

Wirmund gave him such a look of smug condescension it was all Dahleven could do not to smash his fist into the old weasel’s face. What had Celia called him?
Vermin the Overpest
. He was sorry now that he’d chided her for it.

“
Lord Ozur is a strong man, don’t you think?
”
Wirmund asked slyly.
“
I was fostered by his father, these many years ago. We learned arms together, before I was chosen by Baldur.
”

Gods
. Ozur had tried to block Neven’s every step toward reform. There had been no peace between them since Gudrun had chosen to marry Neven. Ozur would be only too happy to depose Neven’s heir.

Dahleven conjured up a grudging smile.
“
You’re very confident, Wirmund. An admirable quality. But can you trust your information? I didn’t order Halla’s death. Or Eirik’s.
”
Dahleven noted the slight widening of Wirmund’s eyes with satisfaction.
Let him chew on that
.

Wirmund recovered quickly and inclined his head condescendingly.
“
Of course not, my lord.
”

“
I’m curious, though. Why would you countenance a man you believe to be Fey-marked as Kon, instead of your old friend?
”
Somehow Dahleven made the question sound casual, despite his raging desire to crush Wirmund’s neck.

“
I have great faith in your cooperative nature, my lord. Nuvinland will be in safe hands. And with my guidance, you won’t stray from Baldur’s path.
”

*

Ragni is safe
!

Saeun nearly sank to her knees. She saw nothing else as she and the Elves came to a stop only a few yards from the small group.
Thank the gods
! Her scrying for the Elven Praefect had shown her friends suffering, and warned of storm and death. She’d insisted on coming with the Elves, but had made the journey with fear for Ragni lodged tightly in her throat.

As though from a distance, she heard Valender introduce himself and the others.

Saeun bit her lip and pushed back her hood. Ragni was safe, but now she had to face him. She’d worried over this meeting all along the way from the Elvenholt, fearing the agony of his repudiation, praying for his well-being.

“
Saeun!
”
Ragni’s voice was rough, barely a whisper.

She stood mute, wanting to scream out his name, wishing she could run to him, bury herself in his embrace and never leave it again. But she couldn’t move. She had betrayed his trust. Violated the law. She waited for his next words to spear her through the heart.

“
Is this some kind of trick?
”
Lord Fendrikanin asked.

“
Mind your manners!
”
Baruq snapped.
“
You are well come,
Herre
Valender. Welcome, indeed.
”

“
No,
”
Ragni said, stepping toward her.
“
This is no trick.
”
He pulled off one mitten and gently touched Saeun’s cheek with his fingertips.
“
You’re real.
”

Saeun couldn’t stop herself. His touch felt too good. A small choked whimper escaped her throat and she turned her face into the curve of his hand.

The next instant his arms were around her and he lifted her off the ground, his face buried in her neck.
“
Oh, Gods!
”
he groaned.
“
You’re alive! You’re alive!
”
He held her so tightly she couldn’t breathe. She didn’t need to—as long as he held her.

Ragni pulled back just enough to kiss her forehead, her eyes, her temple, her lips. His mouth lingered on hers and she drank him in, feeling as though the essence of her life had just been restored.

Saeun slid against him as Ragni put her down. Even bundled against the cold, her body yearned for his. Ragni framed her face with his hands. Wonder and joy glowed in his eyes and he seemed completely unaware of the tears running down his face and into his beard. He kissed her again.

“
You’re not angry, then?
”
she asked when the kiss ended.

Ragni’s eyes widened and his hands fell to her shoulders.
“
Baldur’s Balls, woman!
”
he said, giving her a small shake.
“
I should be! Gods! What possessed you to go out into that storm alone?
”

“
It wasn’t storming when I left. And I wasn’t alone,
”
she protested.
“
I had Gert.
”

“
An elderly lady’s maid?
”
Ragni scoffed.
“
Some chaperon. She let you come out with these
…
people
…
alone?
”

A flash of anger lifted her chin.
“
She’s dead. The Dark Elves killed her.
”
Brave, steadfast Gert
. Who didn’t deserve anyone’s disdain.