Page 124 of The Ashborn

Danek motioned to grip the queen, as he had Alister. Connak released formation and grabbed him, pulling him backward, and whispered in his ear. Danek remained quiet, but his muscles flexed, fists tight. Connak refused to let go. Tristian stayed in formation, eyeing the room wearily. Whatever shadows were dancing in his mind, they were stronger than his duty as High Commander.

Kienna held strong, lifting her head to meet the queen’s eye. “If I had known what I was being led to, I would have thought differently. Not a lot of truth gets shared around here.”

“You will not speak like that to me!” Elira raised her hand to Kienna’s face, a motion even Connak nearly rebelled against. He released Danek, his own hands reaching up to grab the queen.

Before he could grasp her wrist, a crowd emerged into the space—enormous people dressed in furs and carrying battle axes, coated in scars and tattoos. They were led by none other than Broan.

Kienna glanced back at them and rolled her eyes. Could her day get any worse?

Elira smoothed her dress and waited for five large men and women to enter, a flicker of distaste flashing through her eyes. She pushed that down quickly. Kienna noted it and turned fully to get a better view of the new visitors, seizing the moment to back away from Queen Elira. Danek and Connak enveloped her in safety.

Broan stood in front of three Viking men and one woman. She was a woman with ferocity burning through her sigils, fiery red hair, and a strength that carried in her stature. An older gentleman slowly followed. His back was bent. He wore a cloak patchworked from fur, hide, and bone-threaded leather. His beard spilled like frost down his chest, plaited with antler slivers and carved tokens. One eye was clouded white, but the other was sharp as a raven’s. He watched the room like he already saw how the tale would end. Kaelthar was with them, though he did not stand amongst them.

“This certainly doesn’t look like a warm greeting,” Broan grumbled, removing a long axe from his belt. He pushed the hilt to the ground. “We waited for fucking hours for you to open up. We eventually walked in.”

Kienna fixated on the axe. She couldn’t remember a time when Broan carried anything else but a dagger and his fists. A large axe fit his brutish stature, though she wondered if she missed an important step in Broan’s evolution that Danek may have left out. Judging by the surprise on his and Queen Elira’s faces, Broan must have discovered quite a bit more on his journey than intended.

“You walked in?” Seredai asked, her eyes wide. She and Elira shared a glance.

“I was expecting Kaelthar to send word for the two of you to return once an alliance was formed. We were not expecting…guests.” Elira’s tone remained cool. She approached the Viking clan, nearly floating as her dress dragged across the bark of the tree. “Welcome to all of you.”

“Elira, then?” said the Viking woman, holding out her hand to greet the queen. Her voice was steel. She didn’t ask permission to speak, only expected others to listen. The thick drawl on her words was pointed. Kienna instantly respected the way she commanded herself.

“I am Ingrid Darsen, daughter of Jarl Harlik. This is my brother, Lief. The elder is Skald Eirik.”

Elira cleared her throat. “Queen Elira.”

Ingrid dropped her hand after what felt like a disrespectful amount of time. She didn’t flinch, but a twitch at the corner of her mouth betrayed her contempt. Her eyes swept the chamber. Kienna followed the patterns of what she studied, calculating the hollowness beneath Tristian’s eyes, the tightness in Danek’s shoulders. Ingrid fixated on Kienna, staring at her as she continued to position herself behind Danek and Connak.

“My Queen.” Kaelthar stepped forward, bowing his head. Ingrid, Lief, and Skald turned to each other, sneers tugging their faces.

Broan ignored the gestures, turning to Kienna and Danek instead. He boasted a hearty greeting as he approached Danek with a brotherly handshake. “You fucking bastard,” he laughed. “Word traveled up the mountain about your sigil. And apparently, a new face.”

“I couldn’t let you have all the fun.” Danek grinned, grasping Broan’s hand warmly, their fists pulling to their chests.

Connak’s posture shifted. Kienna recalled a similar movement that he and Tislin shared before. Shame hit her in a fresh wave.

Broan and Danek pulled away. “Kienna.” Broan nodded in her direction. “I see you’re still alive.”

She stepped closer to Connak but revealed herself from behind. “Sorry to disappoint you.”

Broan laughed. “This is going to be fun.”

Kienna’s brows pinched together. She and Connak glanced at each other and then back to the Viking clan. Alister stepped off his platform and hissed, “I imagine there is meaning behind your abrupt interruption?”

“Aye,” Broan said.

Danek turned to Kienna and mouthed the word back to her. Broan had never spoken in such a dialect before, especially not in an accent as thick as the one rolling off his tongue. Kienna stifled a laugh, catching Seredai’s attention. She didn’t care. At least it wasn’t Elira’s.

Kaelthar straightened from his bow. “Jarl Harlik of the Mountainborn has sent us with a message.”

Elira studied the room, the people around her. Her posture tightened. She resumed the role of the queen entrusted with keeping the peace of the realm.

Appearances are everything, aren’t they? Elowen’s words drifted through Kienna’s mind.

Ingrid pushed her hair away from her shoulders and placed her hand on her hip. “If you want our alliance, Queen Elira must stand with her people and not above.”

Queen Elira didn’t move.