Page 143 of The Ashborn

Kienna shook her head.

“Vikings are wardbreakers. It’s a beneficial alliance.”

It was shocking to hear that any species in this realm could break wards. “Broan couldn’t do that.” At least, Kienna didn’t think he could. “He couldn’t open the gate to Trinity. He couldn’t escape River Storm on his own… Could he?” Kienna expressed the question out loud, not sure why she was entertaining the queen’s conversation.

Elira huffed, clearly annoyed that Kienna had expressed any thought about it. “Breaking wards is not done randomly. It takes training. Some of the Vikings have it. My guess is that sister of his can, and that’s how they got into Trinity without us knowing. It’s not common knowledge. Regardless,” she waved her hand to wipe the conversation from existence, “I have plans for you, Kalyra.”

“Kienna.”

“I do not care what you claim to be. If you are the heiress, you will be Kalyra.”

Kienna’s jaw tightened. She pressed her charm between her fingers, wondering if the queen would speak to her with such indifference if she had her power surging at the base of her skin. “What are you proposing?”

“Walk with me.” Elira motioned through her palace toward an opening to a terrace. The balcony shone with luminescent blues and purples.

Kienna swallowed her pride and followed.

The queen stepped out, a warm, comforting breeze greeting them. “What do you see out there?”

“Mountains,” Kienna replied. All she could see were mountains to the south. Between the forest and the mountains was an expansive grassland. Tall grass waved in the early night under the moon. It went on for miles. More than miles. It would take days, even on horseback, to ride to the next landmark. Beyond the mountains, there was nothing. It’s as if the world stopped. It reminded her of River Storm.

“Those mountains stand as our barrier. If the Vikings can break wards, they break those. It is better that they are on our side to prevent whatever is out there from getting in.”

“Sounds an awful lot like what King Vaerin told us in River Storm. He had his own barrier, as you know. I spent my whole life protecting it. You know what he told us?” Kienna asked, searching the queen to see if she already knew. “He said we had to keep the barrier closed to protect us from the evil demons beyond. Are you claiming there are demons out there?”

“No.” Elira rolled her eyes. “The Mother of Demons.”

Kienna could barely pretend to be afraid. Everything sounded the same as her upbringing, and it all turned out to be a lie. How did she end up stuck in another warded city, fighting to keep out evil festering beyond? It was a circle, never-ending. “You’ll have to excuse me if I don’t buy into that story as easily.”

“You are not trapped here as you were in River Storm. Do you not wander the realm freely?” Elira asked. “Do your friends not have the freedom to be whatever they want to be? Do they keep their heads with sedition?”

Kienna jerked her head to the queen. She couldn’t pinpoint what Elira was alluding to exactly. She tensed all the same.

Elira continued. “I want to send you to those mountains. Seredai has requested your presence there. You will be taught by the greatest Elvish scholars there have ever been, and they will surely make a regal woman out of you.”

“Near the wards?” Dread crept through every inch of Kienna. The last thing she wanted was to go live in another place like River Storm. Though the mountains clearly looked open and expansive, they were guarded, yet again, by more wards. “If I refuse?”

“You will not,” Elira said.

The statement nearly took Kienna aback. “I have other plans.”

“You do not. You are the heiress. You will go to the mountains and keep the Viking alliance alive so the Mother of Demons does not prevail. You will do as I say, or you will be executed. Your crimes against our people have not been forgiven because the barbarians demanded your seat at the table. You will go. You will learn how to be a strong Elvish ruler. And you will not be the Ashborn. Claiming that title claims the resurrection of Sinmara. So, be careful, or you will lose more than your life. You’ll have the death of the realm.”

So, do this, or she dies? Surely Connak and Tristian wouldn’t allow that. Still, Kienna’s mind lingered on Elira’s last sentence. The death of the realm? By whose hand? Was being the Ashborn more than she understood? From what Kienna read about, it came with blazing the evil away, turning it to ash. But why would she need to turn things to ash? She should have asked these questions before she spoke the name into existence, but it felt good to claim something. It still did. She claimed it because the people who brought her to it told her it was safe.

She wasn’t ready to give it up. Nor was she ready to be sent away.

Elira turned to the door. “You’re dismissed. Your escort awaits.” She leaned toward Kienna. “You will leave on the day of the first shedding of leaves. Understood?”

Without an answer, Elira excused herself. Santiana replaced her presence, taking Kienna by the elbow. “This way, Miss.”

She led Kienna outside the palace and across the bridge, where Connak waited for her. Ruva’s presence enveloped her mind with excitement as if she’d long been waiting for Kienna to emerge from the palace. We’ve been worried sick! We get sent away for hours while you talk to those awful people, and then no one can find you after. Where have you been? Don’t answer that! I know already. I’m just angry.

My Queen of the Ashes, Connak said as Kienna finished crossing the bridge. He held a reverent gleam in his eye.

“I’m not a queen,” Kienna said. She looped her arm into Connak’s and pulled him away from the palace. In her mind, she said, Elira wants to send me to the mountains.

Connak attempted to stop, but Kienna didn’t let him. There’s no one here who will allow that to happen.