Heart of Ice (The Snow Queen #1)(53)

“Yes, but you used a lot of your magic—not only during the battle, but when you were fine-tuning your ability to produce ice swords,” Phile said.

“Should I go get some stew for the princess, Mistress Robber Maiden? I imagine she will soon be quite hungry,” Kai said.

“Please. Gerta, would you get her something to drink?”

“Aye-aye, Captain!” Gerta said, snapping a salute with her wrong hand. She trundled out of the room after Kai, humming as she went.

“Where am I?” Rakel eased back down in the bed, recovering her breath from her bout of panic.

“Glowma. We took the city after you scared most of the soldiers outta town.”

“I remember that. What happened to Farrin and the other mages?

“Frodi got them out with his fire magic. He almost made himself sick eating a pot of stew—that’s part of his rules for magic: he can’t cast more energy than he’s consumed—but he got them out by sunset.”

“But what about Farrin?”

“Ah, yes. Ragnar’s elf-warrior friend took care of him.”

“Did you say elf warrior?”

“Mhhmm. Mystical being—real big into trees and such. You haven’t heard of them before?”

“No.” Rakel flattened her lips, disappointed with her ignorance. I will research them when this war is over.

“Can’t say I’m surprised—they’re rarer than a unicorn sighting—but I thought with all your book reading you might have seen something. Anyway, Farrin put up a good fight and got her pretty good a few times, but she struck him unconscious right after your grand finale. His little minions took him and ran.”

“And Captain Halvor let them?”

“He didn’t make the call. He’s been in the infirmary with a thigh wound—he’s fine, but he lost an unhealthy amount of blood and was out of it.”

“Was it Oskar, then?”

“Of course not. He would have had Farrin’s heart on a pike. No, Oskar was holding talks with Glowma city officials and the Verglas army officers that were held prisoner here.”

“Then, who?”

“Me, of course!” Phile said with a broad smile.

“You let him go!” Rakel shouted.

“Of course.”

“Stop saying ‘of course’!” Rakel threw a pillow at her. “Why would you do that?”

“Say ‘of course’? I guess it’s a catchphrase.”

“No. Why would you let Farrin go?”

“Because you call him by his first name.”

Rakel stared at her, torn between pelting the Robber Maiden with snow and smothering her with a pillow.

“Don’t give me that look. You’re the one that has some kind of strange relationship with him,” Phile said, holding her hands up.

Rakel was aghast. “Relationship?” She was so unsettled and shocked, she couldn’t keep her jaw from dropping.

“Yes. You are friends—which I approve of, you know. He is even more handsome than Captain Halvor and Oskar, if you go for the brooding, mysterious type. Haven’t you noticed?”

Even though she had been unconscious for nearly a day, Rakel felt very tired. “No, I have not spared any thought or time to consider whether or not Farrin was attractive. I’m trying to save my brother and a country. Now, please explain why you felt being on a first-name basis meant he was free to run off.”

Phile smiled at her like a pleased dog. “It’s because there was a very real chance that Oskar or Captain Halvor would have him executed before you woke up. Naturally, my only option was to let him go.”

“No, there were at least half a dozen options you could have chosen from.”

“Then would you have approved of his execution?”

Rakel sighed. She’s not going to drop this, so I may as well move on. Although it is interesting that she also noted some oddities in his behavior… “I hope Oskar and Halvor have made you pay for your actions?”

“Yes. Halvor won’t talk to me.”

“And Oskar?”

Phile jutted her lower lip out. “Oskar is much meaner and more deviant, did you know that? He took Foedus.”

“And you let him?” Rakel asked, shocked.

“Of course not. Who do you think I am, a sniveling maiden? I stole it back the moment he turned away,” Phile said, flipping the hideous dagger out of her sleeve.

“I got goat milk!” Gerta announced as she ran back into the room, carrying a mug and a wooden pitcher.

Rakel held the mug as Gerta poured. When the little girl watched her eagerly, she took a cautious sip. “It is delicious. Thank you.”

Gerta almost jumped in her joy. “I’m glad you like it! Kai is getting you some bread to go with your stew, too. Master Oskar and Captain Halvor are with him.”

“I believe I suddenly have a need to stretch my legs,” Phile said, popping into a standing position.

“Phile,” Rakel said.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back to regale you with stories later—when I’m certain I won’t be abused for the genius of my ideas.”

Phile got halfway across the room before Oskar and Captain Halvor filled the doorway.

“Princess, I’m glad to see you are looking so well,” Oskar said with a dazzling smile.