Heart of Ice (The Snow Queen #1)(71)

“You think the people will want Halvor as king?” Rakel asked.

“No. I think they’ll want you,” Oskar said.

Rakel grimaced. “That’s not an option.”

“That doesn’t mean the rest of the country thinks that—including King Steinar himself,” Oskar said.

“You believe he fears I mean to take over the throne?”

“Can you blame him?” Phile asked, balancing Foedus on her fingertip. “You sweep in with your personal army, effortlessly freeing what his forces fought so hard to defend. Why would he think you mean to keep him on the throne and save the country out of the goodness of your heart? He knows he’s wronged you.”

Rakel allowed herself a tiny sigh. I can barely keep my mess of emotions together. Now I am expected to sort through my brother’s as well? “We had better straighten this out immediately, or it will grow worse. Is it possible to send word to General Halvor to return to the palace?”

“I’ll go tell him,” Phile said. “I haven’t ogled him enough the past few days—though I have greatly appreciated your company, Oskar.”

“Thank you. Please inform him we will be speaking with the King,” Rakel said.

“I don’t understand how you’re going to get Steinar to meet with us,” Oskar said.

“You seem to think I require his permission to speak to him,” Rakel said. “He is my little brother. I know very little about families, but I do know being born first gives me the right to occasionally order younger siblings around. Steinar will meet with us because I say so.”

Oskar nodded wisely. “Yes, that was a spot-on impersonation of a bossy-older-sibling.”

“I’ll be back with Halvor.” Phile gleefully made her way over to a window. “I wouldn’t miss this showdown for the world,” she added and then slipped outside.

Rakel started for the door, but she paused when Oskar said, “This will be your first time meeting him, yes?”

Rakel nodded.

“While I eagerly anticipate you forcing him to act his role, Princess, please allow me to remind you that this will also be his first time meeting you.”

Some of the stiffness in her shoulders left her. “I want him to like me, Oskar.”

“I know. And I think one day he might. But I imagine right now he must be terrified of retaliation and consumed with fear.”

Rakel was silent.

“It’s not your fault, Princess. He has only himself to blame, and he knows it. But…”

“I know,” she said, echoing his earlier words. She offered him a bitter smile and then looked down at her dress—it was the same one in which she had fought Farrin. “If you’ll excuse me, I would like to refresh myself before we meet him.”

Rakel slipped from the library, mentally retracing her path from her room to the library. I’m not certain I remember all the turns I took. I will have to ask for clarification when I get closer…but Liv and Knut reacted so oddly. Perhaps I should return to the library and ask Oskar?

Rakel was so deep in thought, she did not hear the feet approaching from an intersecting hallway, and as a result, she rammed straight into the unsuspecting walker, making them both totter.

“I apologize.” Rakel brushed off her skirt then risked a glance at her unsuspecting victim. She froze when she realized she was gazing into a face similar to hers.

Steinar.

They had the same hawkish nose and pronounced cheekbones. Her chin was sharper, and his ears stuck out more, but even the way they drew up their shoulders at the same time echoed of shared mannerisms. He had the same corn-silk blonde hair Rakel possessed in her younger days, though his eyes were more of a hazel-gray than blue.

Phile was right, though. While Rakel could barely pass as eighteen, Steinar would turn twenty this year. He looked far older and more weary, as though he had carried a great weight for a long time—though he had only been king for a few years.

Rakel wondered—with a pang—whose nose they had inherited and where their height had come from, because as far as she could remember, neither of their parents were particularly tall.

Steinar gave Rakel the same treatment. It was hard to judge the emotions that played over his face—mostly because Rakel had never seen such a wide variety of emotions flash across her face, and the resemblance was throwing her. She thought she detected a flicker of sadness, but fear won out as his eyes grew in size, and he took a staggering step backwards.

“Brother,” Rakel started to say. The word died on her lips when Steinar spun and fled back up the hallway, running from her. Her heart fell. Oskar had tried to warn her, but a small, stupid part of Rakel had hoped that when he saw her…he would see her.

I should have known better. I do know better. And now I also know better than to demand that he speak to General Halvor, Oskar, and the others.

Rakel slowly walked in the direction she thought her room was in. But we need him to work with us. What else can we do?



The following morning, Rakel ruefully inspected the ruin and wreckage she had heaped on the palace flower gardens.

Oskar and General Halvor were spending the day in the city—helping with the reconstruction—and Phile had slipped out with Snorri, to do scout work, probably. As Steinar was still hiding, Rakel had nothing to do…until she remembered that she had lain waste to the flower garden while cursed, and it would not do well to have such a reminder of the possible violence of her magic sitting around.