Heart of Ice (The Snow Queen #1)(74)

Rakel regained some of her poise. “Oh?”

“Indeed. I had to assign one of my men—pardon, women—to spy on Chosen officers in order to ferret out the information.”

“Why would you do that? You seemed to hold great confidence in your superiors’ goals,” Rakel warily asked.

“Because what you said had some sense to it. Tactically speaking, Verglas is not a good country to take as our first land. Yet, since the beginning of our conquest, our leader has said again and again that it must be Verglas we take.” Farrin took a step closer and ignored the ice-swords that glittered like diamonds as they spun around him.

“What did you find?” Rakel asked, only half-believing he would share the information with her.

“The Chosen marched upon Verglas because there is a particular magical artifact that can be reached only by traveling through here. It is a mirror, and it is located in the northern mountain range, past the borders of your country.”

“A mirror?”

He nodded. “Several key leaders of the Chosen possess shards of the mirror,” he said, reminding Rakel how Phile had presented her with a mirror shard, claiming one of the Chosen leaders always looked at it. “I do not know why they want it, but I imagine it has something to do with power.”

Power? If they are only in Verglas for the mirror, what is their end goal? How much land will it take before they are satisfied?

“Why are you telling me this?” Rakel asked. “If anything, this strengthens my conviction against your cause.”

“I thought it would. If you didn’t find land a good reason to invade, it was even less likely you would approve of a mirror.” A smirk played on his lips.

“Then why?”

Farrin tilted his head, and she felt as if he were staring straight into her soul with his gray eyes. “I’m telling you because I respect you. Don’t you respect me?”

“Yes, but with the same respect I hold for the edge of a sword,” Rakel said.

Farrin smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I also wanted to warn you. If you insist on war, there is something you need to know.”

Rakel pushed a tendril of her snow-white hair out of her face. “Oh?”

“The leader of the Allegiance of the Chosen Army is a man named Tenebris Malus. The loss of Ostfold hasn’t been reported yet, but when he finds out, he will travel north. If he meets you, he will kill you.”

Rakel’s heart faltered, until she used icy dignity to calm herself. “For most of my life, I have dealt with death threats.”

Farrin shook his head. “Not like this. Tenebris won’t be satisfied with merely ending your life; he will rip your mind from you piece by piece. The curse you were inflicted with? That is his power.”

“And you willingly follow him?” Rakel asked, finding it difficult to accept. Whenever she encountered Farrin, she was usually flooded with fear, but not because she thought he would do something foul to her. If she was being honest, he reminded her a little bit of the knights in one of her few storybooks. Why would he follow someone so twisted?

“He saved my life. Without him, I would be dead—or worse,” Farrin said.

As Rakel wondered what the ominous “or worse,” was, his eyes flickered beyond her, and she heard a faint “Little Wolf!”

“I see it is time for me to go,” he said. In spite of his words, he drew closer to her. “Do not worry; your capital is safe, for now. Though I would appreciate it if you would return my property to me.”

“No,” Rakel said flatly.

Farrin breathed out in what might have been considered a hushed chuckle. She eyed him as he leaned into her, and she was about to point out the ice swords floating around them when he surprised her by kissing her on the cheek. He lingered longer than was friendly, his lips brushing the corner of her mouth. It was foreign, strange, and gentle like sunlight. Just as the warmth of his lips threatened to spread through Rakel’s body, he withdrew.

Rakel stared blankly at him. The bestowal of his kiss had caught her entirely off guard and unprepared, and it made her realize there was another reason why he gave her information. Yes, he very much resembles a storybook knight. Her eyes traced the scar that crossed his nose and cheek bones. But what kind of terrible things has he seen that have given him such a strange combination of formidableness and vulnerability?

“Be well, Your Highness.”

Finally aware of the bit of power she had over him, Rakel let her minty magic flood her for reassurance. Farrin was only two steps away from her when she asked, “Why do you return to them?”

Farrin turned around, his eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement.

“You obviously disagree with whatever nefarious business is involved with the mirror—and with the actions of your leader. In spite of your protests, I do not think the idea of enslaving non-magic users pleases you. Why work with them?”

“Because they are all I’ve ever had.”

Rakel felt a moment of empathy. She would do much to keep Phile, Oskar, and Captain Halvor safe. But even I—starved for acceptance and friendship—am not stupid enough to befriend someone as evil as his leader!

Recalling the tenderness of his kiss, Rakel asked, “And could nothing entice you to leave them?”

Farrin raised both of his eyebrows and shook his head, although the corners of his mouth curled up gently. He looked beyond Rakel again and, with a swirl of his cloak and a bit of his speed magic, disappeared.