Pieces of Eight (The Frey Saga, #2)(40)

Ruby was prepared to argue but he persisted, "But mostly, it's him." He indicated Chevelle with a tip of his head and my face flushed bright red.

All eyes turned to Chevelle as he watched Grey. It was several seconds before he finally reacted, glancing at me briefly and then walking from the room.

An unpleasant silence lingered until Grey spoke up. "I mean not to offend you, Elfreda."

"Uh, no, not at all," I stammered.

He glanced at Ruby, as if to extend his apology, and she sneered back at him. "Then we should carry on," he suggested to Rhys and Rider.

"Wait," I interrupted, not so anxious to resume, "what happened to the floor?" I glanced down as I spoke, seeing only the same, normal stone floor that had been so obviously writhing and swelling beneath my feet moments ago.

"Merely an illusion," Rider explained.

"And the ball of light?"

He smiled at my term. "Not an illusion. And quite painful, I might add."

I raised a brow at Rhys. "So, what's with the staff?" I heard a snicker and turned to glare at Steed, but he was gone; Grey tried to flatten his smile.

"It is merely an instrument to control my focus," Rhys explained.

"Even so," Rider said, "never hurts to have a big stick in hand."

The subtle, and painfully familiar, sound of Ruby's whip unfurling brought me around to face her as she spoke. "Earlier, Grey and I were discussing how helpful it would be to give Frey the experience of a more complete battle."

Understanding her intention, Rider stepped a pace back to open the group and Grey fell in beside Rhys, making a circle of sorts.

"I mean, even if we make her uneasy," she taunted, "it is not as if we will not be in battle beside her." I ignored the implication, knowing they were my guard, fully aware that, at this point, I would be no help in a fight, could in no way stand beside her. As I backed away from her, I simply concentrated on not getting hurt, but then, knowing that was next to impossible any time a whip was involved, I thought I might settle for not getting hurt badly.

"Do not think of us, Freya," Grey instructed. "Better still, do not think."

Geesh.

I was, actually, not thinking when the first strike fired, because I was shocked that Ruby's whip cracked not at me, but precisely at Grey's face. The split leather tip would have kissed his right cheek had he not vanished a fraction of a second before it made contact.

I started to gasp but before I'd drawn in the breath, Rhys' staff had reached forward and twisted Ruby's whip from her hand. She spun to plant a kick in Rider's chest but he threw his hand forward and tensed before she connected and she was flung back, landing low on her hands and feet a few yards back, like a cat set to pounce. Grey appeared suddenly, in the middle of the fray, and hurled his fists forward. I could almost see the force that flew from them as it impacted Rhys and Rider's chests, tossing them backward and nearly off their feet.

Someone was behind me and, without meaning to, I spun with my arm wide as I turned, heaving energy to block the assailant. When I saw Ruby pitch back, she was smiling and I realized I'd known she intended attack. I watched as she landed softly but, before I had a chance to speak, I felt it again, coming for my back, and I spun left, this time thrusting my right hand forward in the spin, under my left arm. I saw the energy hit Grey's chest and push him backward just as Rhys approached my side and the ground came from under my feet.

Before I hit the floor, I used the same force to push against it and straighten myself. I was very near regaining my footing when I was hit again, this time not prepared, and fell backward only to be shoved by some unseen force to standing. I was facing Rider now, several yards back, as he launched his fist forward. I knew what was coming for me and, unable to make time to find the others and a safe escape, I threw my own energy out in response. The two must have collided because, just a breath in front of me, the air seemed to explode.

"Very nice, Elfreda," Rhys commented and I realized they'd all returned to their relaxed postures. And then my legs collapsed.

I heard a few snickers as Ruby helped me to my feet and pulled a stool over. I was sitting down before I noticed Rhys was helping Rider to his feet. "What happened?" I asked, confused.

"You defeated him," Grey explained.

"How?"

"You overpowered him," Ruby said, but I couldn't tell if she was still annoyed or merely stunned. My mind tried to catch up with the mêlée I'd just not suffered through.

"How could I?" I almost whispered.

"What do you mean?" Grey asked.

"I mean, how could I have? I don't have near what anyone else has."

Though my voice was hushed, Rhys answered from where he stood. "Elfreda, you are of the most powerful line in the north."

I stared blankly at him, but Ruby seemed to understand. Probably because she'd read the flippin' diary. "Freya, though you are merely half elf, your mother was of the strongest line of light and dark. The magic that allows their rule may be lesser in you than your kin, but it remains stronger than most..." she glanced at Rider with an apology in her gaze as she searched for the right word, "others."

I sat silently as her words sank in and then took me to ideas that were wholly new to me. My mother's diary had said that Asher had taken Vita for her strength, and rumor of a unique power. My mother had been chosen as his secondary over Fannie, not merely because of her features, but because she'd hidden her gift from him. And then he'd had Rune train me. I thought of what I'd learned of the events that brought council to my mother on that unspeakable day. I examined the differences in the accounts that didn't come from Chevelle. Ruby had said the rise of the north, not the rule. And Rhys had called it "the issue of northern rule." They'd made it sound as if the north had been poised to take over everything before the conflict.