Sacrifice (The Snow Queen #2)(26)

The army officers looked to each other in concern. The magic users appeared to be less worried, but many of them sported wrinkled foreheads and furrowed brows.

“The need to end the conflict supports my previous suggestion. We must travel south and begin facing Tenebris if we hope to defeat the Chosen while the princess can use her magic,” General Halvor said.

“Couldn’t you limit your usage?” Colonel Danr asked.

“I can,” Rakel agreed, “but it will greatly limit my combat abilities. I’ll be reduced to performing magic directly on soldiers and creating ice weapons. I won’t be able to cause avalanches, block roads with snowfall, or create structures of ice.”

Colonel Danr nodded in satisfaction and swiveled his gaze to General Halvor. “Very well. Where, then, do you wish for us to establish our new base?”

General Halvor pointed on the map to a village in the south. “The landscape around Tana will best suit our needs and is in a position to receive backup from the capital or Glowma. As we continue to push south, we will change our main fortification, but Tana will remain a key outpost in our communication relay.”

“I thought Tana was abandoned. Most of its residents fled to Glowma or Ostfold when the Chosen swept in,” a soldier said.

“Correct,” General Halvor said. “It has been abandoned. We plan to ask for volunteer citizens to come with us.”

“Commoners should not be taken so close to the battlefield,” Frodi objected.

“Perhaps, but we need a support crew. The Battle of Gaula has left us poorly outnumbered. We need every soldier we can get. They cannot be spared to do the cleaning and tasks that soldiers normally do when moving as a unit,” General Halvor said.

“You will leave some soldiers in Ostfold and Glowma?” Steinar asked.

General Halvor bowed. “With your leave, my King. We will leave reinforcement troops in both cities, and a squad of guards to protect you.”

“The guards are unnecessary. I will travel with the army to Tana.” Steinar raised his chin—Rakel recognized it as a sign of stubbornness, for she had often done the same thing herself.

Again the room was swaddled in whispers—these more softly uttered and guarded as they gaped at the young king.

“With all due respect, my king, it is far too risky,” General Halvor said.

“Rakel will travel with you—and she should be the Queen,” Steinar said.

Rakel took a step towards her brother and wondered how she could intimidate him into silence. For so long, I have wished he would participate in our plans—but I did not think he would utter such stupid things! He’s worse than Phile. Is this what it means to have a sibling?

“I have magic,” Rakel reminded him.

“I’m going,” Steinar said.

Rakel’s chin also rose as she narrowed her wild blue eyes at him.

“Am I not King?” he asked.

The words sounded boastful, but Rakel understood their meaning. He will let me overrule him, but then I will be the ruler of Verglas. She glared at him.

Steinar stared back at her with the same emotionless mask she usually wore when facing someone uttering death threats.

Blast him for looking so much like me!

“If you wish to come with us, my king, we will begin planning for it,” Halvor said. “However, I do not feel it is a tactically wise move. To have the two remaining members of the royal family present on the battlefield would be…risky.”

“If I die or am taken captive, Rakel can rule,” Steinar said. “I give her my blessing.”

“If you die or are taken captive, I will already be incapacitated,” Rakel promised.

Steinar tilted his head. “If you are incapacitated, the fight will be over and the war lost.”

Why did I ever long to meet him? He’s such a little troll! Though Rakel’s thoughts were furious, she did grudgingly admire him. He’d been held captive in his own palace under threat of death. He had great courage to insist on going to the new base camp.

“Very well, my king,” General Halvor conceded after a few horribly stilted moments.

“No, it’s too dangerous,” Rakel said.

“Aw, Little Wolf,” Phile said, popping up to her feet. “You’re just being a protective older sister.” She threw her arm around Rakel’s shoulders and dragged her close. “You want him to rule? Then leave him be. If he doesn’t do anything heroic or brave, the people won’t follow him,” she whispered.

“As you wish,” Rakel said stiffly. She knew there was truth to Phile’s words, but her concern still crackled like thawing ice in the back of her mind. She slipped away from Phile and Halvor and went to sit down in her chair next to Steinar. “I should have let Phile dress you in a Bunad,” she muttered.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“We’ll have a better idea of the size of our travel party when we see how many villagers volunteer to move with us and establish our new camp, but I plan to send two waves of forces. The bulk of the villagers will travel with the second wave,” General Halvor said, starting to map out the details.

The officers took notes, and the magic users listened thoughtfully.

“Before we leave, all soldiers—and volunteers—will be debriefed on Tenebris Malus’s magic, as well as the magic we know his officers possess,” Halvor continued.