Sacrifice (The Snow Queen #2)(57)

“Sounds good,” Phile said. “We can go back to Tana with the messenger to let Halvor know how it went.”

“If he’s back from his assault on Dovre,” Rakel said, recalling the general’s other plans. Attacking Kiby was part of a two-pronged assault.

“He will have returned to Tana,” Farrin said. “His attack was to take place earlier in the day.”

“Excellent. Let’s get to the front gates, shall we? Though before we leave, I expect they’ll want you to thaw the gates and forge a block of ice to temporarily patch that hole in the wall, Little Wolf.” Phile rode off without waiting for a response, nudging her horse into a trot.

Farrin didn’t push their mount after hers. “Will you be able to make the patch without tapping enough of your magic to activate your price?”

“Yes. As Pordis and Phile let us in, I didn’t use much when we entered the city—which is usually when I expel a hefty bit of magic. I’ll be fine.”

Farrin shifted behind her, but his arm remained on her waist, and his hand clasped her side. Unused to the close contact—hugging her by the waist was something neither Phile nor Gerta and Kai often did—Rakel stifled the desire to shift and wiggle. Though Farrin’s hand and arm were covered with sleeves and a glove, she could feel his heat, and whenever he spoke, his breath caressed her right ear.

He’s very warm.

“Can you ride Frigid back to Tana, or should we ask Pordis if we can borrow one of her sleighs?” Farrin asked.

Disappointment stabbed her through the ribs. Rakel tapped her magic, sweeping away the ridiculous sensation and returning her clarity. “I would like to try patching the hole first and then see how late it is, though I suspect I will be able to ride.”

“We won’t reach Tana until late in the night,” Farrin said.

“I am aware of this, but whenever I sit in a sleigh and everyone else walks or rides, I feel…coddled.” Rakel frowned.

“You cannot help it,” Farrin said.

“I know, but it still bothers me.”

“Oi—are you two love birds coming? Or should I ride ahead to give you a moment of privacy—’cause you certainly won’t get that when we return to Tana,” Phile called far ahead of them.

Rakel scowled at her, but Farrin chuckled. “We’re coming,” he assured the Robber Maiden, though his lips lingered close to Rakel’s ear, and his arm didn’t leave her waist.

“I’m not saying you have to, I was just asking. As fond as I am of both of you, I’d rather avoid witnessing your tender moments.”

“Phile.” Rakel growled.

“Ohh, good job, Little Wolf! That was a decent impression of Handsome Halvor!”

Rakel held in a groan, but she did rub her forehead. “I am embarrassed to expose public proof of my questionable taste in friends.”

Farrin chuckled again and nudged their horse forward.

Someday I will see Phile unnerved. Rakel vowed. Someday!



Rakel had assumed all but the night watch—and probably General Halvor—would be asleep when they arrived in Tana. It was in the early hours of the morning, but dawn was still a long way off.

To Rakel’s surprise, the outpost was well lit and bustling with activity. Spotting a familiar face in the chaos, she called, “Knut.”

“Princess,” he saluted.

“Did something happen?”

Knut hesitated.

“Did the attack on Dovre go badly?” Phile furrowed her brow in worry.

Knut smiled. “No, it went quite well. The magic users chased the Chosen troops all the way to the Kozlovka border.”

“Really?” Phile beamed. “Excellent—two wins in a night! That will pull Tenebris’s beard.”

“Tenebris does not have a beard,” Farrin said.

Rakel eyed Tana. “If it wasn’t the attack, what is it?” No one was crying, and the air was crisp and clean—not heavy with the metallic scent of blood—but it seemed like all the villagers were up and huddled together.

Knut’s face lost its animation. “You see, Princess…”

“Princess!” Gerta hurtled across the village, running towards her with a tear-streaked face.

Rakel knelt so she could catch her and embrace her. “Gerta, what’s wrong?” Her mind raced with possible disasters. Did something happen to Hilda—or Kai and his magic?

Gerta gulped. “It’s Kai’s mom.”

Rakel released Gerta and placed her hands on her shoulders. “Was she injured?”

“No. She ran away!”

For a moment, Rakel felt relief. No injuries, no lost battles, no outbreaks of magic…and then her words sank in. She ran away. “With Kai?”

Gerta shook her head. “She left him.”

All the muscles in Rakel’s body went numb. She abandoned her child? Just like that? “There must be a misunderstanding.”

“She snuck out when Kai was sleeping. She took her clothes ’n a pack—she didn’t leave nothing of hers.”

Phile was incredulous. “And she left Kai behind?”

Gerta burst into tears, and Rakel wanted to join her. How could she? How could she abandon sweet and gentle Kai? “Gerta, where is Kai?”