Rise (The Order of the Krigers #1)(24)

I didn’t care for the idea of him looking at me all night. However, if Morlet returned, I needed someone to wake me. “Thank you,” I said, trying to sound sincere.

“The pleasure is all mine.”

I preferred the assassin’s aloof demeanor to Vidar’s blatant flirting. It was going to be a long couple of days until Anders returned.





Chapter Six


When I peeled my eyelids open, the sun shone bright outside. I sat up and observed the disarray before me. The lower portions of my legs were tied with rope to Vidar’s hands and arms.

Lying on the bottom half of my bed, he looked up at me. “Morning,” he said, his voice gravelly.

“What happened?” I asked, not sure I really wanted to know.

He smiled. “After you fell asleep, you tried to leave. Several times, as a matter of fact. When I started to doze off, I tied myself to you to make sure you didn’t go anywhere.”

“What if I untied myself once you fell asleep?”

“I didn’t think of that.” Vidar chuckled. “Care to untie me now? Unless you prefer to stay this way?”

Heat coursed through my entire body. Taking a deep breath, I blew a stray hair off my cheek, trying to act nonchalant. “You mean to tell me you can’t undo a few knots?”

“I can.” He shrugged. “It’s just easier for you since your hands are free.”

I reached down and worked on the complicated knots. His face was only inches from mine as he sat there staring at me. “Stop watching me.”

“Why?”

“You’re making me nervous,” I admitted, pulling a knot free.

“Better?” he asked, facing the ceiling.

“Much. Do you know if there’s a way I can use my own power to block Morlet?” That way we wouldn’t have to resort to drastic measures—like being tied together—just to sleep.

“Not that I’m aware of,” Vidar answered. “It’s your power that allows him to connect to you in the first place.”

The last knot on my right leg came free. I moved to the left one, working as fast as possible. “So you’re saying the only way to stop him is with the medallion?”

“Correct.”

“How am I supposed to defeat someone so powerful?”

“You’re not,” he said, looking back at me. “That’s why there are twelve Krigers. It takes each Kriger with his own weapon, his own power, working together. Then, and only then, can Morlet be destroyed.”

I undid the remaining knot and moved away from Vidar, rubbing my ankles. “The other eleven Krigers are all imprisoned?” He nodded. “What about their weapons?”

“I suspect Morlet has stashed them somewhere in the castle.”

“And mine?” I stood and stretched.

“We’ll talk about it later.” He got up and grabbed his boots off the floor. “I don’t know about you, but I’m famished.” He left the room, whistling as he strolled away.

***

I bent over, resting my hands on my thighs, gasping for air.

Vidar patted my back. “You’re not out of shape, exactly, but there’s definitely room for improvement.” He stepped around me, not even winded, and walked along the dirt road that led to the center of the remote town. I hurried after him, still unable to believe he’d forced me to sprint the entire three miles here.

The village was nothing like the capital. All the buildings were single story structures of varying shades of brown, blending in with the surrounding land. The entire town was only a few blocks wide with a large, prominent farm on the west end. About a dozen people were in the field tending to the vegetables. Not a single soldat was anywhere to be seen.

Vidar took me to the only tailor shop in town. Inside the tiny store, a woman in her thirties sat sewing. Her blond hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and her blue eyes darted between Vidar and me. “Good to see you again, milord.”

He smiled kindly at her. “It’s good to see you, too, Aina.” He waved me forward. “My sister needs some help.”

She put her sewing down and stood to examine me. “What would you like?”

“Sturdy pants and tunics for working and moving freely about in,” he answered.

“No dresses?” the woman asked.

“She has no need for them.”

Aina picked up a long string with marks evenly spaced on it. “Let’s take some measurements.”

“That’s my cue to go,” Vidar said. “I’ll be back later. Take good care of … my sister.” He winked at me and ran from the store.

I bit my lip, furious he’d left me there. After being poked, prodded, and thoroughly measured, Aina ordered me to sit on a small wooden stool in the corner of the shop while she cut and sewed two pairs of trousers and three shirts.

An hour went by. I started to nod off. Needing to stay awake, I begged the seamstress to allow me to help. She reluctantly put me to work sewing the seams of my shirts, which apparently I didn’t do very well, but good enough.

Vidar finally returned, carrying several bulging burlap sacks. He paid Aina for my clothing, and I took the completed items. As we left the store, I inquired about the contents of the bags.

“Just some necessities, like food. Oh, and rope.” His eyes sliced over to mine, and he grinned.