Rise (The Order of the Krigers #1)(39)

The fog had completely disappeared and scattered clouds shone in the sky. I moved between the tall pine and redwood trees, breathing in their heavy scents. A large falcon flew above me.

“Anders, if you’re from a neighboring kingdom, and Nelebek’s borders are closed, you must have entered before Morlet took over.”

His back stiffened, but he kept walking as if he hadn’t heard me. “Were you here on an assignment? Is that how you became cursed?”

He didn’t answer. I was about to ask him something else when Vidar grabbed my arm, stopping me.

“Leave him be,” he whispered.

“I have a right to know.”

“When he’s ready, he’ll tell you.” Anders had opened up a few times. I thought we were past this. “Besides,” Vidar continued, “he gets moody when he’s nervous.”

“What’s he nervous about?”

“He’s worried about you facing the trials.” Vidar headed in the direction Anders had gone.

Were the challenges a greater risk than either of them were letting on? “What happens if I don’t pass?”

He stopped walking and turned to face me. “If the magic within the cave doesn’t find you worthy, it will either tell you to come back later, or kill you.”





Chapter Eleven


Kill me? That didn’t make any sense. Not ready was understandable, but not unworthy. Otherwise, the women in my family wouldn’t have been chosen to be Krigers.

“This is why I tried not to tell you too much.” Vidar pinched the bridge of his nose. “I thought it would be easier if I kept my distance, let you retrieve your weapon, and then told you everything.”

“Easier?” I repeated, my fury building. “How many Krigers have died during the trials?”

“I don’t know,” he mumbled, diligently avoiding eye contact.

“One? Two? A dozen?” He had to have a general idea.

“Most have passed,” he answered, attempting a smile to placate me. “But over the hundred or so years that I’ve been doing this, there have been half a dozen who were told to return when they were worthy and a handful who never exited the cave.” He reached for my shoulders, squeezing them. “Anders is worried because you’re young. He’s afraid you’ll be told to come back, and then we won’t be able to free the Krigers.”

“And end your curse,” I muttered.

“That’s not it,” he insisted. “Those eleven men sitting in the dungeon being tortured are our friends.” His eyes became glassy.

Shame filled me for doubting Anders. “I’ll do my best to rescue them.”

“That’s all we ask.”

“But … what if I die trying to retrieve it? Since the twelfth Kriger is a female from my bloodline, how does it work if I’m the last one?”

“I’m not sure.” He released me and started walking away.

He was hiding something. “Tell me what you know,” I said, jogging after him. He didn’t respond. I was sick and tired of him keeping things from me. Reaching for his wrist, I grabbed him. “Tell me.”

Vidar tried pulling away. “I don’t know.”

I squeezed his arm tighter. “Tell me.”

He chuckled. “Luckily, I’m wearing the medallion, or your anger would strike me down.”

I released him but held my ground. “Please tell me.”

“I asked that very question of Grei Heks,” he said, rubbing his arm. “She laughed and said, ‘She is not the end, but the beginning, of that I am certain.’ Then she proceeded to tell me that you and I—”

A scream pierced the air. Vidar’s eyes widened, and he took off running. I sprinted after him as he crashed through the forest searching for Anders.

At a small clearing, Vidar spun in a circle, frantically searching the area. “I don’t see any trace of him,” he said. “His trail just ends.”

There weren’t any signs of a scuffle, no animal footprints in the soft dirt, and no arrows lodged in the nearby trees. Anders couldn’t have just disappeared. Then I remembered falling through a small hole in the ground and landing in the dark cavern below ground.

Kneeling, I started pushing the leaves aside, searching for a hole. Usually Anders was so careful and aware of his surroundings that it was hard to believe he could have fallen into a cavern. The possibility of him being hurt or dead was terrifying. Crawling, I retraced the footprints to a section where there were two sets of prints. Following the one that wasn’t as pronounced, they veered off to the side by the rocks. My hands started to tingle.

“Vidar,” I called. “Over here.”

“What is it?” he asked, joining me.

“He fell through a hole in the ground right around here.” We both shoved leaves and pine needles aside, searching the area. A small, black section hidden in the shadow of a tall redwood tree caught my attention. Lying flat on my stomach, I reached forward. As my hand slid into the shadow, the ground beneath disappeared.

“Anders?” I hesitantly called out. A moan sounded from below.

Vidar knelt next to me. “Are you okay?” he yelled down.

There was no response. “Do you have any rope?” I asked Vidar.