Frey Saga Book II: Pieces of Eight Read online

  Steed shrugged. "I believe the elders had, inadvertently, led the notion." My eyes narrowed. "But, as I said, I was not here then," he explained, closing the subject.

  I was reeling. I knew my face was a reflection of that and he watched me patiently, letting me assemble my thoughts.

  A movement by the doorway caught my attention and I was annoyed to see the same servant, sure she was watching or listening to us. I shook my head; it irritated me unreasonably.

  Steed chuckled, unaware of the spectator. "A bit overwrought?"

  I unintentionally shot him a severe glance.

  "Was that a threat?" he teased.

  I was too cross to think he was funny but when he unexpectedly lunged at me, sweeping me up from the chair. My breath rushed out of me in a huff and I found myself laughing as I was swung in head-spinning circles around the huge room. Mid-swing, we caught sight of Ruby leaning against the entryway, her arms crossed as she sported a heavy smirk.

  Steed set me down abruptly and I tottered briefly before regaining my balance. "Merely training," he said to Ruby as she stood shaking her head.

  "Well, since it seems you have things fully under control, you might as well continue her training while I grab a bite to eat," she answered.

  "Here?" I asked. They looked at me like I was an idiot, but surely there was a reason we had the practice rooms.

  "Why not?" Ruby said. "You should be prepared for anything, after all."

  I nervously surveyed the room. There were a lot of knives. I was sorry I'd noticed as the metal started to rattle against the smooth planks of table. I took a step back and Steed laughed. When I realized I'd given him the idea and would have to avoid being so obvious, my mouth screwed up in a grimace. Ruby joined his laughter as she situated herself to better enjoy the show.

  I watched the corner of Steed's mouth pull up slightly and then cringed as I realized what was coming. He threw me a quick wink just before the first knife barreled toward me.

  My first reaction was to close my eyes and duck but instead I forced myself to counter his move. Though I still resisted, my eyes squinting partially shut, I flung my hand, palm out toward the blade, and turned the knife just before it reached me. I relaxed a fraction due to my success, but the blade rebounded from the floor as a second one joined it, both flying directly toward me, faster this time. I focused on them, and then further out to Steed, as I pushed them back, flipping the blades toward him and willing them to my target. He efficiently knocked them aside and lost his playful smile as he focused on the others.

  An assortment of knives was now heading directly for me at an alarming rate. I steadied myself, intending to stop them all with one move, when Chevelle’s voice broke my concentration. “Are you throwing knives at her?”

  The blades clattered to the floor as Steed blanched at the accusation and Ruby choked on a laugh or her food (or both). I flushed, though I’d technically not been at fault this time.

  Ruby, still smiling, stood as she said, “I’ll take her to the practice rooms and catch her on fire instead.”

  Chevelle appeared to be in a foul mood. “No, I’ll take over.”

  I didn’t understand it had been a dismissal until Ruby winked at me, almost apologetically, as she turned to go. Steed bumped his elbow at my side on his way past, and I watched them as he followed her through the door. My throat was thick when they disappeared. I forced my gaze to meet Chevelle’s but he wasn’t watching me.

  He stepped over to the table, taking a seat away from the trays, and motioned for me to join him. My legs felt like lead but I forced them to move.

  I sat on his side of the table, but left a chair between us. It was awkward, but I didn’t want him to see my hands tremble, hear how I struggled to breathe evenly. He didn’t seem to notice and, after a moment, I wasn’t sure he even realized I was waiting for him to speak.

  The silence built and, as usual, I panicked, blurting out a ridiculous and unnecessary statement. “It was kind of my fault, I looked at the knives and-”

  My defense of Steed broke off when Chevelle looked up at me, perplexed by my words. I could see then that he’d not been thinking of anything resembling my training and my mind raced to figure out what could have him so… concerned. Too slow as always, I recalled seeing him earlier, a tense meeting with Ruby and Steed. I’d been so caught off guard by the confusing emotions of the Rune and arranged marriage revelations that I’d not noticed the atmosphere - and then my mind caught up and I asked before I could stop myself, “What did Junnie say?”

  He looked surprised and then, finally, nodded slowly before he began in his practiced, careful tone, “You’re remembering more?”

  I flushed again at his question, unsure of the implication, and then could only nod in reply.

  I thought he was embarrassed for a moment before he explained more clearly. “About council?”

  “Oh,” I started, “um, I don’t know.” Ugh. I tried again. “Well, I had remembered some of them, mostly just their faces. But, well, the things I’m getting lately,” I blushed, “they are more about… me.”

  “You?”

  “Well, the old me, I guess.” His eyes were on me and I couldn’t stop the flow of babble. “And other stuff. I remember Anvil and stones and… and the path.” It took all of my strength not to mention Rune and the lightning and the broken him on the floor. Fortunately, no part of me could even consider speaking the marriage details.

  He didn't reply as he watched me, but his jaw tightened.

  "What?" I asked, defensive as if he could somehow read my thoughts.

  He shook his head and relaxed his face a fraction. I waited. After what seemed to be an eternity, he finally spoke. "It's just... frustrating."

  I nodded in agreement automatically, I knew exactly how frustrating it was to have lost the memories, but then what he'd said sunk it. He was frustrated by it. I examined the idea, thinking how my binding affected him, all they'd had to do to protect me: taking care of the things that were supposed to be my responsibility, keeping my fragile brain safe by ferreting away all those secrets, grrr... And then, I briefly thought of the last of those secrets that had been revealed, the one I'd done my best to avoid thinking about, and I wondered if that was the cause. I flushed before I'd even had the chance to consider all the ramifications of that, couldn't think of all those inexplicable looks he'd given me, all the times he'd seemed as if he might reach out to me, couldn't begin to reclassify all that had passed between us in the months since I'd met him. Thought I'd met him.

  I glanced at Chevelle, sure my flush would have him moving from me as usual, but he just stared back at me. That was worse.

  I fluttered. "Why are you meeting with Junnie, if she is Grand Council?"

  It didn't really sound like an accusation, but his brow raised for an instant before he sighed quietly and answered, "It is complicated, Frey."

  I gave him a sardonic smirk. What isn't?

  He reluctantly began, "While Junnie was a leader of Grand Council, she also-"

  "What?" I interrupted.

  It took him a second to realize what had confused me, and then he was irritated again. "Yes, she was a leader." Before I had a chance to question him further, he continued, "She does not strictly adhere to their ideas." He had to hold a hand up to stop me from cutting in again. "She is helping us protect you for many reasons but you must remember, she is your mother's aunt."

  "She's meeting you to protect me?" I'd heard the words so often they'd begun to have a negative connotation. He nodded but I could see there was more. I thought of the times she'd met them before, warning of Fannie and I wasn't certain what else. "So what did she say I needed protection from this time?"

  He hesitated a moment while he formed an answer. "It is not merely protection, she has her own tasks as well."

  "What?" I asked, suddenly brave.

  He leaned forward as he answered and the courage vanished in an instant. "Freya, there is much you do not know."


  That much I did know. I swallowed hard and asked a question I thought he would answer. "So Junnie was fighting council to protect me?" I thought of the battle before I'd regained part of my memories, before I'd learned I'd been intended to rule. She'd fought against her own, but she'd pursued Asher with vengeance.

  "She was protecting you, yes, but she has also had issues with the current leaders of council." I watched him, my face pleading for more information. "I realize that Rhys and Rider have filled you in on Fannie and the events that led to the..." His words trailed off as my face paled at the mention of my mother, death, and destruction.

  I collected myself and nodded for him to continue.

  "Junnie feels that the event was used as an excuse to rout the leadership and cut the defenses of the northern rule. While she disagreed severely with the events that had taken place, she kept with you and Fannie in the village to ensure your safety until those that intended harm were located."

  I was astonished, even though I knew I'd merely gotten the briefest of explanations, to protect my fragile brain.

  "So, she left the village because we were safe."

  It was meant as a statement but Chevelle answered, "No." My brows raised so he explained further. "She left when I had taken her place." My mind filled in the words he didn't say, protecting you.

  I struggled to keep breathing normally, my head was spinning, my stomach twisted. "Why?"

  I was baffled and it came out as a general question, but he thought I'd meant Junnie's leaving. "She contacted me when the first council elder was killed."

  Now I was lost. "What?" came out just as the why had before.

  "Quinn of Loelle was slain." I stared at him, completely mystified, until he cleared it up with three words. "By an animal."

  I gasped.

  I was trying to force the disturbing information to settle in the disorder of my mind when a flash of something distracted me. I glanced to the doorway to see who it was but there was no one there. I looked back at Chevelle but he was gone. At a loss, I scanned the room for him, only to find that he was coming back in through the door. It took me a second to catch up, he must have seen something too, went to check quicker than I could notice in my fog. He was furious.

  "What is it?" I asked.

  He shook his head as he advanced toward me, taking my arm and leading me from the room. "I shouldn't have expected to be alone with you."

  I was confused, until we found the others.

  Chapter Nine

  Follower

  Chevelle led me to a room I'd never seen and, before I could register that Rhys and Rider were there with Grey, he started spitting out orders. "Grey, take Frey to Ruby and stay with them." He turned to the others. "Storm must be located, she is likely already outside the walls." They only nodded in understanding as I struggled to grasp what had happened. And then my stomach twisted. She was watching us.

  Suddenly, the men spun and left the room. Grey had moved at the same time, grabbing my arm to escort me as I tried to watch the others. He didn't speak as we hurried through the corridor and his posture brought me with him to the gravity of the situation. I focused, watching and listening as we moved through a part of the castle that was new to me. We turned a dark corner and he glanced quickly behind us once more before he opened a heavy door and pushed me through before closing it behind us.

  My breathing was steady as I scanned the room, but as soon as I saw Ruby I loosened enough that worry sprang to the surface. She was calm as she looked to Grey, waiting for his explanation.

  "Storm," was all he replied, his jaw tight, but Ruby's eyes flashed and she almost seemed to blaze with anger. I stared at her open-mouthed until she composed herself, a moment later.

  "What is going on?" I asked, my voice strained.

  Ruby, abruptly wearing bright eyes and a gentle smile, assured me, "Don't worry, Frey. It's fine."

  I might have snorted.

  She conceded my point. "How much did Chevelle explain to you?" she asked. I felt my brows raise and she sighed. "He was supposed to be conveying some important information to you?"

  I thought back to our conversation. "Um, Junnie and council." My words were short but my mind was roiling. Junnie was my family and wanted to protect me so she was warning my guard, but she didn't agree with council, though she was previously a leader, council used my mother as an excuse to destroy the North and its rule, Junnie stayed with me in the village but she left when a council member was killed by an animal. "... and Fannie," I finished.

  She shook her head and mumbled knew I should have done it myself before asking, "Exactly what did he say of Fannie?"

  Chevelle hadn't actually pointed her out as the attacker but I answered anyway. "Quinn of Loelle." She nodded in understanding. "And then we were interrupted."

  "Okay," she said, "sit down."

  I swallowed hard as I complied.

  "I am aware that you have been through much, Frey. We have tried to shield you as long as possible," she peered into my eyes, "but it is time."

  I clenched my jaw against the panic.

  "So you know about Asher-" My puzzled expression stopped her, "He didn't tell you about Asher?"

  My head shook just a hint.

  She cursed. "Please enlighten me precisely on what you do know."

  I was in disarray, so I simply gave her a brief summary of the information I'd gotten from Rhys and Rider regarding Fannie and Asher, skipped over the part about the Rune dreams and arranged marriage details, decided against relaying what Steed had told me about my fairy issues, and gave a quick review of Chevelle's abrupt telling of the Junnie/council subject ending with Chevelle taking her place when the council elder was attacked because someone was after us.

  Ruby was confounded for a moment before deciding where to begin. "All right. So, the first thing you need to know is who they were protecting you from." She stared directly into my eyes, as if willing me to remain calm as she spoke in a low and steady tone. "Asher."

  Her manner didn't make any sense to me at first. I sat, staring blankly back at her until it sunk in. Protecting me. My mind was spinning so I wasn't aware I was speaking until I heard the words, "But that doesn't make any sense, he was at your house, Chevelle was meeting him, he was there..."

  I felt her hand on my shoulder. "Stay with me, Frey." The turmoil must have been transparent. "There is a great deal you do not yet know," she continued. I thought I was nodding, but I lost focus on the movement when I'd realized why they were hunting Storm, who she was watching for. A notion flashed that I was picking up things much faster than I was used to just before the blackness took me.

  The murkiness of sleep was broken briefly by a conversation that I couldn't quite grasp. A man's voice sounded foggy and far away. "No, that's not why. Ruby didn't even get that far before she..." And with the mention of her name, I heard Ruby jump in, closer to me. "... I'm afraid to tell her the rest. She can't seem to bear..." And then a deep voice, further out. "... I don't know how... it sickens me, she'll certainly not be able to tolerate..." And then I was gone, floating in a wordless dream surrounded by dark stone and jagged, misshapen rock.

  I came to slowly. The room was quiet and dim. I sat up gingerly, rubbing my temples and then ran a hand over my face as if it could wipe away... well, everything. It didn't. I dropped my hand to my lap and it landed with a thump, as if the limb were dead. I sat, staring blankly, thinking I was alone, for a long moment. When there was a sound in the darkness across the room from me, I reacted automatically and was shocked when I heard the solid thud of someone's body hit the block wall behind them. As I was processing what had happened, I'd just enough time to realize the noise I'd heard was merely someone clearing their throat before the room lit bright and I saw Grey regaining his footing, giving me a serious scowl.

  "Aw, shit," I cursed. He'd been politely letting me know he was in the room, watching me, and I'd tossed him against the wall. I was halfway across the room to him now, hoping to somehow help or a
pologize, but he stopped me, clearly uninjured.

  He shook his head but I could see a smile working its way through. I flushed and then tottered the slightest bit before he closed the distance and steadied me. "I think we both need to sit down," he suggested.

  He led us to a set of chairs positioned against the wall below a massive tapestry.

  "Are you all right?" I asked sheepishly.

  He smiled. "You are one dangerous charge, Freya." I flushed again. "But I am glad your instincts have returned," he reassured me. "Are you well?"

  I nodded and he raised a brow questioningly. "Yes, it's just... so much."

  "I understand," he said.

  I dropped my head to my hands for scarcely a moment before the door opened, I looked up to see Steed come in.

  "Inner chamber," he directed Grey.

  Grey stood and bowed slightly to me before swiftly leaving.

  Steed took his place in the chair beside me. "Elfreda."

  I tried to smile at him but couldn't pull it off.

  "It's all right, Frey," he said.

  "It's not," I blurted out before I could compose myself. "Everything is wrong, and different, and so... ugh." His expression was sympathetic and I found myself babbling, "I mean, all of a sudden I'm a lord and I have all these people after me and I hate fairies and attacked Anvil and secrets are everywhere in my dreams and the one person who I can't even speak to without falling apart is supposed to be my betrothed-" The flow cut off as my hand came up to cover my offending mouth, but it was too late, the words were out.

  Steed didn't seem shocked, he was merely watching me calmly.

  I sat frozen for a few moments before I finally asked, "You knew?"

  I didn't specify what, it was plain by my reaction that I was referring to the arranged marriage. He simply replied, "It was common knowledge among the kingdom."

  I felt the surprise on my face, sure he'd shown far too much interest in me for having known.

  He caught my response and leaned forward as he explained in a low voice, "You denied him, Freya."