Aaric shakes his head a couple of times and laughs softly. He touches his mouth to mine one more time with a brush of a kiss before he and the men begin to unload the bags.
I frown, looking around, realizing that we didn’t bring the ship with all of the livestock. I don’t know how we’re going to get to this capital city, unless this country has cabs, I think we’re screwed.
“Aaric?” I call out after one of the men has helped me onto the dock.
When he doesn’t answer me, I look around and realize that Aaric is nowhere to be found. Worrying my bottom lip, I gasp at the sight that greets me just a few feet away. There he is, on horseback, another couple of horses next to him and then a horse and a trailer type wagon in the back.
Without hesitating, his men start to move, as if this is completely normal. I watch as they load up the trailer-wagon thing then Aaric dismounts from the horse and begins to talk to them. I stay where I am, tugging the fur on my shoulders tighter as a chill slides through me.
Eventually, Aaric makes his way toward me. He holds out his hand and I slip mine inside when he is within arm’s length. “Winter is almost over here, whereas at home it is just beginning,” he says explaining the reason I have to tug this damn thing closed. It’s freaking cold.
He helps me onto the horse, he has to, I’ve never ridden one before. Then, thankfully, he climbs on behind me.
“I’ve never,” I begin to say.
He grunts. “I have you, Liv.”
We travel for about a week on horseback, just as he predicted. Thankfully, we’re able to find inns at small villages to spend the night. Aaric didn’t know what the language would be, but they freaking speak English here, so both of us can communicate easily.
Then it happens. The large village appears, it’s bigger than I anticipate, bigger than Attleview. In fact, it makes what I’ve seen of Wolfjour Ail look almost like a forgotten ancient culture. The castle comes into view and my jaw drops at the beautiful sight.
“A castle for my dróttning, there is nothing you can say to talk me out of it,” he grumbles against my ear.
I don’t dare say anything, every girl wants a fucking castle.
Aaric guides us to the gates, so far, our journey has been peaceful. There have been just a few million sideways glances and whispers, but nothing too serious. As soon as we reach the castle gates, that all changes.
“State your business,” a man’s voice booms.
“I am the King of the Sea, I seek King Elias,” Aaric barks.
The man doesn’t make a move to open the gate. Instead, he demands to know our purpose. Never once asking who we are.
“It is personal,” Aaric states.
When that doesn’t work. The stony-faced man just stares at us, not making a single move. I let out a sigh.
“I’m Queen Sybilla’s sister,” I shout.
The guard’s eyes widen, he turns his head to the side and shouts something that I don’t hear. He holds up his palm to us, as if to hold us where we are, like we’re going to run off and go anywhere else.
Suddenly the bridge starts to lower completely. There is a line of guards standing in front of the entryway. They are dressed in fancy chainmail and little tights with shields and swords at the ready. I almost laugh, Aaric’s men go into battle completely shirtless and these dudes look like they are ready for serious battle.
I hear her voice. My heart leaps out of my chest. Without even a thought, I throw my leg over the horse and slide down. Aaric calls out for me, his hand brushes my hair, but it doesn’t matter. All I can hear is Sybilla’s voice.
Rushing over the bridge, toward the men, I watch as they lift their swords and shield themselves as if preparing for battle. It doesn’t matter, they can pretend they have the biggest dicks in this crazy world, I just want to see my sister.
“Put those down,” she shouts as she pushes through them.
I hear a man shout her name, but she doesn’t stop, just like I didn’t. Then I see her. I stop in my tracks. She does too. We stare at one another for a moment before we launch our bodies into one another’s arms.
“Liv,” she rasps against my ear.
“Billa,” I cry.
It takes us a moment to compose ourselves. Maybe a little longer than a moment. Once we’re breathing semi-normally again, we wipe our eyes and take in one another.
“Sybilla,” a deep voice growls.
Lifting my gaze, I blink at the sight of a ruggedly handsome man walking up behind her. He has a vertical scar on his eye, from his forehead to his cheek and the most beautiful indigo eyes I’ve ever seen, but it’s that bundle that causes my heart to clench.
“Sybilla?” I breathe.
Her lips curve up into a big smile. “My son, Elias the second.”
Turning my head, I look back at Aaric. “They have a baby. I’m an auntie,” I cry.
He grins down at me, “You are, Liv.”
“Sybilla,” I call out.
“Liv,” she replies.
“We live in another world,” I announce.
“We do,” she agrees.
“Come inside, let us talk together in private,” the king practically growls. He seems just as jovial as my own husband and I almost roll my eyes at him, but decide against the action.
Aaric grunts, obviously agreeing with him. Together, the four of us walk toward Sybilla’s massive castle. Elias tells a few of his men to get our things and board the horses, then get the men some food and sleeping quarters.
Once we’re inside, I try not to gawk in awe of the opulence of Sybilla’s home. It makes me truly believe that Aaric’s homeland is way more archaic in all ways.
“Come to the chancery,” Elias announces.
Sybilla’s arm links with mine and Aaric stays close to my side as we make our way through the entryway and into an office. Before Elias can sit down, Sybilla takes the baby from him and slips him into my arms.
He’s absolutely perfect, in every single way. I tear up at the sight of him, knowing that this must be the work of some gods somewhere, we found one another, finally.
“How did you find out Sybilla was here? Your man just left this morning to take a letter back to you.”
Slowly, I turn to look at Aaric. He isn’t looking at me though. Instead, his jaw is clenched. We have to tell them that there was a witch who told us that Sybilla was here. That we thought he was the one who delivered the letter and came back to us by spiriting himself somehow.
“Does this mean that he was spying?” Sybilla asks.
I let out a sigh of relief. It doesn’t matter one way or the other, they are safe, they are all alive and that was our main reason for coming here. Aaric explains all of this to them. Elias frowns throughout the story, then his lips twitch into a smirk.
“This prophecy, it is real,” he mutters. “Sybilla and the babe are safe. I have two witches who have kept protection spells, and will keep them, over the two of them. What happens next?” he asks.
“Do you think we should send scouts to the other parts of the world for my other sisters?” Sybilla ask.
Elias and Aaric both lift their gazes and jerk their chins up at one another. “It isn’t a bad idea,” Elias murmurs.
“It is not. Do you have a map?”
“I do,” Elias grins.