Page 110 of A Spark So Bright
For all that she found those men a little uncomfortable to be around, she also knew damn well that they were very goodtacticians and were capable of far more than most gave them credit for.
Ragnar had a brilliant mind and knew how to survey a battlefield. He also knew what to expect in terms of damage when it came to bodies and all sorts of other details. He would be someone who would be able to know what would happen if someone, anyone, attacked certain places. They needed to prepare for injuries.
Bjorn knew how the minds of those in charge worked. He knew the ugly underbelly of this world, almost as well as she did. And he would be the only one who was capable of protecting them as well. The berserker in him was likely going to need to be called upon, as much as they all hated that as a truth. She knew, without a doubt, they were going to have to figure this out together.
Not to mention Maia and Astrid were intelligent women with significant knowledge and magic all on their own. If anyone would be able to figure out how to put the princess back in her place, it was these two women.
She refused to talk about anything that continued this fight without the two of them.
Which led the lot of them to a hidden room in the castle where Magnus led them. The prince was more than a little disgruntled that more people had been added to his plan. She didn't understand the why of it, but she figured they'd get there. The prince was, as usual, surly and rude to newcomers. But Rose had expected that as well.
The room was particularly small, so they were all crammed in a little too close to each other. There were at least some chairs. Chairs that were given to the women, all of the men growling at each other as though they were angry that another man had the thought to give his wife a seat before the others.
The stone walls were lit only by wisp light, and even those were bleary and a little dim, as though they weren't quite awake yet and weren't entirely sure what the trolls were doing here. Each troll posted up behind his wife, with Gunnar's hands coming down on her shoulders.
Rose couldn't see him, and a small bit of tension rose inside her until he pressed the tips of his claws down on her skin. Not hard. Not enough to hurt or even prick her skin. Just enough to remind her that he wasn't holding her in place, and that it was just him.
She had no reason to be afraid, not of him. Never of him.
Breathing out a sigh of relief, she looked over at Magnus, who was standing right across from her. He was leaning against the wall, dressed completely in black, and looking far more like a rake than a prince of these people.
He was... well, a prince who didn't want to be one, she supposed. All of what he looked like matched exactly what she knew of him.
"All right," she said, since no one else seemed to want to speak first. "Magnus, you were going to tell us more about this princess and your concerns."
He glared at her. "The plan was to work with you and Gunnar only, Rose. Now there's a room full of people and I find myself not as inclined to speak."
"You're pouting. Just get on with it."
Astrid stared at her like she'd lost her mind. And maybe she had again. Talking to a prince like this was perhaps putting a rope around her neck and waiting for the gallows floor to drop out from under her. But also... She found she didn't care.
The prince needed their help. Rose was providing that, even if it wasn't in the way he had expected.
Magnus blew out a breath and stared up at the ceiling. "The princess is gathering armed forces. Why? We assume to avengeher father. The only problem is we don't know why she would feel confident enough to do so, considering everyone is spread out all across this kingdom and a majority of her generals have fled."
A snort from Bjorn echoed through the room. "So we have nothing to worry about."
"We have everything to worry about because our scouts have stated that she is very, very confident in her attack. She seems to think she has a secret weapon that will damage the troll kingdom even worse than an army." Magnus looked down and stared directly at Rose. Almost as though he was trying to send a thought to her. "I am concerned about who that might be."
Why was he looking at her like that? She was trying to understand what he wanted from her, but honestly, it was a little hard to read the mind of a man she didn't know that well.
A ghost meandered into the room, walking right through the wall as if it wasn't there.
He was dressed like one of the king's helpers. A man immaculately presented in a suit that was far too fine for this day and age. It was pressed to perfection, with woven golden strands that came all the way down the lapels. Were they roses? No, she looked a little closer and noticed they were embroidered to look like stones. Gemstones.
He had been a pretty blue color when he was alive, and even now, was still very vibrant. Though he had the tiniest of tips to his ears, he didn't appear to have too much animal in him, until she peered a little closer and noticed that there was a fine dusting of bright blue feathers down his arms.
He looked at her, clearly bored. "He hasn't changed much since he was a child."
Rose glanced around to make sure that everyone was still talking among themselves, speculating what the princess could have as her trick.
"Why do you say that?" she murmured, trying very hard not to let anyone know she was talking to someone who was dead.
But Gunnar squeezed his hands on her shoulders. As though to tell her he knew what she was doing. And then he started talking loudly, interrupting and getting Bjorn and Ragnar fighting with each other.
"You know, Ragnar, I don't think that you should discount Bjorn's experience," he bellowed. "Bjorn was in that labyrinth longer than you. He probably knows more than you do."
And the egos started to yell.
