Page 85 of A Spark So Bright
"We'll talk with Ragnar," he said, reaching down to help Rose stand. "He's usually got a good idea where people are. And I believe he has a few connections to other kingdoms."
"Already tried other kingdoms." Magnus stood as well, stretching his arms over his head and cracking his back side to side. "You can talk with your brother all you want, but she's gone. Perhaps it is time for me to give up this charade anyway, Gunnar. My father has many brides already picked out for me.He's angry enough that I chose to compete with you for Rose when there were other choices."
He would have argued in her honor if he hadn't seen Rose already wrinkle her nose. She was coming out of her shell, lately, so he took a step back and allowed her to argue on her own behalf.
"There's nothing wrong with me compared to the others. I have a higher elven bloodline than any of them." Rose tilted her head to the side. "But would the troll kingdom prefer that their prince marry a troll? Is that what your father is suggesting?"
Magnus's cheeks darkened. "I think he would just prefer a future queen who doesn't... uh..."
Gunnar was quite certain he knew what was going to come out of the prince's mouth next. The king didn't want someone to pass madness throughout his line, and the king considered Rose's affliction to be insanity, rather than fleeing from the nightmare of her life.
He ground his teeth together and reminded himself that he did like his king. That King Egil had done the best he could with all that he had been given, and they all owed their lives to him.
Gunnar jumped into the conversation before it got worse. "He doesn't want a future queen who would wander as she does. Good. I don't think Rose would enjoy being queen all that much, anyway."
"There was a time when I thought that was all I wanted," she murmured. Shadows passed over her expression, darkening the look on her face with rage and anguish. "It did not bring me happiness."
That was the understatement of the century. He didn't need to point that out, though. Instead, he held out his arm for her to take, pleased when she took it without hesitating.
Magnus went his own way. He didn't even think to follow them, apparently, because the prince disappeared into the woods without another word.
Rose held onto his arm, even more comfortable with him now. But all he could think about was their night together. Holding her all night, feeling her breathing deepen as she sank into a dreamless sleep? That had been the best gift she could have given him.
He knew she trusted him. She'd proven that time and time again. But he hadn't realized how much it would mean to have her sleep without fear while he was nearby.
"Do you really think there’s a chance for us to find this woman of his?" Gunnar asked, holding the door open for her as they reached the barracks.
She shrugged. "Maybe. If nothing else, the spirits that follow him seemed like they wanted to help. And if anyone can find someone missing, I would think it would be the dead."
He stared down at her, his mind working a thousand miles a minute. She met his gaze with a steady one of her own, waiting for him to ask the question that he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she finally asked.
"How are you so comfortable knowing that you're seeing the spirits of those who have passed beyond? This is new information to you, isn't it?"
Rose nodded. "Yes, it's new. But I suppose it's easier to think that I'm dealing with the dead rather than the living. Spirits can't hurt us. They can't even touch us. But the living can do a lot more damage than those who have already seen how people mourn them after they die."
That made a lot of sense, actually.
They headed into the barracks, ready to work together on a plan to find Magnus's lost love or whatever he wanted to call it,only to find Ragnar standing there with a grim expression on his face and Maia at his side.
Gunnar let out a long, suffering groan. "I know that face. What happened now?"
His brother looked like he'd gotten a bee stuck up his pant leg. And Maia was more kind in her stance, but there was something in her expression that said he was still very much in trouble and he had no idea what he could have done to upset them both.
At Ragnar's grunt, Maia moved forward, reaching out her arm to guide Rose away. "I was hoping you could help me in the garden today, Rose. Birgir came down with an awful cold, and I need someone to help me cut all these flowers."
"Oh, I'm rather busy today, Maia."
The redhead glanced at her husband and then back at Rose. "I wasn't asking, sweetheart."
Rose's lips curled into a circle as she mouthed another "oh" and then headed off with Maia. She glanced over her shoulder at him, perhaps wondering if she was leaving Gunnar to the wolves. She kind of was, but he knew this expression on his brother's face wasn't going anywhere until he stood there and let him say his piece.
Once they were alone, Ragnar let out another angry grunt and then started down the hallway. It led to a more private chamber, Gunnar knew. One that they only used to prepare their war bands, and right now the king had no interest in sending people off to get killed. He wanted them married.
Which meant there wasn't going to be anyone in that room, or near it. Apparently Ragnar wanted to yell.
Gunnar shook his head as he meandered behind his brother, disappointed that Ragnar wasn't even going to give him a hint at what this conversation was about. At least he could prepare for itthen. Maybe Ragnar had figured out they'd fallen into that hole and he was going to scold Gunnar for risking Rose's life like that.
