Page 100 of War Queen
The perception was damning. “I’m trying to find out what’s going on.”
“And have you?”
She glanced at the floor. Of course she hadn’t.
“What does he tell you?”
“He can’t speak in the vision. But he finds other ways to show me he’s real.” She swallowed again and paused. “When he came to me in my mind, he gave me a gift. My mother’s crown.” She glanced at Soren. “The next day, it arrived at the castle.”
The corners of Mikael’s eyes creased, and he glanced down at its image on his chest. Then he looked back at Norah.
“He found it,” she said.
“Or had it all along,” Soren added.
“Alexander wouldn’t have done that,” she argued. “He wouldn’t have kept it from me.”
“It’s not Alexander,” Soren countered.
Norah reached out and clasped Mikael’s hand. He had to believe her. “Mikael, itisAlexander I see. Everything about him, every detail of things only he would know.”The shell bracelet. “Things onlyIwould know.”
“You should have made them things I know,” he said. He was angry, and he had every right to be. Still, his cold gaze crushed her. He pulled his hand from hers, then turned and strode from the room.
Norah stood in silence as Salara-Mae followed her son. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Soren, who stood for a moment, then left as well.
Only Salta Tau remained. She stared at Norah, but not with eyes of judgment.
Norah glanced around the empty chamber, trying to keep herself together. Then to Salta Tau, she said, “I think I’m just going to sit here awhile,” she whispered. “If that’s okay.”
The old woman bowed and left her to the cold of the empty room.
It was morning. Norah sat on the edge of the bed. Mikael hadn’t returned to their chamber through the night. She didn’t fault him. He’d been hit with two blows: The first was the false relief his fate had changed. To be struck with its truth again would surely be defeating. Second, Mikael thought himself free of Alexander. He would see him as a threat again, both to his crown and her heart. And she had willingly called Alexander back to her. Even with her pure intentions, she couldn’t deny it looked damning.
The creak of the door opening made her look up, and Mikael stepped inside. She hadn’t expected him to come, not so soon, not now, but she was glad he had. They could talk it out now, she could try to explain. She rose, her heart pounding in her ears.
He stepped toward her.
“Mikael, I—”
“Don’t.” He stood in front of her, the pools of his eyes dark and drowning.
Norah pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. She was desperate to set things right between them.
He pulled off his tunic, and she stepped back slightly. What was he doing? Her breath left her as she saw a wrap around his torso just under his chest—the kind of wrap one gets after visiting Salta Tau. Slowly, he removed the side pins and rolled back the linen strip that held the pads of healing mixture over the marking.
And she saw it.
It wasn’t as she had imagined Salta Tau’s marking would be.Taking the North, Mikael had called it. She’d expected a broken banner, perhaps a falling winterhawk or a castle in ruin. Not the glorious bird with wings spread wide against the sun. Mikael’s sun. The same as the one on his shoulder. It was beautiful, so bold against his skin.
“You got it anyway?” she whispered.
“Nothing you’ve said makes me feel differently.” He stepped closer to her and brought his hand to her face. “I don’t know what’s happening right now, or what you’re seeing, but I know I sealed in the sarcophagus the body of the Bear—a great warrior, a man the North needs and lost. I saw a great kingdom taken from her queen, and that brings me sadness. All of it. Sadness for the North.” He tipped her chin up. “Sadness for you. But we’ve set things right, you and I. And now we’re the strongest we’ve ever been. Together. So yes, I got the marking.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the vial he’d taken from her.
Her heart stopped.
It was empty.
