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“Thank you,” Bryn whispered.

“No thanks are needed,” Revna said quietly, stroking her thumb over Bryn’s temple. “Now, tell me more.”

Bryn relaxed and told Revna about how her mother had died, how Maude had escaped, and how the King had burnt all their belongings except the journals Bryn had managed to smuggle away from her mother’s chambers. She spoke about how she missed her sister and how she was still angry with her. Revna listened to everything Bryn had kept secret for years, patiently absorbing all the information.

When Bryn was finished, she told Revna about how she had kept the King and General off Maude’s trail for years, but now it was known that Maude was searching for the weapon he had become obsessed with.

“At the last war council, the King ordered the General to go after Maude to bring her back to Logi and stop her from going after thedalkr Hela,” Bryn said, exhausted from recounting the miserable story that was her life. “But she escaped into the Lamenting Woods with the group she had been traveling with. The King was furious and had ordered the General to send his best soldiers to grab her. If he failed, I was ordered to send my soldiers.”

Revna nodded, understanding in her eyes.

“So, the Flame Assassins failed then, and he threatened you since you have to send your soldiers,” Revna said grimly.

“Yes, exactly,” Bryn hung her head and leaned over, bracing her arms on her knees. “He doesn't want me to tell the King, or he’ll kill you and all the other shieldmaidens.”

Revna was thoughtful for some time before she spoke.

“What if you didn’t tell the King, but word got back to him from another source?” Revna asked.

Bryn looked up to see Revna with a far-off look in her eyes. They seemed almost glazed over.

“Revna?” Bryn asked.

She snapped out of the trance she was in.

“It would work,” she said excitedly. “We craft a message from one of the Flame Assassins about how they failed in their mission and send it directly to the King. This way, the General won't be able to pin it on you, and you’ll have to send your warriors to find the Heir.”

“But I don’t see why you want me to send you out to get her,” Bryn said, unable to repeat her sister's name.

It was a hot blade to her chest every time she did.

“You need to send a message to the Heir Apparent,” Revna said quickly.

Bryn stood quickly and shook her head, but Revna continued before she could speak.

“I know you are angry with her, my love,” Revna said, standing and grabbing Bryn’s face between her hands. “I know that you feel as if you have been abandoned.”

Bryn brought her hands to wrap around Revna’s wrists but did not move to push Revna away. Instead, Revna placed her forehead against Bryn’s.

“I’m not asking you to forgive her yet; you both have a lot to talk about,” Revna whispered. “But you’ve spent years keeping her out of your father's grasp, so I know you still harbor love for her.”

Bryn shook in her lover's embrace, the tears from earlier threatening to fall at last.

“Warn her of the King’s plans; tell her she must use this weapon on the King before he wields it himself,” Revna continued. “Send me with the letter and know that it will reach her. If what you say about her is true, Maude has more than enough reason to end the King of Flame.”

Bryn’s heart was ready to batter through her chest wall with how hard it hammered at Revna’s words.

“You want to kill the King?” Bryn asked, opening her eyes at last and pulling back.

“You don’t?” she asked, curious.

Bryn thought about what Revna was suggesting. Thinking about killing the King was one thing, but setting the plans into motion felt different. She felt no real affection for her father; she knew this.

But she still hesitated.

“Think about it, my love,” Revna said softly. “We both know what will happen if the King gets a hold of this weapon. Every kingdom will suffer, not just ours.”

Bryn nodded, grasping both of Revna’s hands in hers. She noticed that Revna had theperthrorune tattooed onto the side of her wrist, the runefor destiny, fate, chance, and secrets. It was old and faded now, but Bryn wondered how she had not noticed it before.