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“Yes.” Aesir dipped his chin. “Always, My King.”

Burdens lined my heart. One look at my girl and it wanted to snap in two. Livia fought to be bold and brave, but there was a significant tremble to her chin as she clung to Aleksi’s side. I wanted nothing more than to assure her it would all be well, but in truth, I’d never seen this. I did not know what was happening, or what we faced in those trees.

“May the gods be with us,” Valen said with a touch of despair.

I took hold of Livia’s palm, bending down to kiss her knuckles, and positioned her on the inside. I stepped next to Valen, blade in my free hand.

He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my throat. “Don’t break your promise,Kvinna.”

Protect yourself. At all costs. The plea of Legion Grey seemed so long ago. I could hardly process all that had happened since a handsome dowry negotiator stole my heart. Unknown as our future was, I would not go back. I would never change the path that led me to Valen Ferus.

“I promise.”

Valen took out one of his axes. “Then, let’s find out where in the hells we are.”

My legs ached, like splinters of bone were jabbing into my boots. Our path led us down hillsides. It was as if Etta had landed on a damn mountain, and the gilded sheen to the sky kept leading us down.

Those pulling the cart kept taking shifts with others to keep up their strength. By now, I had Valen’s axe in one hand, a sword in the other, while he stood on the inside of me, holding Livia in his arms.

Nothing had leapt from the shadows. No beasts appeared, other than a few hares, shy deer, and the tails of white foxes. What had changed, however, was the hint of the sea at long last. Brine and sand and cool wind washed through the wood the closer we trudged toward the beacon of light.

“Should we make camp?” Herja slipped beside her brother, the bow strapped over her shoulder, a bit of respite for her tiresome grip.

“Probably wise.” Valen let out a sigh. “I don’t know how much further we have to go to reach the shore.”

Herja stroked a hand down Livia’s head, a weary smile on her face. “I’ll let those in the rear know. The littles will sing your praises.”

Valen leaned in to whisper against my ear when she left. “I think some of the young ones are doing better than me.”

I cracked my neck side to side and took a seat on a fallen log. The moan slid from my throat involuntarily when blood rushed to the aches of my feet.

Valen grinned. “Perhaps they are doing better than you, my love.”

“Careful how you mock me right now, King. I’m tired enough to get a bit violent.”

He kissed my lips quickly before gently settling Livia at my side. She whimpered in her sleep, then flopped her head onto my lap, her body crooked and oddly positioned on the log.

We all looked a little disheveled. Tor’s hair had slipped from the braid down his head. Sol’s face was coated in dirt. Even Halvar hunched as he leaned against a tree, blood and innards still stained on his tunic.

Stieg aided Valen and Hagen in delivering water down the line. Most took the pause to stretch the soles of their feet, their backs, and to relieve their belts from the weight of blades.

I closed my eyes and let my back slump against the trunk of a nearby tree, holding Livia a little tighter.

A branch snapped behind me. My heart leapt to my throat when a distant, low rumble of a voice followed. Someone was in the wood.

In the next breath, I had Livia tucked behind the log, awake and trembling, as I lifted a blade. “Who’s there?”

At my voice, Halvar rushed to my side, next, Tor.

Valen was swift to return, axes out. “Show yourself.”

The night thickened. Like more weight filled the shadows between trees.

“Show ourselves.” A rasp, low and gritty, followed. “I do despise demanding royals.”

I let out a rough breath of relief when from the darkness, a familiar face appeared. Like us, a blade extended, eyes pitch as the night, but Kase Eriksson smirked.

“Kase,” Valen breathed out, dragging his fingers through his hair. “Gods, what . . . how are you here?”