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Herrick only smiled and shook his head slightly.

Maude had silently explored the palace one of the nights they had been avoiding each other, but he had come across her scent of burning cedar wood and smoke in the hall, a faint floral scent that lay deep beneath the others clearer to him since they had arrived in Veter.

Jasmine, he had realized quickly, as the wildness of her smoke mixed with the feminine and sensual fragrance of the night-blooming flower .

He had just finished meeting with Svend over the security for Hakon’s Betrothal Ball when curiosity had driven him to follow her path as it wound through the halls, stopping in the massive library as well as the kitchens where he noticed some of the pastries for the ball had been swiped, the cooks in a panic to make more.

Only once he reached his own office did her trail disappear.

He had gone into his office and waited a few moments before he poked his head out into the gardens that backed his office.

Herrick had felt rather than seen Maude that night, nearby in the tall trees and shadows flanking the walkway that had led to his office.

And just as suddenly as she had appeared, Herrick felt her disappear again.

The emptiness that had surrounded him in her absence had driven Herrick to the soldier’s barracks, where he had spent the night joining his men in rounds of dice and drowning in barrels of ale.

Herrick watched Maude catch up to Liv and set her pack down at her feet, stretching her arms over her head, causing her shirt to ride up and expose a small band of skin around her hips.

Black ink teased their presence down Maude’s ribs, and Herrick found himself tracing her curves with his eyes for the second time that afternoon.

It’s just skin, for fucks sake , Herrick thought to himself. Focus.

A cold jet of water slammed into Herrick’s back, causing him to jump and let out a stream of curses. Herrick turned and found Hakon laughing at him. Eydis and Gunnar were just reaching the last steps when Herrick turned to glare at his brother.

“Distracted, brother?” Hakon asked through his laughter.

Herrick only gave his brother a vulgar gesture in return. Eydis rolled her eyes and lifted her palm to face Herrick.

“Turn around,” she ordered .

Herrick obeyed as Eydis brought her hand to her chest, and then quickly pushed forward. A gust of wind blew up Herrick’s back and dried his shirt out.

“Gratitude,” Herrick said as he nodded at Eydis and gave her a warm smile.

“No need for thanks, Herrick,” Eydis said, a sly smile appearing on her face and mischief glinting in her eyes. “But you never answered Hakon’s question about if you were distracted.”

Eydis looked over to Maude and then back at Herrick. He opened his mouth to defend himself as Maude had noticed their conversation, but before he could speak, the same gust of wind that had blown his shirt dry gathered at his ankles and sent him sprawling backward onto the ground.

At the last second, he created a small moss bed to catch his fall, which instantly disintegrated into the dead earth.

Everyone was silent until Herrick chuckled and gave Eydis an incredulous look.

Maude began to roar with laughter alongside Liv, and soon, everyone laughed heartily, including Herrick.

Eydis winked at him and extended a hand to help him up.

“Stop wasting your time, Herrick, and tell Maude how you feel,” Eydis said as she helped him to his feet.

Their group had begun walking again, Maude and Hakon chatting ahead of him while Gunnar was quiet, only the heavy sound of his breathing giving away that he was even present.

“I’ve told her,” Herrick began to argue, but Eydis cut him off by putting her hand up again.

“Tell her by showing her you mean what you say. Maude is not someone who will hear your words. She needs to see that you mean them in your actions, and only then will she begin to understand.”

“I don’t know how else to show her,” Herrick said, helplessness seeping into his words .

“You do, but she has to open up to you first,” Eydis said, a knowing look in her eye. “Don’t turn away from her when she finally lets you in; that time is coming. Then she will know your feelings are true.”

“We need to keep going. Another league or so, and we’ll see the city ruins,” Liv said, heading south at a near run.

“Liv!” Maude called. “Slow down, we have time.”

Liv ignored her, and Maude only sighed, following her friend further south into the Kingdom of Light. After Eydis had spectacularly forced Herrick onto his ass, they had begun the last stretch of their journey to Ljosa with heavy feet but lighter hearts.

Maude seemed to be the only one who felt that the further they went into the Kingdom of Light, the further they were from…

something. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but it felt wrong to go this way.

Maude told herself it was only the doubt that had always clouded her concerning the dalkr Hela, but the closer they got to its rumored location, the more she felt like her soul was being pulled in the other direction.

The last few hours of daylight passed quickly, but the heat and humidity of the southern part of Ahland wore on Maude. Sweat dripped down her back in long rivulets, the salt clinging to her skin and drying in long streaks.

Finally, when Maude thought the rocks and barren earth around her would never end, their group crested over the last hill, where they were greeted with the ruins of Ljosa, the capital city of the Kingdom of Light.

The city of Ljosa stretched from the hill they stood on down to the rocky shore that dropped off into clear turquoise water that glittered in the dying sunlight.

The buildings staggered down from where they stood all along the hillside and then down to the shore.

The city faced the ocean almost the way an arena would face a stage.

The streets were winding in between the buildings and houses in confusing and nonsensical patterns that only gave Maude a headache when she tried to figure them out.

Long stairways built into the hillsides doubled as walkways that led down to the center of the city where the Ljosa temple of the gods stood, its gold roof still shining like a beacon to all who seek guidance from the gods.

Buildings and houses extended before them were made of clay that had been painted off-white with adobe red brick roofs.

Many of the houses had large, open courtyards nestled in the center of the structures, the tall open archways leading into the houses trimmed with vibrant colored designs personalized to each home.

Though the surrounding area was barren and dry, the city seemed frozen in time.

The city's buildings were pristine, and the colored designs had not faded in the two hundred years since these buildings had been occupied.

“Gods,” Maude breathed. “It’s beautiful here.”

Herrick appeared beside her and nodded at her words, not taking his eyes off the sprawling, once dazzling city belonging to the Elven.

“Imagine how this city must have looked when the elven were still here,” Herrick said, the awe in his voice causing Maude to glance at him.

“It’s incredibly sad that it lies abandoned now,” Eydis said, eyes glistening at the sight of the empty city.

“We need to be careful,” Hakon reminded them. “This city might not be as empty as we believe it is. Raiders have been known to camp here from time to time to avoid Flame patrols.”

Herrick and Maude both nodded in agreement.

She moved forward a bit to see if she could find a secure spot for them to camp now that the sun was close to setting completely.

As she moved, Maude felt Herrick move with her.

His fingers brushed hers for a second, sending that feeling of cool water washing over her skin.

Herrick paused and glanced at her as if he had felt the same energy pass between them.

Maude saw him flex his hand slightly as he continued moving forward.

Shaking her head, Maude focused again on scanning the city for a secure location. Finding the golden rooftop of the Ljosa temple, Maude opened her mouth to suggest they stay there when Herrick spoke first.

“The temple would be best. It’s on high ground and close to the shore.”

Maude snapped her mouth shut and nodded, ignoring her spike of humor at their shared thought.

“Agreed,” Gunnar huffed.

Maude turned to inspect the previously healthy man she knew and saw a fine sheen of sweat over his pale brow.

The longer they traveled, the worse he looked.

Worry, heavy and unshakeable, sank into her gut at the sight of him.

They had run from Flame Soldiers through a desert, fought raiders, scaled palace walls, and trained together during their time together, but not once had Gunnar looked this frail.

Even the colored threads in his braid looked dull.

Mouth fixed into a frown, Maude caught his attention and said, “You look like shit, my friend. What is going on with you?”

Gunnar forced a smile to his face.

“I’m just a little tired, Maude. Worn down from all the travel,” he replied, breathless. “Once we rest for the night, I’ll be right as rain.”

Maude only nodded and slowed her pace to match her friend's slow trek as they followed the rest of their group into the final descent into Ljosa, weaving between the tall buildings and courtyards.

Despite the daunting size of the city from where they had stood on the hillside, they made it to the center of the city rather quickly.

Six tall columns of stone stood on either side of the temple and held the golden roof up above their heads, the open space of the structure making Maude feel exposed in the night.

Inside the temple, large ash tree sculptures of the gods were resting against each of the columns.

As their group moved further into the temple, Maude fell behind.

She ran her hand over each of the statues, energy buzzing beneath her fingertips.

Frigg, Tyr, Balder, Freyr…Each one responded to her touch.

Maude withdrew her hand as she reached Herrick, who had stopped in front of Freyja, the goddess of love and war.

“Do you feel that?” Maude asked, keeping her eyes off Herrick with tremendous effort.

Energy pulsed around the temple, swirling between her and her friends and tickling her fingers. Herrick was quiet for a moment before he responded. He ran his fingers over the sculpture of Freyja and withdrew them quickly.

“Yes.”

“We need to be careful. There is more here than just raiders,” she said. “I’ll take the first watch.”

She turned before he could respond but found an obstacle in her path.

Sitting side by side in front of her were two cats, their fur a bright orange that reminded Maude of her sister. Their green eyes were on Herrick and Maude, an awareness in them that froze Maude in place.

As one, the two cats, larger than the typical felines that explored this land, wove between her legs and Herrick’s. Large rumbles that came from the cats rattled her bones as they moved from Maude to Herrick and back again, rubbing their long bodies against them in a sign of affection.

Bewildered, Maude could only stare at them.

Herrick made no sound as they continued their movements.

The large cats moved back to their original spot and blinked slowly at Maude and Herrick.

Turning as one, they disappeared into the silent city, that strange energy and presence following them in their wake, leaving Maude and her friends alone once more.