Page 53 of Reign of Stars and Fire

Sofia drank a horn of steaming tea. Each sip let off a pungent wisp of spiced ale and lingonberry. Shadows darkened her eyes, but at least she was out of her room, breathing new air.

She gave me a smile, one that seemed practiced and forced. “Saga. Look at me, still living.”

“Sof,” I reached for her, then pulled back. “It’s . . . it’s good to see you.”

“Is it?” She looked to the side and laughed. “Everyone says that, don’t they, My King. But the looks I get are more that they’re glad I haven’t taken a leap off Hells Pass.”

My eyes flicked to the empty corner. My King?

“Sof, who—”

“The king says he’s pleased to see you again, Saga,” she said, grinning wider. She sipped her horn. “He hopes you don’t bring shame to his crown.”

By the gods.

“Saga,” Rune whispered, stepping to my side. “I was going to tell you.”

I turned into him, pulse racing. “How long has she been . . . speaking to Bracken?”

“Started about two days after you left. The healers believe she’s trying to live in a new existence where he is not gone. They tell us she likely knows he is dead but is refusing to accept it.”

I pressed a hand to my heart as though it might burst through my ribs. “We’re supposed to let her believe he’s there?”

Rune shrugged. “Not forever. But we have greater matters to worry about right now. At least she is eating and somewhat living.”

Sofia sipped her tea and snickered at something the ghost of Bracken must’ve said. How could I fault her? I was visiting my husband in dreams. Should the roles be reversed and I was the hand that brought Ari’s death, I might prefer to exist in those dreams eternally much the same.

Cuyler had joined Calista and Stefan, now that Niklas had the blood, and Stefan kept muttering insights about his sister’s seidr. Cuyler watched Calista with fascination, and if Gorm were here, his son would likely get a swat to the back of the head for not acknowledging my presence.

Truth be told, I’d rather not be the focus of the room.

“Calista?” I sat beside her. “You have something?”

“I do.” Calista kept writing for a few more moments, then let the quill pen fall, and lifted her eyes to mine. “I couldn’t sleep. There was something needing to be written, but I couldn’t reach it. Stef told me to clear my head in the trees. There aren’t many here, obviously, but I found this meadow filled with blood roses. It was so peaceful to me. Why is that?”

“I don’t know.” I took note of a fresh rose by her knee and recalled the dusty rose in her tenement. “You like roses, right? Your admirer sends them?”

“I never liked them until recently. Now, gods it feels important to me.” Calista’s blue eyes glistened. Bright as they were, there was a touch of fear behind them. As if this story frightened her as much as it did the rest of us. She shook her head. “But that doesn’t matter. I had a feeling this sod—” She jabbed her quill at Bo, “had something to say after I wrote this.”

She showed me a parchment with the scratched words:

A loyal heart lost in the dark, misspoken words bring the start.

A few spaces down, Calista had drawn a sunburst shape and an added note that read:

Eyes closed, safe and sound. Eyes open—found.

“What made you think this spoke of Bo?”

“He’s loyal, right? That’s why he’s so lost.” Calista wiggled her brows. “See how I pieced it together? So, I had to get him to misspeak.”

“I told you nothing.” Bo sneered.

Calista chuckled. “Oh, trust me, you did.”

With a flush to his cheeks, Bo lunged toward the bars. “Take your witch and leave. Better yet, drown in the springs or the sea. Fall off Hells Pass. I’ll take any death for you lot.”

His rant only made Calista laugh harder. “This is what I did, Raven Queen. I strolled right in here after my visit to the meadow, and all I said to him was, ‘Well, we found it. Quite a camp.’ You know, because I figure a battle lord would have a camp. Then, I told him his death would be swifter and we’d let him hold his blade if he gave up what he knew.” She blew out her lips. “Should’ve seen his face, and he started spluttering about how he’d die before he’d give up anything about the point stronghold.”