Page 35 of The Crown of the Last Fae Queen (The Heartless and the Wicked #4)

EIGHTEEN – KOLFINNA

The sheets smelled like roses; it was the first thought that came to Kolfinna’s mind as she turned in the bed, a soft groan escaping her lips.

The pillows and mattress were so soft that she felt like she was enveloped in a warm bed of feathers; she wanted to remain there forever, to curl up in a ball and breathe in the floral scent of the clean sheets.

It reminded her of Katla, her sister; they had always done the laundry together. Life had been simpler back then.

“Kolfinna?”

She returned to her senses; her eyes cracked open to a richly decorated room.

The four-poster bed had heavy, gold-embroidered maroon curtains that were pulled back by silver tassels.

A plush rug, a giant hearth that roared with reddish-blue flames, and windows overlooking a purpling sky came to view.

She almost thought she was dreaming—this looked nothing like her tower room; more like a noble’s room, something she had been accustomed to when she had worked as a maidservant.

But then it all came back to her. The assassination attempt. The stabbing. Vidar’s sharp words.

She sat upright in bed, and the whole room spun. Nausea rolled over her and she clutched her head with another groan. It was then that she noticed Astrid sitting on a stool beside her bed, a worn-out book in her hand.

“Kolfinna!” Astrid’s violet eyes widened and she leaned forward, grasping Kolfinna’s hand to give it a squeeze. “You’re awake!”

“Where am I?” Her voice came out raspy and groggy, like she hadn’t used it in days. She cleared her throat, blinking away the sleep and fatigue still clinging to her.

“Commander Alfaer had you moved to these quarters after … after …” She lifted her shoulders and an uncomfortable look passed over her delicate features. She chewed on her lower lip, watching her. “Are you okay?”

Kolfinna’s hand brushed over her stomach. She was wearing a thin white nightgown that billowed over her curvy frame. She resisted the urge to bunch up the skirt to her stomach and inspect her wounds, but she knew as she touched her bandage-less skin that she was healed.

“Vidar healed me,” she said with a slow frown. Were elves able to heal other people with their magic? She vaguely recalled him doing something similar before.

“Yes, you’re lucky he was able to get to you in time.

” Astrid released a shuddered breath. “I’m so sorry that I wasn’t able to help you.

It was my off-duty and I was … asleep in a different level.

I wish I could have been there—” Her voice thickened with emotion and she smoothed her trembling hands over the faded book on her lap. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”

“It’s not your fault.” Kolfinna reached over and gave her hand as squeeze.

“Yrsa was guarding me, but she must have fallen asleep or something.” She frowned.

Now that she thought about it, Yrsa had been slow to react.

Had she purposefully allowed her to become injured to that extent?

No, if her goal was to have Kolfinna killed, she wouldn’t have even come into the room.

Was she just slow to action? “I don’t know why she didn’t come into the room on time. ”

Astrid nodded slowly.

“Where is she, by the way?” The room was empty save for the two of them.

“She …” Astrid sighed. “She died.”

The words didn’t register for Kolfinna for a moment and she continued to stare at the fae female dumbly. A shard of guilt tore through her chest and she released a shuddering breath. She hadn’t liked Yrsa after what she had done to her, but she was dead? Because of her?

“How?” Kolfinna whispered. “Did the assassins kill her? But surely someone could have healed her if she was attacked badly. I could hear the battle going on for some time.”

Her head was spinning again and she wanted to vomit. She definitely hadn’t liked Yrsa, but the thought of her dying while protecting Kolfinna sent a wave of shame over her. The woman had died for her, and Kolfinna had been doubting her loyalty.

“Elves can only heal themselves or their blood relatives,” Astrid said after a moment. “The fae are able to heal with runes, but … but it was too late for her, Kolfinna.”

“Too late for her? So the assassins killed?—”

“No.” Astrid fiddled with the cuffs of her dark tunic sleeve. She kept her gaze averted and a long stretch of silence filled the space.

Kolfinna bunched her hands together and waited for her to speak. Her heart pounded wildly and a pressure built in the back of her head, making her lightheaded. Finally, when she couldn’t handle it anymore, the tension too thick, Astrid spoke.

“Commander Alfaer … he … he executed her yesterday m-morning.”

An audible gasp ripped from Kolfinna’s chest, stealing the lungs from her body.

Out of all the things she had expected the woman to say, that wasn’t it.

Yrsa had been executed ? She had been loyal to Ragnarok, the fae cause, to the point that she had infiltrated the Royal Guards, befriended Kolfinna, and even tried to murder her—she had risked her life for this cause, and Vidar had her executed ?

“Y-you have to understand,” Astrid continued, wringing her wrists together.

Her violet eyes shone with a mixture of guilt and fear—maybe the latter because it could have been her that night.

“It’s a great, great honor and responsibility to be guarding the princess of our empire.

A task that we shouldn’t take lightly. I …

I had told General Rakel recently that I wasn’t sure if Yrsa was the right fit for the job, since she was rude and dismissive of your wants.

Couple that with the fact that the night you were attacked, she …

she was asleep. You have to understand, Kolfinna.

You were at death’s doorstep! You almost died!

Commander Alfaer has no need for those who shirk their duties. ”

Kolfinna’s stomach clenched and she closed her eyes to keep the room from spinning so much.

Yrsa had been executed.

Bile climbed up her throat.

Executed!

She hadn’t even liked the woman, but … but she had still fought for Kolfinna’s safety that day. And now she was … gone? Killed?

Kolfinna shouldn’t have cared so much, but she couldn’t help the sadness that gripped tightly in her chest. She remembered their days as Royal Guards, and how she had considered her a friend. How they had dined together, shared jokes, and trained together.

It was just another reason to hate Vidar.

“He shouldn’t have killed her for that,” she found herself saying. “He made an example out of her.”

“He wants to protect you.”

An awkward, strained silence filled the room for several minutes.

Astrid cleared her throat and waved to their surroundings.

“Commander Alfaer assigned these rooms to you. This is your new bedroom, and you also have an antechamber to relax in. You even have a small library there.” Astrid placed the shabby book she had been reading on the nightstand and rose to her feet.

“You have several new guards, as well. Some are from Ragnarok and others are fae like me. General Rakel made sure they’re more powerful than Yrsa and I, so you’ll be more protected and something like last time won’t happen again.

One guard will always remain in your antechamber to ensure your safety. ”

Kolfinna swung her legs around the giant, queen-sized bed and rose to her feet unsteadily.

Nausea curdled her stomach and she gripped one of the vertical columns of the bed to balance herself.

Astrid was already talking about dresses and whatnot as she flipped through one of the trunks at one end of the room.

“How long was I asleep for?” She walked over to the full-sized mirror near the dressing table and frowned at what she saw.

Her black and white hair was sticking out in every direction, the curls tangled together, and her nightgown was loose and shapeless over her figure.

Her cheeks were gaunt and her skin was pale, making her pink eyes more vivid.

“Two days.” Astrid held up a deep blue and silver embroidered dress, a grin raising up her cheeks. “Isn’t this gorgeous? I think you should wear this for dinner.”

“Isn’t that too fancy?”

“It is, but I think this will be the last dinner with all the generals present.”

“Why?” She spun around to face Astrid, but the guard had her back to her as she laid the gown onto the bed and hurried over to her side, then led Kolfinna by the shoulders to the vanity and plopped her down on the seat, grabbing a comb and a few silver pins from the vanity’s surface..

“General Agnarr and General Freyja have to go back to their military posts,” Astrid answered airily, combing through Kolfinna’s hair quickly.

The teeth ran over her scalp and she gritted her teeth together as Astrid gently tugged at the knots.

“Nothing will change much for you, though. Your training will continue with Commander Alfaer, and General Rakel will remain here too.”

“What about General Floki?” Kolfinna still didn’t know much about him, and she hadn’t seen him at all since the first dinner she had been introduced to him.

“I’m not sure. General Floki has always been …” Astird seemed to struggle to find the words. She twisted Kolfinna’s hair a few times and slipped a few hairpins into it. “Mysterious. His legion of men is terrifying, if I’m being honest.”

“Why?”