Page 20 of Tree of Ash (The Runic Saga #2)

Galdr

Larissa

The low rumble of the crowd was ever-present in the background.

Though the armored truck was comfortable on the inside, Larissa found herself missing Helga with an unmatched ferocity.

As they drove through the valley, her mind wandered back to the feel of Darien’s hand on her own.

Since she’d woken, she’d been floundering, adrift at sea, and he was the shoreline, a place for her to find refuge from the current that threatened to consume her. Or at least, he had been.

Torsten’s opinion on the matter was clear.

Darien wasn’t a second-born Prince anymore.

He was the Crown Prince, and with that came responsibilities Larissa and Darien had ignored their entire youth, when Aeron had been the barrier between Darien and their father.

Between the duties of the crown and Halla’s rescue, now was not the time for Larissa to linger on whatever emotions Darien stirred within her.

That was easier said than done when Darien’s side was pressed against her own, when he smelled of fresh clothes and sunlight.

The ride was shorter than Larissa expected as they took the path around the outside rim of the city instead of passing through.

The truck’s measured slowing drew Larissa’s attention to a large mansion built into the side of the mountain.

On its steps, Speaker Skaei waited, her dark skin glowing under the strong sun.

Beside her stood another Jotunn who contrasted Skaei in nearly every way.

His long white hair blew around his waist, though his pale skin showed no wrinkles.

Only their heights and eyes shared similarities.

They tilted their heads in greeting as Larissa, Darien, and Anara exited the truck and made their way to the mansion’s front steps.

“Welcome.” The Speaker led them inside to a large office near the front doors.

Books lined the walls from ceiling to floor.

A desk sat near the back wall, and several couches and chairs were arranged in a pleasing pattern to fill in the rest of the space.

Skaei gestured at the furniture, taking her own place behind the desk. “Make yourselves at home.”

Larissa perched on the couch nearest to her, feeling anything but at home. There was a certain alienness to the Jotnar that couldn’t be erased by hospitality and good manners. She took comfort in Darien’s presence as he settled beside her and in Anara’s watchful gaze.

“I have been waiting for an opportunity to speak with you three,” Skaei began, “but it has not been easy to seek a private audience.”

Anara leaned against the bookshelf near the door. “Shouldn’t it be? After all, isn’t this your valley?”

Skaei glanced at the white-haired giant and laughed. “My valley? Hardly.”

“But aren’t you the Speaker?” Larissa asked. “Don’t you rule over your people?”

“We do not recognize royalty amongst my people. We have no governance, no authority. One might say we live beyond the borders of rule and order; it is part of why the AEsir disdained us in the past. With the arrival of the Vienám, we found it necessary to unify our voices through one individual. We needed a Speaker. I wield no authority over the Jotnar; they wield it over me, as they always have.”

Larissa shook her head. There was still something she didn’t understand. “You’ve lived in this valley since Ragnarok . How’d we not know you were here? My grandmother traveled every inch of Evrópa in establishing the five kingdoms.”

“Queen Rúna knew of our existence, but we are getting a bit ahead of ourselves and I do not want to neglect my company.” She nodded to the white-haired giant beside her. “This is Eluf.”

Larissa dipped her head in acknowledgment, her question burning a hole through her tongue. “Why did you summon us?”

“You don’t know the prophecy the Norn gave your mother, and you have yet to regain access to your full galdr —”

Larissa’s mouth gaped open. “How did you—”

“Our ears are everywhere within these mountains. We can help you, but we ask for a favor in return.”

Larissa hesitated, seeing the similar wariness on Darien’s and Anara’s faces as well. “What’s the favor?”

“When the world burned and the Norn saved a fragment of mankind, we Jotnar saved ourselves. We’ve always been more in tune with our galdr than your ancestors, but we were never able to wield it properly until Rúna shared the knowledge of the runes that she gathered from the Norn.”

Eluf raised his eyes upward. “The AEsir enjoyed hoarding their secrets, but look where it got them.”

Larissa was grateful that Darien at least looked as confused as she did by this turn of conversation, but Anara’s eyes narrowed.

“Our kind was not welcome outside of our valley,” Skaei continued. “Rúna made that clear once she discovered what we could do. The other kingdoms would have been jealous of our connection to galdr . She thought it best we remain separated, and we have never been ones for the rules of royalty.”

“What do you mean, your connection to galdr ?” Anara asked, an edge to her voice.

Skaei folded her long hands on the table.

“Our galdr is not like yours, with only one rune to give us strength. The AEsir practiced eighteen types of galdr . The Norn granted mankind only five of them. You may know this already, but what you don’t know is that most Jotnar are able to wield more than one galdr .

We are not restricted to bloodlines. King Torsten is aware of this, but none others. ”

Larissa swallowed, attempting to comprehend what the Speaker was saying.

Galdr had been uncommon fifty years ago, limited mainly to the royal families.

Shiko had made it even rarer by eliminating the monarchies.

If Larissa understood correctly, then the Jotnar were the most powerful beings that roamed Evrópa besides the gods themselves.

As if Anara understood the implications as well, she pushed off the wall, moving to stand defensively beside Larissa and Darien.

Larissa clenched her glowing hands. “Why are you telling us this?”

Skaei looked at the giant standing beside her. “Eluf is one of the most talented of the Jotnar, possessing several types of galdr , including yours, Princess. He can teach you how to channel your galdr , and I can help you discover the secrets of your prophecy.”

“In return for what, exactly?” Anara asked, suspicion underlying her tone.

“When the world is reborn at the end of the False Empress’ reign, my people will no longer be a secret.

We will need a place in the new world. What better choice than to strengthen our alliance now?

We only ask that you keep the training between you and Eluf a secret.

What he teaches you is not meant for all to hear. ”

“Our secrecy. That’s all you want?” Larissa asked, her mind racing to understand the implications of Skaei’s proposal.

“Indeed.” Speaker Skaei crossed her legs, leaning back in her seat. “And a promise to remember who your friends are once you ascend to your throne.”

“Friends?” Anara scoffed. “So, as our friends , will you be joining us when it comes to outright war? Or will you continue to hide in this valley just like you did when Shiko brutalized kingdom after kingdom?”

As though the wolf Skoll really had swallowed the sun, an unrelenting chill permeated the room in response to Anara’s accusation. Speaker Skaei's expression of politeness did not waver, but there was a layer of steel underneath it. “Do you know what happened the last time Jotnar went to war?”

Anara held her gaze, matching steel for steel. “ Ragnarok .”

“Precisely. When the Jotnar go to war, the world crumbles. If you see us in battle, it may be the last thing you see.”

Anara shook her head. “I don’t believe that.”

Eluf eyed her in disdain, his presence larger than before. “Then pray to those dead gods we never have to test your disbelief.”

“And what’s to stop you from turning on us?” Anara moved toward the giant, her head tilted back to challenge his gaze. “With your galdr , you could destroy us all. Why should we trust you?”

Beside Larissa, Darien’s hand twitched toward his sword. The weight of her gun against her hip did little to reassure Larissa. It was as Anara said: they’d have no chance if the Jotnar were truly as powerful as they implied.

“Peace.” Speaker Skaei’s voice was like a spell that softened the stillness of the air, bringing back warmth and light.

“As we told Torsten, we do not desire the power and rule that is so enticing to you mortals. Jotnar have two natural instincts that war within us—chaos and serenity. In the decades before Ragnarok , we gave ourselves over to chaos. It nearly destroyed us. If we were to give ourselves over to it once more, I fear we would not survive. We seek contentment and serenity—an alliance—in exchange for our help.” She turned to Larissa. “Will you accept our offer?”

Four faces stared, waiting for her answer. Though Anara’s brow was pulled in apprehension, Darien appeared more thoughtful than frightened. Larissa breathed in, knowing she could not ask them to make this decision for her.

She stood, offering her hand to the Speaker. “Yes, I accept.”

Skaei rose. “Then we have no time to waste.”

She grasped Larissa’s forearm, turning her palm to face the sky.

Her curved nails dug into Larissa’s skin.

Darien’s sword scraped against his scabbard and Anara growled, but Larissa could not see them.

Her legs went weak, and darkness consumed her vision as she felt separated from the physical world around her.