he noticed the light. He stopped moving, his beady eyes staring out the window. Caught in the glow of the setting sun, the skin over his knuckles began to harden into solid stone.
With a grunt of pain, the troll released me. The floor shook as he stepped back into the shadows.
“Porgor!” shouted Gorm, panic rising. “I order you to get back here and kill him!”
Porgor grunted a final time, his eyes flashing red hot as he looked at my father. Then, with a final step, he disappeared into the hole he’d made in the floor.
Gorm howled with rage and lunged for me, his dagger aimed at my chest, but I easily dodged out of the way. He sailed past me, losing his balance. I pointed the wand at his chest.
As he picked himself up, his eyes locked on Levateinn, “You wouldn’t dare. This is regicide.”
“But I will be the new king.” I raised Levateinn and shouted, “Yr!”
The bolt of magic struck him in the chest, slamming him backward. Smoke rose from his torso, and the scent of burnt flesh curled around me.
Chapter 43
Ali
The Regent was leading me to the Vanir temple, but I still didn’t know why he’d saved me. And I didn’t know what the fuck had happened to Galin. Just before we’d gone through the portal, I thought he was about to slam into a wall. I worried for him, but at this point, I knew one of his most defining characteristics: getting out of near-death situations at the last second. I tried to convince myself that he was probably fine. He’d gotten out of worse, hadn’t he?
As for me? I had a strong sense that I was being led to my death.
This seemed less like a rescue and more like an abduction. After all, I’d killed their Emperor. What was the Vanir punishment for regicide? Being hanged, drawn and quartered, slowly tortured to death? Pierced with a thousand arrows? Drowned in boar’s blood? I had no idea. It would probably be excruciating, and dread stole my breath.
The temple rose before me, and fear made my heart skip a beat.
We entered, and I stared around, panic crackling up my spine. When I’d visited it before, it was largely empty, a sandstone mausoleum with a giant hall full of golden light and not much else. But now, it was packed with Vanir warriors standing in rows. Hundreds of elves, each wielding a curved saber. Each of them here to watch me die—I was now certain of it.
The Regent led me to the front of the temple, then turned to face his men. His hawk—the hamrammr—flew down to rest on his shoulder. He spoke to me and to his men. “In our kingdom, bloodline does not matter, only strength—power. Only the strongest of our warriors can become our leader. If you kill the Emperor, that is the first step to becoming the new ruler. If you then withstand three attempts on your life, you become the rightful heir to our realm. We have sent assassins twice. Our witch sent the spear at you. You withstood all three trials. You are the North Star we have been waiting for.”
“The what?” I stammered.
“The North Star,” he repeated. “Our savior, as it is written in our chronicles. The one we have been awaiting. You will lead us to greatness.”
I felt as if the world was tilting beneath my feet. The North Star?
There was a puff of feathers and then the seidkona stood before me, her eyes blazing with anger. “Not yet. I only sent one assassin.”
I shook my head, trying to get my bearings. She was lying, and even though I felt dazed by this turn of events, I knew I had to master control of the situation. This was life or death. “You sent an assassin to my room, personally directed a spear at my leng, and lets not forget the mob of Vanir that attacked me during the footrace. This is why you joined the Winnowing, isn’t it?” I said, finally putting it all together. “You wanted to kill me yourself so that you could claim the throne?”
The Regent glared at the seidkona. “That is enough. I kept very close track of the assassination attempts. There were three. Three trials, as required. Our North Star is with us.”
The seidkona sputtered, “But the Night Elf hasn’t been thoroughly tested. She cannot lead us. We must amend the rules in this situation.”
My legs felt weak, shaking. But this moment was a crossroads, a