her eyes gleamed, and Gudrun cursed and stumbled back, almost falling when his foot glanced off a step. The crowd in the courtyard gasped, the collective inhale like a crack of angry thunder.
“She is not a daughter, Majesty,” Master Ivo repeated, though it was not clear to which king he referred. “She is a keeper.” He paused, his gaze still clinging to King Banruud. “We call her . . . Ghost.”
“I want to see the temple,” the North King demanded, his voice ringing imperiously, but he had retreated several more steps. Ghost did not re-cover her hair or drop her gaze, but Dagmar had taken her hand in his, and without a word, the robed keepers moved back around her protectively.
“And you shall see it, King Gudrun,” Banruud promised, finding his voice, though it rattled oddly. “It is open to all during the tournament. But we’ve traveled far, and you are hungry. We will dine first and enjoy the games. The temple can wait.”
Banruud turned away, dismissing the Highest Keeper the way he had been dismissed. He gripped Alba’s arm and drew Gudrun and his men forward with a wave of his hand. The North King followed reluctantly, turning back more than once to study the temple, her daughters, and her rows of huddled keepers.
26
SOLDIERS
The ship was sinking, and secrets were oozing through the widening cracks in the bow like terrified rats. Ghisla’s own secrets trembled on her lips, but she clenched her teeth and bit them back, willing the rodents to swim.
Ghost had been careless. She should have kept her head down. Instead, she’d stood among the keepers on the temple steps, and the North King had seen her. Banruud had seen her. He’d seen her, and he’d known her. She would not be able to hide from him any longer.
Odin help them all.
Ghisla could feel the listing of the ground beneath her feet, and she clearly was not the only one. Ghost must have fainted or swayed, because Dagmar had swooped her up into his arms and was carrying her into the temple. Ghisla and her sisters hurried after him, and Master Ivo wasn’t far behind, his scepter clacking against the stones.
“Are you unwell, Ghost?” Elayne asked, hovering at Dagmar’s side. She passed a gentle hand over Ghost’s brow. Ghost shook her head in shame.
“I’m a fool, Elayne. I was afraid, and I forgot to draw sufficient breath. I’m fine. See to the others. You were all so brave . . . and I am so proud.”
“Go, Elayne,” Dagmar urged kindly, laying Ghost on a cool bench in the sanctum. “See to the others. I’ll look after Ghost.”
Elayne hesitated and looked at her sisters.
“Do not send us away,” Juliah said. “Tell us what is happening.”
“We deserve to know what is happening,” Bashti agreed.
Ghisla already knew what was happening.
She knew, and her heart raged in her chest. She needed to find Hod, but she didn’t move. None of them moved.
Dagmar seemed at a loss, and Ghost stared up at him, her terror evident.
“What are we going to do?” Ghost whispered, but Dagmar rose from her side and stepped away, turning as Ivo entered the sanctum, his black robes melding with the shadows that jumped from stone to stone in the flickering light.
Ghisla pulled her sisters back, retreating to the shadows, but they did not leave.
Ivo did not sit upon the dais, and he did not ask Ghisla and her sisters to go. Ghisla wasn’t even sure he noticed they were still in the sanctum. Instead he stopped in front of Ghost, his hands wrapped on the ball of his scepter, his chin resting on his hands. Ghost tried to rise, but her strength seemed to fail her.
“Why does Banruud fear you, Ghost?” he whispered.
“He does not fear me,” Ghost choked.
But he did. Ghisla knew he did.
“Banruud will give the princess to the North King to stop their advance into Saylok, and young Bayr can do nothing to stop it,” Master Ivo said, staring down at Ghost.
“I will go with her,” Ghost panted.
Elayne moaned softly and Juliah took a step toward her, but Ghisla laid a hand on her shoulder, restraining her, afraid they would be asked to go. Dagmar, Ivo, and Ghost were oblivious to them.
“You are a keeper—you will not,” Dagmar shot back, incredulous. “You’ve been entrusted with the knowledge of the runes. And that knowledge stays here, in the temple.”
“I gave my word to the princess,” she ground out, her jaw locked.
“You gave your word to me,”