Page 5 of The Daughter of the Scarred Elf

He must’ve been thinking the same thing because there was a sharp movement on his stoic, handsome face. “No need to thank me.”

“Also, thank you for, um, improvising yesterday.” She rubbed the nape of her neck as she remembered Sijur waving Fenris’s forged signature in the throne room. “If you had refuted his letter, everything would’ve been foiled.”

He waved his hand dismissively. “It was nothing. Though, itwasamusing to see the king flustered.” The corner of his mouth rose, and then he added, “You didn’t hear that from me.”

Kolfinna laughed softly, and the room became silent once more. She stared down at her boots, trying to catch her reflection in the polish. “I actually also wanted to ask about … Yrsa. Have you found her?”

She had told Fenris everything about Yrsa during her house arrest, but apparently, she’d been missing since the day of the attack on the palace. Maybe she had realized that once Kolfinna defeated her, her cover was up.

Displeasure crossed Fenris’s face before smoothing out to indifference. “We still haven’t found her, but rest assured that we will.”

“I highly suspect she’s a member of Ragnarök.”

“I know. I believe you.”

He was probably one of the few people left who did.

He eyed Blár’s cloak draped effortlessly over her shoulders. “I’m surprised Blár Vilulf didn’t show up yesterday at your trial. He seemed very distraught when you were missing, so I assumed …”

That they were friends? Lovers?

Kolfinna wasn’t even sure.

“I suppose he’s busy.” She inadvertently touched the wolf-pelt fur along the neckline, where Blár’s scent of vanilla and spice barely lingered. “Being a black rank and all.”

“Hm.” Fenris tapped a finger over the crinkling papers on his desk. “You’re leaving tonight, right? Have you packed your things?”

“Yes, some of them …” She had only been able to pack her clothes and a few random things. She had years of experience with picking her life up, packing it into a small bag, and running to the next city, so it shouldn’t have stung so much to repeat the process, but it did. She had thought she had finally found a place to settle down for good. She had bought things in her home that were there to stay—a few houseplants, a rug, furniture. But now she was leaving them behind to Nollar, who needed new furniture for his new apartment.

“I was surprised when Sijur Bernsten came to your rescue yesterday.” It was more of a question than a statement, by the way he was staring at her with conflict brewing in his silvery gaze.

Kolfinna subconsciously rubbed the glittering gold rune-mark on her wrist, a reminder of their deal.

“Be careful about him.” Fenris watched her unflinchingly. “Do not trust that man.”

It was a bit too late for that.

The lively view outside Fenris’s window drew Kolfinna’s attention. She would be leaving all of this behind. The city, the Royal Guard life, everything. She had built nothing these past five months.

“I heard your wife gave birth a few days ago,” she said to distract herself from the pang of sadness in her heart and the stinging of her eyes. “Congratulations.”

Fenris’s hard features softened. “Yes, we have another son now.”

“That makes it two girls and two boys,” she said with a soft smile. “You’ll have your hands full.”

He chuckled. “I’ve faced worse.”

They remained in silence for a few more awkward moments. This would be the last time she’d be in his office, she realized. No more missions, no more meetings. Nothing.

Kolfinna gestured to the door. “I’ll, um, head out then. Goodbye, Fenris.”

“Goodbye, Kolfinna.” Fenris rose from his seat. “It was a pleasure working alongside you. If you ever need anything, please feel free to contact me. I do sincerely hope that your position in the military will give you something positive, something the Royal Guards couldn’t. Good luck.”

Her throat closed up again as she nodded. “Thank you.”

Sayinggoodbye was the hardest part.

That hadn’t been the case years ago, when Kolfinna and Katla had been constantly on the move, finding new cities, new villages, new places where no one would think too hard about them. Even a year ago, Kolfinna had been used to leaving old places for new ones. But leaving this time was different.

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