Page 105 of Kingdom of Embers and Ruin

Arriving at Liv’s side, a short distance away from their friends, Herrick asked, “Which path would be best?”

Liv pointed south toward the cliffs that were rumored to border Ljosa.

“That way,” she said definitively. “There is a natural stairway in the cliffside that leads down into the city. The cliffs are a natural barrier and deterrent to unwanted visitors, but I’ve been through this way before.”

Liv’s voice cracked slightly on the last word. Herrick glanced at her but did not call attention to it, noting only how she looked over the horizon with longing.

Herrick wanted to speak when he heard his friends coming up behind him, Gunnar and Maude walking together while Hakon and Eydis slowly trailed behind them, packs on their shoulders and stubborn grit set in all their faces. Feeling closer than ever to finding a way to free Logi from Helvig’s grasp, Herrick was re-energized in their mission and motioned for Liv to lead the way into Ljosa.

As they all made their way through the barren land, Herrick turned to look back at Maude on impulse and found her staring north with a contemplative look on her face. He watched as she shook her head slightly and began to move forward. She glanced over her shoulder again as if she couldn’t stand to move further away from something.

A heavy feeling settled into the pit of his stomach, weighing Herrick down with every step they took into the Kingdom of Light. He looked over his shoulder and wondered if Maude was feeling the same thing, her steps laden with the same weight.

Herrick faced south and prayed to the gods that he was leading his friends down the right path.

Hours of hiking brought them to the lip of the cliffside Liv had told Herrick about. The late afternoon sun shone on the crumbling city of Ljosa below them and burned the backs of their necks in the blisteringheat. Maude was the only one who was sensible and had covered her head again with the shawl she perpetually had wrapped around her torso.

“Gods. We’re not even close to being in the city limits,” Hakon grumbled, breaking his long silence at last.

“We’ll be there by nightfall,” Liv offered, never taking her eyes off the city.

“Then let’s move,” Hakon said impatiently.

Herrick eyed his brother. He had not wanted to push Hakon to talk after what they found in Amsbrook, but it seemed to be eating at him.

Maude seemed to notice his reaction as well because she looked pointedly at Herrick and then at Hakon before she said, “Gunnar needs to rest for a minute; we all do. Take a couple of minutes, and we can continue.”

Hakon stopped and turned to argue, but Gunnar interrupted him.

“I’m fine,” Gunnar said grumpily.

“You’re bleeding, stubborn fool,” Maude said, but there was no bite to her words. “Sit down, let me redress your wound.”

Grumbling to himself about busybodies, Gunnar reluctantly found a large rock and sat on it with his arms crossed, allowing Maude to stand at his side and get to work. She glanced at Herrick once more before she continued in her work, asking Eydis for help with the bandages.

Leaving Liv to brood on the precipice of the Kingdom of Light in solitude, Herrick walked over to where Hakon had headed. His brother was now pacing in a small circle, nervous energy moving off him in tidal waves.

“Tell me what’s bothering you, brother,” Herrick said as he sat on a boulder by Hakon.

“You know damn well what’s bothering me,” Hakon replied, avoiding his eyes.

“I’m afraid I don't, so you need totell me.”

Hakon stopped and shot a finger out toward where Maude stood with Gunnar, laughing at something Eydis said.

“You let her burn Amsbrook to the ground,” Hakon said, seething.

“Excuse me?” Herrick asked, sliding off the boulder to get in his brother's face. “I didn’tlether do anything. Amsbrook would never have been recovered; you didn’t see what we saw on that roof.”

“Then tell me because I seem to be missing all of the important information these days,” Hakon bit out.

“Brother, I don’t want to be the one to tell you that you have been absent recently,” Herrick said, voice strangling the anger that was threatening to boil over. “But if you feel you have missed important conversations, then perhaps it’s because youhave.”

Hakon was breathing heavily now, his rage beginning to build. Hakon had always been slow to anger, as steady and forceful as a river flowing. But rivers could grow dangerous, and so could Hakon’s temper.

“The world has not stopped because you have found love,” Herrick said, the last word coming out harsher than he intended. “Our kingdom’s problems have continued, and our mission remains. We do not have the luxury of falling in love like normal people do.”

Hakon began to pace again, hands flexing.

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