Page 144 of Kingdom of Embers and Ruin

Bryn didn’t see how. Stripping out of her uniform, Bryn wrapped her mother’s robe around her and settled onto her bed, reading the note from Revna again. She didn’t understand why this heaviness was hanging over her shoulders, but Bryn tried to ignore it as she rolled over and became overwhelmed by sleep.

When Bryn woke later that night in a pool of sweat, it was not from the raging need she felt for Revna but rather from terror. But terror for what, Bryn could not remember.

27

The morning after the funeral they held for Eydis, Herrick had found himself at a complete loss for what to do. Hakon had barely spoken, and Maude looked like a ghost. Any triumph at their success in the Knotted Caverns was lost in Eydis’s death.

His grief had taken control as he mourned for the bright spot in his brother’s life. Eydis was a sweet woman who had made his brother happy and brought Maude out of her shell. He punished himself for not getting to her side sooner.

Herrick had seen the look of panic on Maude’s face in the caverns as she cradled Eydis and tried to spark her fire with no success. His hand was now healed, but some of his skin was still tinged pink. Herrick had to focus on getting his friends to the safety of a town before he tried to discuss anything with them. Liv and Gunnar had been helpful in herding Hakon through the desolate lands of the Kingdom of Light, their sadness taking a backseat for the time being.

That first night, when Maude had taken the watch overnight, Herrick had stared at her still form until he had finally fallen asleep, his dreams plagued by the events in the Caverns. He had felt an overwhelming need to be at her side, to help her save Eydis. He had left Liv hanging against two of thedraugr, their sickly white skin sloughing off the longdead bodies they inhabited.

When he had finally gotten Maude to focus, he had felt hisgalderstirring in his body. Her hand was wreathed with fire, and Herrick had not hesitated to grab those flames and force them onto Eydis’s bleeding wound.

He hadn’t felt his skin burning, the flesh beginning to bubble under the intense heat. He could only think of helping Maude. When they had raced out of the caverns, he had covered his hand in a block of ice with plans to wrap it up once they escaped.

What Herrick found outside the caverns, though, would stay with him forever.

His brother crouched over the body of the woman he loved, and the object of his affection racked with grief. Herrick’s despair for Eydis’s loss was palpable, but he had not been nearly as close to her as Hakon and Maude. They had stood together, watching her body disappear over the horizon in silence before leaving Ljosa behind.

When he woke the next morning, Maude had been looking at him from where she sat on top of the hill. Though she still looked ravaged by her grief, an uncertain type of peace had crept its way into her gaze. She was encased by the rising sun, the beams highlighting her tanned skin and ruby hair.

Herrick thought he had never seen anyone so divine before. He gave her a small smile that she had returned before turning back to her watch. Hakon had also looked more at peace that morning, for which Herrick had been grateful. Not wanting to shatter the reprieve from his brother's grief, Herrick quietly packed up their camp to set out once more.

The next day was like the one before. Hakon and Maude were silent while they traveled to Dagsbrun. Maude kept her pace like Herrick’s, staying close to each other much like they had in the Caverns. Occasionally, her hand would drift toward his and brush against the back of his hand,sending sparks up his arm that lit his soul with the fire that burned in her veins.

When Maude and Gunnar had begun to set up their camp on the second night, and Hakon took the watch, Liv and Herrick offered to hunt and resupply their food stores.

“They haven’t spoken a word since we left Ljosa,” Liv said, pulling the arrow she had borrowed from Maude out of the rabbit she had just killed.

“I know,” Herrick replied, taking out the string he had woven together using his earth galder to tie around the rabbit’s legs.

He swung the dead animal over his shoulder where three others hung already and joined Liv where she had already begun tracking another.

“We have to do something,” Liv said, drawing back another arrow.

“We will. Now just isn't the right time.”

“They haven't spoken in two days.”

“Liv, you’re only pointing things out, not offering any real solutions,” Herrick said, his frustration beginning to surface.

“I’m only saying that I’m worried about them,” Liv said, turning to face Herrick and lowering her bow. “What happened to Eydis…”

Liv trailed off, unshed tears shining in her eyes.

“It was horrible,” Herrick agreed.

“It’s my fault,” Liv said, her voice sounding small. “I told her to go first when we felt the tremors in the cave tunnel. I figured she would get outside faster than us if anything were happening. Thedraugrcame out of the wall and separated us. She managed to fight it off and kill it, but she was swarmed by more. I tried to get to her, but one snatched me up, and Maude had to stop and help me because of my carelessness.”

“That doesn’t make it your fault, Liv,” Herrick began, but Liv continued to spill her grief.

“Once I was freed, we tried to get to her, but we were too far. Thedraugrshe was fighting had bitten her arm when her staff had gotten stuck in the walls, and she managed to get the creature off her, but she was bleeding too quickly, and I couldn’t get to her—”

Liv’s voice cracked. Herrick quickly walked over to his friend and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight to his chest.

“It’s not your fault,” Herrick said to her. “Eydis fought bravely with the heart of a warrior; there is no doubt she is feasting with Odin as we speak. It was her time; the Allfather called her back to him on the wings of the Valkyrie.”

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