Page 192 of Frost and Death
I frown and my shoulders slump. “Oh.” I avert my gaze, trying to not show my disappointment with her investigation.
“However,” Betina says, drawing my attention, “I kept combing through the criminals, hoping there could be a connection, and I found a few names that were very familiar.”
I sit up, leaning into the mirror. “What family names?”
Betina’s throat bobs. “Albertsen.”
Iknewit.
She adds, “And Drost.”
My heart stops, my own doubt voicing itself. “Just because they are an ancestor doesn’t mean Niko is a criminal.”
“I know, but that didn’t stop me from asking him about it,” Betina admits.
“Youwhat?”
She wears a scowl in defense. “I’m not the one he is mad at, Tove. It wasn’t hard for him to admit his uncle was convicted of murdering someone, and your mother had him cursed.”
Shame creeps in.
My mother and father hurt his family, and he still showed loyalty to the kingdom and enlisted in the guard. My heart aches, knowing how much I’ve taken advantage of his kindness and love for Axidoria.
“He never told me,” I whisper.
“Nikolaj only told me he looked for a way to break his uncle’s curse when he was investigating your father’s disappearance after you stepped into your role.”
I massage my forehead at that confession, hurt Niko kept what happened to his family from me. Maybe that is why Niko encouraged community servitude rather than execution, like many of the other kingdoms. But Niko keeping Mother’s cursing ability secret twists in my gut. He, the priests, and the retired royal advisors all kept that from me.
But I remember how cut off I was when I dismissed everyone. Even if Niko told me, I doubt I would have even been receptive to it.
Each revelation is heavy and weighs down on my body. I shake my head, wishing Niko was here to talk to.
He was trying to look out for me, even when I didn’t know it.
“Nikolaj told me he couldn’t find anything, but I asked him what he researched, and that led me to investigate your mother. I thought if it was something you could know, it might help him not be as angry at you.”
“He told you?”
She nods, stepping closer and clutching the books to her chest. “I thought, since I wasn’t making progress on your father, I could help you help Nikolaj with his uncle. If we found a way to lift the curse, maybe he’d be willing to hear you out about your plan.”
“But Niko is already on the way, Betina. I can’t help him now!” I drop my head and release a long exhale.
My plan was never going to work.
“But you can. And you can help the king, too,” she says.
I blanch. “Wait. Why would you want me to help Jerrick?”
“Because Nikolaj convinced my father to go with him, to fight.”
The stinging news draws the air away from me, horror gripping my heart. “What?”
The walls close in as I rub the ache in my chest, my mind racing and heartbeat thumping loud in my ears.
Niko is not standing down.Thump.
He is still mad.Thump.
