Page 103 of Prince of the Northwest Forest
“It’s a nice side effect,” Keithen admits.
“And then there’s Princess Eleanor’s dowry. That’s why you were keeping my brother Mats here.”
“We do want that.”
“So we’ll pay it,” Kalle says.
Keithen smirks. “You certainly will. But that’s not enough. And you don’t have access to the kind of payment we’re asking for.”
“What is that?”
“The entire Northwest Forest.”
I blink. What the fuck? “How else can we pay off the debt?” I blurt. “Because there’s no way we’d ever give you our realm.”
Ignoring me, Keithen turns to the other fae, who seem to be telling him something in a language I don’t understand. Finally, he faces us again. “Because I’m feeling generous—and because I know I’m going to receive Eleanor’s dowry no matter what—I’ll allow the lantern man to take you to where the memories are kept.” He pauses. “Ifyou can either answer a riddle or best me with a sword.”
“Sword,” Kalle says immediately … although I know he doesn’t feel as confident as he sounds. I want to be confident enough for both of us, but I can’t help remembering that the fight with the firecat didn’t go all that well.
But before I can try to stop him, Kalle has drawn his sword and is facing off against Keithen. The other fae step back, forming a circle around the fighters. I can’t move far, still bound in this invisible cage.
I hate this. Kalle already carries the reminder of one battle on his face and in his heart. I don’t want him to get hurt again.
But part of me wants him to have this chance to redeem himself. Whoever he was defending in that first battle, I hope he can feel like he avenged her.
Good luck, my love.
Kalle’s sword glints in the too-bright sunset of the Fae Realm, and he positions his body in what I assume is a classical sword-fighting posture.
The fae draws his sword as well, and almost immediately, the sound of steel striking steel fills the air. Again and again and again, Kalle’s and Keithen’s weapons clash. Kalle is brutal. He’s holding nothing back. With every strike of his sword, I see his hurt and anger unleashed.
How do I tell him that even if he felt like he failed before, he could never fail me?
Keithen fights vigorously, but as the exchanges continue, Kalle begins to get the upper hand. I don’t know enough about sword fighting to be able to know how or why, but something in me says the difference is Kalle’s heart. I doubt any fae ever had half his determination. Well, they don’t have souls, so maybe they simply lack some necessary element for the kind of resolve that has shaped his life. They go round and round until Kalle has Keithen on his knees, holding up his sword to shield his face. The fae isn’t taunting or grinning anymore. He looks scared, his eyes darting around for help that doesn’t come.
“Do you yield?” Kalle growls.
Keithen nods. “Yes.” He drops his sword, and Kalle picks it up.
Breathless, Kalle takes a step back, his chest heaving. He wipes at the sweat on his face. “Then let us go to the hall of memories.”
“Fine.”
“You’ll need to free me to do that,” I point out.
Keithen nods, and the invisible bonds release. I run to Kalle and wrap my arms around him. He’s sweaty and panting, and I can sense the adrenaline still coursing through him.
“Good job,” I whisper.
“Thanks,” he murmurs back.
“Bet you don’t know how I came to give your boyfriend that scar,” Keithen calls. Apparently, now that he’s not being threatened with Kalle’s sword, he’s back to being mouthy again.
I turn and squint. “What?”
“He was fighting to keep me from taking your memory.” Keithen sits on the ground, his face losing its glow.
Rubbing my chin, I suddenly feel overheated. “How? What? What are you talking about?”
