Page 57 of A Light So Blinding
“More worrisome than anything. Even as a child, he was big. I never worried about the creatures of the forest with him. What could battle him?” Ylva appeared out of the shadows, lighting what looked like some kind of magical lantern and illuminating the space.
It was socozyin here. Every bit of the floor was covered in plush woven rugs, sheepskin, and dark brown furs. The furniture was very comfortable looking with a small officialseating area, a fireplace that already churned with a fire to keep out the nightly chill, and a small kitchen in the back. This was the first troll home they’d been in thus far with doors that led to separate rooms. Three of them, which Astrid could only assume were two bedrooms and a bathroom.
“Your home is lovely,” she said, stepping toward the seating area and taking a tentative seat. She didn’t want to be a bother here, and she was suddenly very aware that she was wearing a man’s shirt, some belts, and nothing else.
Ylva didn’t seem to mind, though. She was already cooking in the kitchen, likely making a hearty meal for the three of them to eat, as any good hostess would do.
It made Astrid feel out of place. She didn’t belong. These trolls were doing what they could for each other, and having her here only made everything that much more complicated.
Bjorn should’ve been able to see his family, his friends, and not worry about her. She folded her hands in her lap and took a deep breath. Maybe that had been the issue. It seemed very likely that he had snapped because that other troll had put his hand on her shoulder, and that was by far an exaggerated reaction. She was fine. The other troll was allowed to touch whomever he wanted. She was used to that kind of treatment as a priestess.
“My son claims you are a priestess in your kingdom,” Ylva said. She stood in the kitchen, her hands working through dough. The pounding sound of her fists striking it snapped Astrid out of her thoughts.
“Yes, I am,” she replied. “Although it does not mean the same thing to your people as it does to my own.”
“I’m certain it doesn’t. Humans do not respect the old ways, magic, or very much else these days.” Ylva took a deep breath and then planted her hands on the counter beside the dough.“Perhaps you would care to enlighten me on what it does mean to your people.”
So Astrid let the words spill out. It wasn’t the smartest thing for her to do. If these trolls wished to use it against her own, then they absolutely could. The priestesses were a formidable force in the kingdom, and very few knew they were so talented. Although the trolls didn’t seem interested in using people like her to their benefit. If anything, they seemed to just want to be left alone.
When she was finished, Ylva was nodding. “So you use your feminine wiles to control the men who believe they are in control. Very interesting.”
“Sometimes, yes. Other times it is very boring. The rules of the kingdom are to be silent and not seen, but my people are also somewhat of a trophy. The more we look like the king’s daughter, the more likely we are to have power.” She shrugged. “I do not know why. The king has his favorites, and power follows his favorites.”
“Likely because the king himself has considerable power,” Ylva replied. “King James might be human, but he is not to be underestimated. That man has magic, and that magic spills over to those he begets a child with.”
Astrid supposed that was true. She’d only met the princess once, and that woman was also as evil as they came. She’d touched her magic only slightly and the emotions that came with it, and both of those things had made Astrid recoil in horror.
Considering how afraid the prisoners were of the princess as well, she suspected there was good reason for the princess’s name to be whispered only in hushed tones.
Ylva got her bread into the right shape and then came to sit with Astrid. She reached for her hands, holding them in her own before turning them over. “I used to know my son well. But now I believe you know him better than I do.”
Astrid sucked in a breath as the troll woman traced the lines on her palms. “I don’t know about that. I’ve been traveling with him for a week, and was trapped in the labyrinth with him for a short time before that, but I wouldn’t say I know the man well.”
“Trauma has a way of building trust between those who may never have trusted each other before. You were both trapped in that awful place. You were both there unwillingly. Clearly there is a bond between you.” Ylva pricked a small hole in Astrid’s hand. That small prick of pain was nothing compared to the blood that welled out, and the deep violet mist that arose with that bead. “Perhaps more than just a normal bond of two people who have shared experiences.”
She swallowed even harder. “We stayed the night in a blood witch’s home.”
“I saw.”
“It was a mistake. One that we must remedy for me to save my sister.”
Ylva took a deep breath, sighed, and then leaned back in her chair. “Breaking a bond such as this is dark magic. It takes much out of the person who does the breaking, and those who seek to break the bond.”
“I understand that it is a lot to ask.”
“Why do you wish to break the bond with my son?”
Why did she? That was an easy answer. “He said it was the only way to save my sister. I would sacrifice my own life if it meant she was safe. Rose is all I have. She’s an innocent who couldn’t even make it through the training to become a priestess. She deserves more than what life gave her.”
Throughout all of her words, Ylva’s gaze tightened. Her eyes narrowed upon her, watching every word as it was shaped by her mouth as though she had to believe the words that Astrid said. “What if I told you that you could do all that without breaking the bond?”
“He said it was impossible. That life would be torment for the both of us, so far from our... bonded mates.” The words were difficult for her to say. They still seemed foreign on her tongue.
“It is true that bonded pairs do not do well far from each other. But I see no reason why you should leave.”
The words stunned her. Astrid opened her mouth, closed it, tried to think of a good reason to leave and then finally blurted, “Wherever Rose goes, so do I. Your people kidnapped my sister to use as collateral so that I would free Bjorn. They threatened her life, and I have no doubt they are keeping her in a prison. I think it’s highly unlikely that she would want to stay where she is a prisoner.”
“Hm.” Ylva shrugged. “And if she does?”
