Like the Dawn (Lark #3) (14 page)

Chapter Nineteen

             
W
hen I show Adele the dagger we found I thought she might pass out from lack of oxygen. Moments later she’s still frozen in place with her mouth wide open staring at the dagger in complete shock.
              “Where did you find that?” she stammers when she can finally speak.
              “In the vault.”
              “I've been in the vault before—I would've noticed this,” she says doubtfully.
              “Okay, so we might have possibly, maybe, discovered a secret passage in the vault that leads to another room filled with the old relics.” I wait for her to accuse me of being out of my mind.
              She gasps instead and says, “Are you serious?”
              “You know I'd never lie about something like this.”
              “But this means—we might actually have a chance. We have the tools to defeat the Dökkálfar now. We must inform the council immediately.”
              “I don't think it will matter, Adele.”
              “I'm inclined to agree with her,” Jacoby says. “Perhaps we should keep this between us for now.”
              For a moment, I think I see Jacoby and Adele exchange a meaningful look but I quickly dismiss the thought. After all, what reason would they have to conspire together secretly?
              “Aren't you supposed to be
wooing
Hugo?” Adele asks out of nowhere.
              “Crap, yeah. I am. I got distracted.”
              “What are you guys doing?” Jacoby asks.
              “Not sure yet. Grey said I could borrow his horses if I wanted to take him horseback riding through the countryside.”
              “That was generous of him,” Jacoby mumbles.
              “Perhaps you should save that experience for Klaus.” She winks.
              “Oh my gosh, you're right!” I laugh. “Do you think Grey knows? It’s so obvious I don’t know how he wouldn’t, but if he does, he’s playing it off well!”
              “What's obvious?” Jacoby wonders. He's completely clueless and since it's none of my business either way, I decide not to fill him in.
              “Nothing.” I smile innocently. “So if I'm saving horseback riding for Klaus, what should I do with Hugo? I need to figure something out quickly.”
              I'm fresh out of ideas since it's not like we can simply do dinner and a movie here in Álfheimr. What do elves even do for entertainment when they are dating?
              “Just put him in front of a mirror and he'd be entertained for hours,” Jacoby proposes with a smirk.
              “Or you could paint self-portraits,” Adele suggests next.
              “Good grief, you guys are no help.” I say between giggles.
              “I'm afraid you're on your own then,” Adele declares.
              “Fine,” I sigh. “Wish me luck.”
              “Good luck!” Adele calls out cheerfully.              Jacoby doesn't say anything, but there's a stormy look in his eyes that reminds me, all joking aside, he has to be less than thrilled about this whole thing. I wonder if he knows that this isn't exactly what I wanted either.
              I'm barely halfway down the corridor when I hear Jacoby behind me. “Lark! Wait!”
              “Yeah?” I turn to face him.
              “You aren’t seriously considering marrying one of them, are you?”
              “I don't really think I'll have much choice in the matter. I mean, I know Alberico is hoping to secure the alliance without forcing me into an arranged marriage but the council—especially Odin—seems to think it's our best shot.”
              “You can't.” He chokes on the words, his face constricted in pain.
              “Jacoby,” I say his name softly. Every part of me wants to ease his pain. Knowing that I can't is causing an ache of my own deep inside. “It doesn't matter. We still can't be together.”
              “Why do you keep saying that?”
              “Because it’s the truth.” I choke back the tears threatening to pour from my eyes. “Please, just stop making it so hard.”
              I leave him there, standing alone in the corridor.
              “Princess,” Klaus greets me as I pass him in the corridor on the way back to my room.
              “Please, I told you to call me Mia,” I remind him.
              “It feels unnatural to address you so informally,” he admits.
              “Well, it makes me feel weird being addressed so formally,” I counter.
              “Then I suppose we are at an impasse.” He cocks an eyebrow at me, as though daring me to argue.
              “I guess so. What are you doing?” I ask him.
              “Honestly? Wandering the corridors aimlessly. It appears I have nothing to do this evening.”
              “Do you want to hang out with Hugo and me?” I grasp at the chance of having a third party present.               From my limited experience with Hugo, he seems nice enough but anyone so obviously obsessed with themselves is probably not going to have a whole lot in common with me. 
              At least with Klaus there, the conversation might be a little interesting.
              “Sure, if you don't think he'll mind sharing the stage.”
              “Oh, I'm sure he will.” I laugh.
              “Princess—I mean, Mia, can I ask you something?”
              “Sure.”
              “Is there something going on between you and Grey?”
              Not exactly what I was expecting him to ask.
              “No,” I answer.
              “Are you sure?” he pushes. “It appears that he is quite smitten with you.”
              He's obviously been paying very close attention to Grey.
              “It's complicated,” I finally admit.
              “What's complicated about it? He's unearthly beautiful. The Ljósálfar version of Adonis.”
              I giggle because it's true. “Just trust me...it's complicated.”
              “Is it because of Jacoby?”
              “Perhaps. I don't know. Maybe. But I mean it—Grey and I—it's just tricky. Always has been.”
              “It must seem even more difficult now that your council is trying to push you into a marriage in order to secure an alliance.”
              “You know about that?” I ask, astonished.
              “Of course, King Magnus, and myself for that matter, are inclined to agree with His Majesty, King Alberico.  It seems like such an extreme measure.”
              “So you won't be seeking my hand in marriage?”
              “No, rest assured, that will not be happening.”
              “Oh.”
              “You seem disappointed.”
              “I'm not,” I lie. I am disappointed because I know that regardless of how my father feels, some members of the council still seem to think a royal union is the only way we will secure the alliance. If push comes to shove and I am forced to choose between Klaus and Hugo, I, without a doubt, would prefer Klaus.
              “If you’re worried about being stuck with Hugo for eternity now, you can stop. I have it on good authority that you will get your alliance.” He winks.
              “Wait, what?! How do you know?”
              “King Magnus and King Alberico are very close. Your father has been honest with him from the beginning—but that should probably stay between you and me for now.”
              “Is Gautelfr really going to agree to the alliance?”
              “I'm still working on Magnus but I feel confident I'll be able to pull it off.”
              “So I won't have to marry anyone?” I quickly add, “No offense.”
              “None taken and no. You will
not
have to get married.”
              I feel a hopeful smile form on my face. “Oh, thank Sól! This is such a relief. I would be heartbroken if I was forced into a marriage for political purposes.  I would've gone through with it, of course, if that's what it took but it would've been with a heavy heart. I so wanted there to be another way—I can't even tell you how relieved I am! I mean, can you imagine an eternity with Hugo?” I pretend to shudder which makes Klaus laugh.
              A heavy wooden door suddenly swings open into the corridor.
              “So, it seems that this sudden gesture of friendship was nothing more than a ploy to gain our alliance?” King Valdar roars. I didn't realize that Klaus and I had stopped right outside his quarters and he heard every word of our exchange.
              “Of course not—” I start to argue.
              “This whole thing was just an act wasn't it? What was going to happen after we helped your kingdom defeat the Dökkálfar? Were you going to default on your promise of a union and revert back to ignoring Raumelfr as though we don't even exist?”
              “No! I don't want that at all!” I tell him earnestly. “I want all of the kingdoms to work together and help each other out.”
              “Or perhaps this was a ploy to reclaim Raumelfr as part of the kingdom of Álfheimr. That's it, isn't it?”
              “Of course not!”
              “Lies!” he shouts. “All lies! Oh, it makes perfect sense now. You want us to risk our lives for your so-called cause and then once we are weakened you will invade us! You are quite the treacherous little liar aren't you, Princess?”
              “I never lied to you! I do want the alliance because the council seems to think it's necessary if we're going to stand a chance against the Dark Elves. If it was up to me, we would have already attacked the Dökkálfar, but it's not. The council makes the decisions so I was going along with their plans to secure the alliance.”
              “So you admit it, you were just planning to use Hugo for your gain?”
              “No!” I exhale exasperatedly. “That's not what I'm saying!” I profess, but it's too late, he's already made up his mind.
              “I cannot believe he trusted you—that we trusted any of you. I cannot say I'm at all surprised by this deceit. I should have expected it all along.” He glares at me.
              “But—that's not—”
              “What's going on?” Hugo stands in the doorway, glancing between me on the verge of tears and his angry, red-faced father.
              “We are leaving!” Valdar snaps.
              “What? Why?” Hugo asks.
              Valdar doesn't explain why. He just adds, “Immediately!”
              Klaus and I are left standing dumbstruck over King Valdar's reaction. “Isla! Hugo! We leave at once!” Valdar orders, storming back into the room.  But Hugo, looking crestfallen, remains rooted to the spot.
              “Hugo,” I plead. “You don't know me. I know that. But please, believe me when I say that it was never our intention to take over your kingdom. Don't you think Alberico would've done so before now if that was his wish? I've never been for an arranged marriage—it really had nothing to do with you, I swear. I'm sure you're a nice guy, I'm just not ready to settle down and I felt like that shouldn't be our priority right now—all three of the Ljósálfar kingdoms need to band together to defeat Dugan. Together we're strong—apart we are weak. Do you honestly think he'll be satisfied with just conquering Álfheimr? Where do you think he will attack next?”
              “That's enough!” Valdar thunders. He steps in front of Hugo. “We've heard enough. Farewell,
Princess
,” he spits out.
              “I think I screwed up,” I say as I stare wide-eyed at the closed door that was just slammed in my face. “Big time.”
              Klaus doesn't disagree.

Chapter Twenty

             
I
t's barely dawn.  I know this because what little light is streaming in through the heavy velvet curtains is currently more pinkish than yellow—which begs the question—why am I awake? Then I hear a tapping at my door. Where is Freya? Probably asleep—like I should be.
             
“Wake up, sleepy-head.”
I hear Jacoby speak inside my mind.
“I have a surprise for you.”
              “Jacoby! It's too early!” I grab my pillow and press it over my head blocking the light from my eyes and attempting to ignore the annoying knocking at my chamber doors. I'm so not a morning person.
              After Valdar and Isla's departure last night, I had to tell the council about yet another one of my epic mistakes. Odin was the angriest of the group since he's the one who managed to convince the reluctant Raumelfr rulers to come to our kingdom in the first place. I felt like a huge disappointment for ruining it.
              To make it worse, I couldn't even tell them that it was going to be okay. Klaus had told me in confidence that he thought Magnus was going to agree to the partnership, but no official announcement had been made yet. I wanted so badly to tell them, but I didn't want to risk pissing off another potential ally so I kept my mouth shut.
              The meeting dragged on until well after midnight. I told them I would do all the groveling in the world to try to get them to return but I was pretty sure it was a lost cause. Yet again, I'd managed to screw everything up.
              After Alberico finally dismissed us all, I struggled to fall asleep. The guilt gnawed at me, making it impossible to relax. I tossed and turned most of the night.              
              Which made this early wakeup call even more annoying. He knocks again. “Come on, Sleeping Beauty. Open the door.”
              “Go away!” I grumble from beneath my pillow.
              “
Sorry but it's the only time that will work if we're going to be sneaky.
”
              That catches my attention.              Why would we need to be sneaky?
             
“Are you going to let me in or what?
” he asks impatiently, which seems a little presumptuous.  These are, after all, my private chambers and I'm still in bed.
              “Hold your horses!
” I throw off the covers and wrap myself up in my silk robe. I catch my reflection in the mirror as I walk to the door and 'rat’s nest' doesn't even begin to describe the mess that is on top of my head.  Too late to do anything about it now.
              I open the door and he flashes me an appreciative smile. “Nice.”
              “Shut up.” I yank him by his arm into my room and shut the door quietly behind us.
              He's studying my new chambers so I take advantage of his momentary distraction and comb my fingers through my hair as quickly as I can manage.
              “Wow. Someone upgraded.”
              “Yeah, it's a bit much, right?”
              “Nah. I mean, if it was for me, yeah, it's a little excessive. But you are the princess after all.”
              “So they keep telling me.” I roll my eyes. “So why are you barging in my room at this hour?”
              “I told you, I have a surprise.”
              “What is it?” I ask warily.
              “If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise.” He lifts his eyebrows suggestively. “Get dressed. I told them we'd be down in five.”
              Them?
              “Um, okay. This is weird.”
              “Yeah, but it'll be worth it trust me.”
              A few minutes later I'm dressed, my teeth are brushed, and the rat’s nest is tamed. Jacoby and I tiptoe down the corridor covertly which would be humorous if I wasn't still half asleep.
              He leads the way, turning to face me every once in a while with a finger pressed to his lips. More than once, I smack him for it.
              Eventually we make our way, undetected, to Isobel's chambers.
              “What are we doing?”
              “Patience.”
              He knocks twice but then lets us in without waiting for her to answer the door which strikes me as odd but maybe she's expecting us? We enter the empty room and he leads me straight through the doors that lead to Isobel's secret garden. 
              Waiting inside are a handful of elves including Isobel, Adele, Anders, and even Lars, which surprises me.               
              A few of the castle servants are present as well. Freya's eyes meet my own and a faint blush colors her cheeks. No wonder she wasn't in my chambers to answer the door when Jacoby knocked.
              “So, now that the princess has arrived, we can get started.”
              “Started? On what?” I ask since I still have no idea what we're all doing here.
              “This select group of elves before you wishes to learn the art of swordsmanship,” he exclaims out loud before reverting to Mind-speak and saying,
“They are on your side.”
              “Really?”
             
I look around at the group and take note of their eager faces. There aren't very many of them, but still, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy that they trust me, especially after the incident last night with King Valdar.
              “Wow. Thank you—just, thank you,” I tell them with a lump in my throat.
              “I call this first session of Fight Club to order.”
              “Fight Club?” Isobel asks.
              “It's a movie.”
              “What's a movie?” Freya asks.
              Jacoby chuckles. “Not important. In order to protect Mia, we need to keep this group a secret. For now anyway. I'll teach you guys everything I know and then maybe we'll be able to persuade others, but for now, let's keep this between us. Okay?”
              Everyone nods in agreement and Isobel smiles fondly at Jacoby. It's amazing how much happier she seems now that he is back.
              Jacoby doesn’t waste any time—he dives right in.
              “As you can see, Lark—I mean, the princess, and I discovered the lost relics from the Bronze Age.” He gestures behind him where a few of the dusty relics that haven't been seen for probably thousands of years are all laid out on Isobel's tea table. For some reason all I can think about is how dirty the pretty blue tablecloth is going to be.
              “Now, time is of the essence here—we don't have the luxury of years for training so we're going with the Cliff's Notes version.” I hear someone mutter, “Who is Cliff?”
              Jacoby continues, ignoring the question. “Learning to use weapons, especially a sword, is very important. But you also need to know hand-to-hand combat techniques,” Jacoby instructs. “So first let's split up into pairs. Lark, you're with me.”
              “But I—” I start to argue but it's too late, everyone else has already paired up. It shouldn't come as a surprise to me—most of them still don’t like or trust Jacoby.
              “The first thing you must remember is the importance of your stance,” Jacoby says as he demonstrates. “Place your feet shoulder width apart and face your arms forward, parallel to each other like this.”
              He adjusts my arms into the correct position and my heart flutters at his slight touch. “Keep your knees slightly bent and place your weight on the balls of your feet.”
              I remind myself to keep breathing. I can't let him know how much he still affects me. If he knows, he'll never give up on me and, as much as it hurts me, I need him to.
              “Okay, show me what you’ve got,” he orders, mirroring my stance.
              “Um. What?”
              “Attack me,” he encourages.
              “But how?”
              “Just hit me. I need to know what I'm working with here.”
              I stand there nervously, unable to make myself hit him. “I can't.”
              “You have to,” he insists. “You can't act scared.”
              “But I don't want to hurt you.”
              “I doubt you can hurt me.” He smirks and then I kind of do want to hurt him just to prove him wrong.
              I pull back and let my fist fly but before I make contact with his nose, he easily blocks me.
              “Good attempt, but your form is all wrong.”
              “Isn't that why you’re here? To teach me?” I snap back.
              He adjusts my arms into position again and then wraps his hand around my fist. “Don't tuck your thumb in and keep your arm level with your shoulder.”
              “Okay.” My voice sounds breathless.
              “
Don't be nervous,
” he says in my mind.              “
I'm not nervous
,” I argue.
              “
Your aura shows otherwise
,” he winks.
              So not fair.
              Not only could he hear my thoughts, he could read my emotions too, via my aura. For a while we thought that maybe I'd be able to teach him how to heal and he'd be able to teach me to see auras but so far no such luck. That's the thing with Spirit—it's so different from the other elements and is impossible to predict since it’s such a rare affinity.
              Sometimes I can't decide which is cooler: my healing ability or his super cool aura-reading one.
              Jacoby addresses the entire group now. “The key is to be as aggressive as possible. If you act scared, your opponent will capitalize on your weakness.”
              “This is all fine and good, but it's not like we'll be able to defeat the Dökkálfar in hand-to-hand combat,” Lars scoffs. “If this is all we'll be learning it's a huge waste of time.”
              “It may seem so, but if you’re caught off guard with no weapon, you want to be able to give yourself the best chance—which means you have to learn defensive action before you can take the offensive.”
              “But you are going to train us to use those, right?” Freya asks, gesturing toward the weapons.
              “Yes, I assure you. You will know how to use each of them before we're finished.”
              It still bothers me that Freya is here—this sweet, innocent servant has no place fighting in any battles, but she wants to learn and I'm not going to deny her that chance.
              After the first meeting of Fight Club, as Jacoby called it, is over he walks me back up to my chambers so I can get cleaned up. I really hope we don't run into anyone who may find the princess dripping with sweat to be suspicious.
              “Thank you,” I tell him when we are getting ready to turn our separate ways.
              “No need to thank me.”
              “How did you do it?”
              “Do what?”
              “Persuade them all to participate?”
              “Easy. I'm very persuasive.” He winks.
              I shake my head in mild amusement.
              “Yeah, yeah. But seriously, thank you.”
              “I believe in you, Lark.” He touches the side of my face, letting his hand linger there. For a moment, I think he might actually lean in and press his lips against my own…but he doesn't. A part of me is disappointed.
              It's moments like this that make it difficult to stand by my decision to let him go.