“Why wait for the anniversary celebration?” Viggo asked. “Why not act during Torvald’s wedding?”
“To lull us into a false sense of security,” I said before Helka could. “To make the ending of the anniversary celebration that much more memorable. To publicly terrorize and humiliate us.”
“To make a statement,” Helka murmured. “To prove that Torvald was lying when he told the people that they had nothing to worry about during the last press conference.”
“What is he planning on doing now?” Viggo asked. “Where can we find him? Who is he masquerading as?”
“He’s tired of patronizing you,” Helka said, sick with grief. “It was fun at the beginning but it’s become a nuisance. Tatsuo is going to end Torvald’s reign himself. You can find him in the king’s home. He’s having lunch with his son as we speak.”
Viggo gripped my arm before I could reach the front door. “Let me go in first. It might be dangerous.”
I yanked my arm away. “Now is not the time for chivalry.” I threw the door open and ran into the house, almost tripping on the bodies of guards littering the hallway.
There were six dead. Hemming lay across the stairs with a fork in his eye, his mouth gaping open. I swallowed the bile threatening to come up my throat.
“Lisodinae have mercy,” Viggo whispered somewhere behind me.
My hands formed fists at my sides. Anger made my blood surge through my body like waves crashing over the shore. I marched down the hallway.
Viggo hurried after me. “We need a plan.”
“I have a plan. I’m going to kill him!” I reached the dining room’s archway only to find Bryn bleeding and groaning on the hardwood floor.
Bryn, who had so carefully tended to the wounds of a stranger on her first day at the academy. Bryn, who had befriended Dotharr’s Miracle and given her reasons to smile despite the bleak situation she’d found herself in. Bryn, who had freely offered his assistance to the vengeful warrior determined to kill the general. Bryn, who had taken the time to construct special earplugs for his friend despite all the other things he had been assigned to do. Bryn, who had saved my life more times than I could count—lay dying.
The floor tilted beneath my feet. The air thinned. I tore my gaze away from his blood before I could faint.
Viggo caught sight of Bryn on the floor and stiffened.
“Go to him,” I said, fighting for breath.
Viggo ran to his friend and fell to his knees.
The two servants who had been allowed to remain in the king’s home were dead. One had a butter knife protruding from his head; the other a fork in her chest. The table had been overturned. There was food, pieces of china, shards of glass, flowers, and silverware scattered before the fireplace. The mirror above the mantelpiece was broken and hanging crookedly on the wall.
Lennart brandished the king’s ceremonial sword and was bearing down on Torvald. The king held a silver serving platter before him like a shield and his eyes were wild with panic. General Halvar, or should I say Tatsuo, sat in the only chair that had survived the attack, sipping brandy.
I hastily removed the dagger from my boot. “Lennart!”
The former Defender turned just so that his eyes could meet mine. The sword was still aimed at Torvald’s chest.
Tatsuo lowered his cup of brandy and smiled. “Hello, Asta. You’re just in time.”
At the sound of my name, fear gripped my stomach. The earplugs Bryn had made for me had been lost during the explosion. I had nothing to protect myself with but my own will.
Will you do me a favor? Will you reject any commands the general gives and do everything in your power to destroy him? I couldn’t detect a difference in my person. The fear escalated. Why hadn’t I listened to Viggo? Why hadn’t we come up with a better plan than this?
“Bryn’s been skewered with a two-pronged fork. He needs to be taken to the hospital right away.” I could see Viggo trembling in rage and panic out of the corner of my eye. He rose and kicked a dining chair out of the way before stalking toward Tatsuo. “If he dies, you worthless bastard—”
“Go,” I said. “Get Bryn out of here.”
He aimed his murderous glare at me. “I can’t just leave you here to fight Tatsuo and Lennart alone!”
Torvald let his shield fall to the ground with a clatter. His face grew chalky white and his mouth hung open. “T-Tatsuo?”
“If Bryn dies, it’ll destroy us both.” My voice cracked. I swore and pointed my dagger at Lennart. “Don’t move!”
He grinned. “My reach is longer than yours, Asta of Kenshore.” He extended his sword in Torvald’s direction.
The king backed up against the wall, eyes fixed on the blade coming ever nearer.
“The moment it would take you to throw your dagger would be the moment I pierced his heart.” Lennart hardly needed his eyes to guide his blade. It stopped just before Torvald’s chest.
“Asta,” Tatsuo said, drawing my attention. “Will you do me a favor?”
Ice filled my lungs.
My limbs grew stiff.
I couldn’t move. No!
“Will you do me a favor?” Viggo whispered from the other side of the room.
Tatsuo turned sharply in Viggo’s direction, rage and disbelief twisting his already-harsh face into something far more sinister.
Viggo’s eyes were fixed on me. The righteous fury brought on by seeing his friend so injured was gone. His face was soft, radiating confidence and love. “Will you believe, once and for all, that you’re stronger than him? Will you free yourself from his curse?”
Warmth flooded through my body. The tightness in my lungs magically disappeared. I took a deep greedy breath. Even my posture relaxed.
Was this what it felt like to be free?
A whistle echoed across the dining room, one that drew all our eyes to Lennart. An arrow exploded from his chest, sending blood everywhere. I let out a squeak of surprise, Torvald gasped, and Viggo swore. Tatsuo never took those flaming eyes off of Viggo. Confusion flickered across Lennart’s face, and then he collapsed.
Dagmar’s harsh voice cut through the room. “On your feet, General Halvar.”
Tatsuo rose slowly. My handmaiden stepped out of the servants’ entrance and loaded another arrow into her crossbow. She must have snuck up on us while we were all distracted. Pride made a smile pull up the corners of my mouth.
I waved at Viggo. “Go.”
He hesitated only a moment before lifting Bryn into his arms.
“Thank you,” I added, voice wavering with the power of my gratitude.
Viggo managed a little smile before he dashed out of the room.
Dagmar narrowed her eyes at Tatsuo. “The queen is hiding in your study, my lord. Take her to Master Philo and tell him what’s happened here. Do not return unless there is an army behind you.”
Torvald slowly ambled across the room, past his father. “Why? After all these years…”
Tatsuo curled his lip at his son. “You’re a weak, sentimental fool who isn’t even blessed by Dotharr. Our Heavenly Master of Warriors sent me through a trial of fire to aid me in taking back my throne! You’re not worthy of commanding me or any of my men. You’re not fit to rule Holger.”
If heartbreak could be portrayed by an expression, it would be the look on Torvald’s face. He stumbled back as if physically weak. He blinked away tears and breathed heavily through his mouth.
Dagmar took a step forward, brandishing her crossbow. “You shut your mouth! The master is twice the man you’ll ever be!”