Page 171 of Into the Isle

She frowned. “I suspect King Dannon thought the exact same thing when he first had his vision, child. And look what happened to him.”

I tensed, then spun around and left the witch’s presence, as the sound of her tuneless humming filled the space.

It was only when I reached the end of the cave, with sunlight blooming beyond, that I realized I hadn’t told the witch my name.

She had somehow known it before I even arrived.

“Arne!” I shouted as I burst out of the cave. “We have to go.” Though I limped, I fought through the pain.

The iceshaper pushed off a nearby tree, sweeping hanging willow branches out of his face. “What’s that you’re holding?”

I looked down at the concoction. “A healing remedy. I think.” I made a sour face, then shook my head. “It’s not important. I’ve learned something insane, and if it’s true, it changes everything.”

“Whoa. Slow down.” He pushed his palms at me while I stormed past him toward the Niflbog. “The bog seer spoke with you, then?” His voice sounded excited.

I nodded. “Did she ever.”

Arne paused, his boots trailing off.

“Good,” he said.

He sounded . . . different.

I slowed my stride, furrowing my brow—

And then I couldn’t move.

With a gasp, I nearly tipped forward from my momentum. I glanced down, confused, as icy stalagmites crystallized around my legs and ankles, sprouting from the mud and keeping me literally frozen to the ground.

My head whipped up. “A-Arne? What are you doing?!”

There was pity in his beautiful face as he looked away.

I twisted and writhed, trying to break free of the ice.

Shadows appeared from nearby trees—two, four, then six silhouetted figures who stepped out from under the swampy canopies.

Huscarls.

My mouth fell open. I struggled some more. I didn’t even have my spear with me—a fact Arne had likely planned.

I couldn’t shatter the cold, even as my heart shattered in a matter of seconds.

“NO!” I cried out. “Arne! What is this?!”

My eyes burned. My lungs deflated, throat constricting as I struggled to break free of my treacherous confines.

“I’m so sorry, little fox,” he murmured, stepping away as the Huscarls advanced on me with their weapons drawn. When he looked up at my face, his eyes were dewy. “I had no choice.”

The anger that clawed up my spine was like nothing I’d ever felt.

Betrayal. Just like the King Who Saw had foretold and eventually brought upon himself. And just like the king . . . I couldn’t make sense of why this was happening.

“Why?!” I shouted on deaf ears.

I writhed so hard the ice started to crack against my legs. The Huscarls went in a fighting stance as they surrounded me.

“No!” Arne shouted, pushing himself forward into the crowd of soldiers. “Don’t hurt her! You said—”

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