Page 51 of Court of Treachery

“No, König,” replied Aedon. “At present, he is still too infirm, but will heal.”

Korrin nodded and gestured to his jarls. “I summon you to stand with mine own kin. I doubt ever a couple of elves, a mortal, and an Aerian have ever been thusly welcomed to one of our councils. Yet I must express my gratitude for your help within Afnirheim, for without you, I suspect many more of us might not have returned.”

His face grew stern. “Now, we have seen the truth of the horrors that have passed there.” His glance hesitated on Harper. “The Mother’s vision was correct. My concern is herothervision.” Korrin stared at her pointedly.

He knows. A thrill of fear rushed through her. Of course, Vanir had told him. Her allegiance was bound to the dwarves, not her.She is one of their gods, after all. Harper swallowed.

“Did you know of this before you entered our halls?” he asked her quietly.

“No, König.” She met his gaze and tried not to flinch.

He shook his head and frowned. “I see no resemblance, yet Vanir would not show us falsehoods. How can we trust you, blood of his blood?”

“I have nothing to do with him, König. I hail from lands far away, where I have lived as long as my memory recalls. I know nothing of this land or its history, and nothing of my kin. I have been an orphan all my life. This changes nothing.”My mother is still dead.That cut at the wound in her chest anew.

“So you say, yet I do not know that I can trust the word of an elf related tohim.You saw as well as we did what he has done.”

“And I was just as horrified as you all were,” insisted Harper. “I came to tell you of the Mother’s vision of Afnirheim the moment I saw it. If I were somehow in his thrall, would I have done that?”

Korrin narrowed his eyes at her, unconvinced. “Spies can bluff as many times as they need to in order to gain trust.”

“I will vouch for her.” Brand’s quiet, even voice rang through the space.

“And I,” Erika said, stepping forward.

“And I,” said Aedon.

Warmth burned up her throat and a lump formed there. She blinked hot wetness away from her eyes, raising her chin. She would not cry, no matter how glad she was not to stand alone.

Korrin surveyed them. “The words of Aerians, mortals, and elves do not count for much here, but I will let your good faith stand. Her actions are on your hands. If there is any hint, any at all, of something untoward, I shall see that Keldheimis protected at any cost.” His stern voice left nothing to the imagination as to his intentions.

“We shall see it done, König,” replied Brand, bowing. “Our friend is trustworthy. You have nothing to fear.”

“I do not fear her,” Korrin sneered, uncharacteristically arrogant for a moment. “But I will do whatever it takes to protect Valtivar.” The jarls raised their fists to their hearts at his words.

“Then there is the matter of Ragnar Dúrnir.” Korrin’s sour tone showed his feelings on that. “With my cousin’s return, his affairs in Keldheim must once more be raised.”

“With respect, König,” Aedon interjected quickly, “Ragnar does not wish to stay. His affairs may remain as they were before his arrival. We shall leave as soon as we may.”

Korrin scowled. “He cannot outrun his fate for all eternity.”

“We cannot speak on that, König.” Aedon bowed.

“No, you cannot,” replied Korrin flatly. “He shirks his duties as my kin, especially when thepaschaand his horde plagues us all. He shames the line of Dúrnir.”

“He shames nothing!” Harper said before she could stop herself, stepping forward in her indignation. She froze as all eyes turned to her.

“You dare to speak against me?” Korrin glared at her.

Harper straightened, quite sure she had made an enormous mistake, but not willing to back down.I held my own in Afnirheim, just like everyone else in here. I helped light the way. I helped ensure our safe escape, she reminded herself. “Ragnar Dúrnir—” the word felt strange on her tongue, “—is a good dwarf, one of the best people I know. He seeks only to do what is right, and he knows that his place is not here.”

She knew she had struck a nerve when Korrin scowled, but she refused to quail before him. “I will not speak to the likes of you on such matters, elf girl.”

Jarl Halvar and another arrived then, distracting the König. “Reinforcements from Himmelheim have arrived, König,” the jarl said.

Korrin’s scowl split into a wide grin. “Praise the gods,” he said, banging his own fist to his chest. His jarls copied. “This will be the first stage of our attack whilst we await the rest of our brethren. I will not suffer thosescumin our lands a moment longer than we must.”

“You seek to retake Afnirheim, König?” Aedon asked.

---