Page 18 of Enamored
Elinor finally glanced at me. “Maxim, since you are still interested in riddles, I implore you to tell us one about hunting.” Although her tone was friendly, her eyes contained something sharp. She was obviously referring to our meeting that morn in the tower stairwell, when I’d accused her of giving me a riddle.
“Very well, Your Highness.” I didn’t quite know what she was up to, but I had no choice but to indulge her whim. I paused and reviewed the various riddles I’d learned since leaving Vordinberg, wanting to give her one she didn’t know while likewise offering one easy enough for the queen to solve.
The queen sat up straighter, her eyes brightening. “The two of you always did enjoy challenging each other with riddles.”
At the innocent comment, Torvald’s gaze bounced between the princess and me as though he was attempting to sort out our connection.
“We were once like siblings until Maxim left.” Elinor offered the explanation for Torvald, but her sharp gaze never left my face.
Maybe she wasn’t merely upset at me for my aloofness upon my arrival. Maybe her anger went deeper, to my leaving of Vordinberg. However, if anyone should be angry, it should be me. She’d betrayed me by telling the king or queen about my comment to marry her, and I’d been the one sent away.
Regardless, I had to continue my charade. Even though Rasmus wasn’t along on the trip, I hadn’t figured out yet who he was paying to give him information. He likely had numerous servants doing his bidding, which meant he had eyes and ears everywhere.
“If a hundred birds are sitting in a tree,” I began the riddle, “and a hunter comes along and shoots his arrow at one, how many are left in the tree?”
“It cannot be ninety-nine,” the queen answered. “That would be far too easy.”
“You’re correct. It isn’t ninety-nine.”
From the quirk of Elinor’s brow, I could tell she knew the answer. I’d seen the quirk many times in the past and almost smiled at the familiar sight. I gave her a cautioning shake of my head, and she simply lifted her chin in response, understanding that this riddle was meant for the queen.
“What say you, Torvald?” Elinor turned to the nobleman, studying him, clearly trying to will herself into being attracted to the man. “Have you an answer to the riddle?”
Torvald ran his finger around the rim of his goblet as though contemplating his response. No doubt the princess was testing the man’s wit and intelligence, both of which would be important qualities for a woman of her mental acumen.
“I believe how many birds remain depends upon the skill of the hunter.” Torvald spoke slowly, possibly sensing how important a well-thought-out answer was to the princess. “For example, a skilled archer like Sigfrid would no doubt kill two birds with one arrow.”
“Very keen.” Elinor’s compliment contained warmth and sincerity—qualities she’d once directed toward me. “I like your answer, Torvald.”
The burly knight glanced to where his fellow Knight of Brethren Sigfrid had joined Kristoffer standing beside the fire pit, awaiting a portion of the roasting venison. If either was upset Torvald had taken the place of honor with the princess, they hadn’t shown it. ’Twas clear the three were close and highly respected each other.
“And what is your answer, Your Highness?” Torvald asked politely. “How many birds do you think are left in the tree?”
“Yes,” the queen echoed. “Tell us your answer, Elinor.”
“Very well.” Elinor folded her hands in her lap, likely to keep from waving them dismissively as she’d always done when something was too easy for her. “If one bird was shot from a tree, none would be left. The single arrow, whether it killed one or two or more, would have scared all the birds off their perch.”
“You are correct, Your Highness.” I gave her what I hoped was a look of affirmation, but again I sensed she could see past my pretense to the truth, to my soul laid bare. How was it Elinor could see me for who I truly was even after so many years apart?
“Incredible.” The queen began to reach for Elinor’s hand but jerked back as screams and shouts rent the air outside the tent.
Before I could react, a screech resounded above our camp, the sound resembling that of a giant eagle or vulture.
Torvald bolted to his feet with his sword drawn. Even slouched, his head brushed against the canvas canopy. Fierceness radiated from his muscular body and face.
Outside, the others who were part of the king’s elite group were rushing to surround the king and his canopy, their weapons drawn with Ansgar in the lead.
Torvald stepped out from underneath our tent but fell back as a whoosh of hot air fanned over the canopy. For a second, the heat was suffocating. In the next instant, the roof burst into flames.
What was happening?
I jumped to my feet, eyeing the rapidly disintegrating canvas overhead. Were the Ice Men harassing us? Surely not. Vordinberg was far enough away from the Snowden Mountains and Swainian border that we would have had an alert of their nearing presence if they’d launched a campaign. The same with King Canute and his army. If he carried through on his threat to forcibly take Elinor, we would have an advance warning of their attack.
Another birdlike shriek filled the air. More shouts and screams arose from those standing outside. Some stared up into the sky. Others covered their heads and ran.
I rapidly added up the clues and solved the riddle. A red draco was attacking us. Some called the creatures dragons, reminiscent of ancient days when supposedly all manner of vicious dragons had existed. In fact, the Valley of Red Dragons had been so named long ago.
In reality, the dracos were nothing more than flying lizards. They could grow bigger than a white-tailed eagle with a wingspan larger than a full-grown man and talons as long as an arm. They had papery-thin wings, black on the top with a translucent red on the underside. Their backs were covered in impenetrable scales, but their undersides were soft and had a checkered pattern with each box outlined first in black, then red, with a white center. Altogether, the effect made the flying lizard bodies appear as though they were covered in eyes. Lore referred to the spots as demon eyes.
