Chapter 48

Rikardwas here. Again. Interrupting yet another lovely moment with his vermin self, this time seated astride a cantering horse that was far too large for him.

"Louisa!" he called as he dismounted, and tied the horse to a nearby tree. "What the hell is this?"

This. He'd thrust a hand into his pocket, and it came out clutching — oh. A rumpled, familiar-looking sheet of paper, with large block letters, and a clever drawing of a tree house.

EXPERIENCEADAYINANORCCAMP! it proclaimed. Bring your friends and family for games, activities, workshops, snacks, stories, and prizes. Plus, explore tunnels and tree-houses, cheer in an orc tournament, and climb high for honey! Fun for all ages!

Itwas the flyer they'd begun printing and distributing the day before, with the text they'd all finally agreed upon. And at Rosa's suggestion, Louisa had reluctantly agreed to have one delivered to Rikard, with a personal written invitation for him to attend. In foolish hopes that perhaps it was a kind neighbourly gesture, or at least a fair warning, if nothing else.

Butpredictably, Rikard only looked enraged, his eyes goggling, his hand furiously waving the flyer in midair. "Answer me, Louisa!" he demanded. "What the hell is this?!"

Louisa'sirritation was already far too close, and she couldn't stop her heavy sigh, or the roll of her eyes. "What the hell do you think it is, Rikard?" she shot back. "A biscuit? A boat? A barn?"

Behindher, both Killik and Sune snickered, and Rikard rounded toward them, his mouth contorting. "How dare you," he hissed. "Howdare you do something like this, Louisa! Most of all with them!"

Hewaved aggressively at Sune and Killik, who were both glaring back toward him, even as Sune edged further behind the safety of Killik's taut, armed body. AndLouisa felt her own hand clutching for her knife, gripping it tight, while a low growl scraped from her throat. "It's none of your business who I spend time with, Rikard. Just like it isn't your business if I decide to hold an event on my property!"

Butmore fury flashed through Rikard's beady eyes, and he jabbed his finger toward her, and then toward the now-marked property line running between them. "It is my business," he snarled, "because those orcs are a hazard to my safety, and my property, and my life. I've warned you multiple times, and if you don't cancel this travesty of an event at once" — he gave another wild wave of the flyer — "I will be forced to take drastic action, Louisa!"

Louisaopened her mouth, about to protest that there was nothing he could legally do, nothing — but suddenly she seemed caught, trapped, in that look in his eyes. In how he looked gleeful, triumphant, invincible. Just like how LordScall had looked when he'd made his threats, and…

"I know how to ruin you, Louisa," Rikard growled. "I can destroy you. Not just your ridiculous event, but your life!"

Asharp chill wrenched up Louisa's spine, and though she barked a loud scoff, it was too weak, too late. "You will not," she countered. "I have every right to be here, to hold an event here, and —"

Butat that, there was a touch, faint but purposeful, at her shoulder. Claws. Killik's claws. And when Louisa darted a sharp look toward him, he swiftly signed back, the exact same thing he'd said in bed the night before. No. Leave it.

Ittook an instant for Louisa to follow that — Killik was telling her to leave it? — but then her shoulders sagged, her hand rubbing at her eyes. He was right, damn it. Rikard was trying to goad her, and there was no point in losing her temper with him, or offering up information he could later use against her. She needed to escape him, forget him, LordScall was dead…

Shedrew in a shaky breath and spun around, walking away as fast as she could, with Killik and Sune already in step beside her. But no matter how fast she walked, Rikard's words kept echoing, ringing in her ears. Drastic action. I know how to ruin you…

"Youwill cancel this, Louisa," called Rikard's voice behind her, shrill and vicious. "And get rid of the orcs. Or get ready to say your farewells, forever!"

Farewells. Forever. Only a short time away, only one night left, I know how to ruin you, forever…

Killik'shand was firm on Louisa's elbow now, marching her away, away. "Breathe, woman," he murmured. "Draw up the earth. In, and out."

Louisadesperately fought to obey, but her hands were trembling, and something had clamped around her chest, squeezing her breaths fast and shallow. Farewell. Forever. Jolting up the dark, bitter terror, in a way she hadn't felt in days, or weeks, perhaps since they'd started all this — and no, no, even the light was flickering, her ears ringing, her feet staggering beneath her. And she barely heard Killik saying something to Sune about returning to the camp, and…

"Breathe, woman," Killik said again, deeper than before, as his hands gripped her shoulders, his eyes glinting, commanding on hers. "Look at me, and follow my breaths. Naught shall harm you. You are safe."

Safe. It scraped into Louisa's thoughts, sliced through the mayhem juddering in her chest — and she fought to focus on Killik's face, his eyes, his breaths. "You are safe," he said again, as he breathed in, and out. "You are safe, Louisa. This fool bleating man shall never harm you."

Itsank a little deeper, catching, quivering, and Louisa dragged in a breath, though it still trembled and faltered in her chest. I know how to ruin you. I know.

"But what if," she choked, "what if he can. What if he — what if he —"

ButKillik gave her shoulders a gentle shake, something flashing hard in his eyes. "He cannot," he said, deeper now. "We will not allow this. I told you, we are watching this man, and guarding you. You are safe, Louisa."

Right. Right. It sliced a little sharper, drew the breath deeper, and Louisa desperately searched Killik's steely eyes. "But what about — the camp," she gulped. "And the house, and my staff, and the children? You don't understand, Killik, if something happens to me" — she gulped for air — "Rikard gets everything. My house, my land, my staff, the camp. Everything."

Itsurged more sharp, genuine terror up her back, flashing it white behind her eyes, and she gripped back at Killik's arms, her nails digging into his skin. "I can't change it," she said, her voice rising. "I tried. I don't have a husband or a son, or any male relatives closer than Rikard. And you realize he can do anything, and get away with it, and it's just like LordScall, he always does whatever he wants, and no one cares!"

Herwild eyes were searching Killik's face, pleading with him to see, to understand. And that was something strange in his eyes, in that crease on his brow — but he drew in another deep breath, as his strong hands stroked up and down her arms. "Ach, I ken," he said, low. "But now LordScall is dead."

LordScall was dead. But yes, yes, he was, wasn't he? AndKillik wouldn't lie about that, Killik knew that, Killik could be trusted. And maybe that meant he really could help her, he could — and somehow, Louisa nodded, rapid and relieved, and then sank toward him, into the safety of his strong arms, the gentle scrape of his claws stroking her back. LordScall was dead. Dead.

"And now we are with you," Killik added, even quieter. "We shall face this, together. And you ken" — a slow exhale against her hair — "you can speak truth to us, ach? Aught you might wish. And no matter what this is, we shall yet stand beside you, and keep you safe."

Itflared a sharp shudder up Louisa's back, and a sudden, helpless longing. Gods, she wanted to tell him, wanted to just babble it all out into the warmth of his chest — but she couldn't. Couldn't. It was too risky, drastic action, destroy you, LordScall was dead…

ButKillik didn't press it, or ask again. Instead, he just kept standing there, holding Louisa, stroking her, breathing in and out. Until finally, at some point, her awareness crept back in again — and with it, the realization that she was standing in the middle of the woods, clinging helplessly to Killik, and sniffling against his chest. Because apparently — she flinched backwards — she'd gone and had a full-on nervous collapse, and dragged him straight into the midst of it.

"Gods, I'm sorry," she croaked, rubbing both hands at her hot face. "I shouldn't have — I didn't mean to — damn it. I think I should go home, and —"

Sheflapped a hand in the direction of her house, and lurched a step toward it — but wait. Killik again. And that wasn't concern in his eyes now, or confusion, but instead a cool, taunting challenge. "You shall not," he said, clipped, "for Wolf shall wish to hear of this at once, and we shall work together to further bolster our Summit's safety. And, I ken I ought to start giving you lessons on flyting, if we truly seek to do this together at the Summit. And" — a faint twist on his mouth — "we ought to help Wolf start his new kofi, also."

Oh. Really? Killik still wanted to build Ulfarr'skofi? And give Louisa more lessons, too? But wait, he was trying to distract her, he was helping her, being kind to her. And it shouldn't have prickled like this behind her eyes, or — curse her — sent her staggering back toward him, her arms clutching around his waist.

"Thank you, Killik," she whispered, into his chest. "Again."

Killikscoffed, but again stroked at her back with surprising gentleness until she drew away again. And he didn't even look annoyed as he waved her after him through the trees, and then began pointing out animal tracks and scents. As if this was just another lesson, and that was all.

Butit helped, too, slowing Louisa's thoughts, calming her breaths. And by the time they entered the camp again, Rikard's threats felt somewhat fainter, though they still kept whispering, nagging at the back of her brain. I know how to ruin you. Cancel it. Get rid of the orcs. Say your farewells, forever.

ButKillik kept to his word, and first escorted Louisa back down into the common-room, to where Ulfarr and Rosa were both supervising as Filak and his little crew — Elgr, Igull, and Ragni — struck at the common-room wall with pickaxes. And once Killik had shared the news about Rikard's threat, Rosa launched into a gratifying tirade about belligerent narrow-minded lords, while Ulfarr drew Louisa close, and stroked her with big steady hands. "Naught to fear, Louisa," he murmured, again and again. "We shall keep you safe, and keep all our kin safe, also."

Itwas more relief, more shimmering comfort in Louisa's chest, and she willingly joined them for another meeting to discuss and strengthen the Summit's plans for security. Which led to more letters, written specifically to some of the best spies and fighters in OrcMountain, asking them to serve as guards and scouts for the event.

Afterwards, Killik ordered Ulfarr to go start gathering wood for his new kofi — a demand that Ulfarr didn't argue, despite the intent way he searched Killik's face. And next, as promised, Killik took Louisa back outside for a lesson in the lost Skai tradition of flyting. Which was apparently a kind of competitive storytelling, in which partners took turns snapping out verses, against a backing rhythm — often just foot-stomps, but apparently sometimes weapon-strikes, too. And when Killik noticed Sune watching them from his kofi above, he waved him down, and then handed over one of his daggers, so Sune could use it to clash against his own dagger, making a sharp, metallic beat.

"Ach, just thus," Killik told Sune, with an approving grin. "And then verses are spoken to this. There were some verses all the hirthskalds knew, but they would oft make up their own as they went, and weave taunts and jibes within them. And at the end, the sharpest speaker would win. Just like a sparring-match, mayhap."

Hiseyes sparkled as he spoke, and beside him, Sune looked genuinely intrigued, too. And at Louisa's request for a demonstration, Killik waved at Sune to begin the rhythm — and then, once Sune's beat was ringing through the air, Killik drew in a deep breath, and began to speak.

Andwhile the words were foreign, deep and tangled in his throat, his voice was swift and smooth, and striking steadily along with the rhythm. As if it was a drum of its own, sweeping and swaggering to the beat, turning it into something between a chant and a story and a song. And the longer Louisa listened, the sharper Killik's voice seemed to swing around her, catching her into its convulsive thrum. Like he was flying, or fighting, and whipping them up with him, dragging them into his thrall.

Whenhe finished, Louisa could only stare at him, her mouth slack, her heart thumping oddly in her chest. While beside her, Sune was chuckling, and signing something about the bloody lord's skull — because right, he'd have understood the words, and of course they'd been about defeating some kind of enemy. AndKillik's grin looked almost soft as he signed back, a faint flush creeping up his neck — and then he glanced sideways, toward… oh. His audience. Kori and Fasti, both grinning. Galmr, looking stunned, with his knobbly hand over his heart. AndUlfarr, with a wide, wavering smile, and something shining in his eyes.

"Ach, listen to you, pup," he said, his voice catching. "It has been thirty summers since I have heard flyting thus, I ken."

Besidehim, Galmr fervently nodded, and signed for Killik and Sune to continue. And after another grin that looked almost boyish, Killik did it again. But this time, he translated part of the verse into common-tongue, and then kept returning to it, almost like a theme. Like… a lesson.

I fear you not, feeder of wolves. I scorn you and slay you and sup from your skull.

Andas he spoke it again, his voice so fierce and fluid and deadly, he signed at — Louisa. Saying, Speak this with me.

Louisanearly choked, but belatedly made her best attempt. Her voice faltering at first, but then settling smoother, steadier. Until she could say it in perfect time with Killik, and then, the next time, he didn't say it at all. Just letting her voice carry it, before coming back in with the next line. As if it really was a duel, or maybe a dance — and then the next time, Killik altered the line. I stab you and storm you and stomp on your skull.

Soon the next breath, Louisa attempted to alter it, too —I smash you and slash you and shatter your skull.

Killik'sgrin was swift and stunning, his hand signing, Keep going. SoLouisa kept going, throwing it back and forth with him, even as it became harder and harder, and then truly ridiculous. And by the end of it, she was laughing too much to continue, and Killik thrust both hands up into the air, and proclaimed his victory, while their audience clapped and cheered.

ButLouisa still couldn't seem to stop smiling, and the warm, juddery thrill of it seemed to keep pulsing, echoing through her chest. And the memory of Rikard and his threats suddenly seemed very far away, beneath the strength and the certainty of Killik's voice, Killik's verse. I fear you not, feeder of wolves.

Andmaybe he'd chosen that on purpose, and maybe it had — again — been an attempt to help her, and comfort her. And suddenly Louisa couldn't seem to look at him, couldn't bear the longing in her belly, wringing deeper with every breath. Gods, she wanted this. She wanted it so damned much it ached. She wanted the camp, and she wanted this, her house and her people, her home. Hers.

Itwas again enough to drive her through the rest of the day, working and helping as much as she could. Organizing more flyers for delivery, digging in Thomas' new garden, helping to build the new smokehouse, and finally, late in the afternoon, climbing up to see Ulfarr's new kofi. Which he'd begun to build in exactly the place Killik had wanted, high in an oak tree at the heart of the camp. It was a respectable distance from Sune'skofi across the clearing, enough that they could both still have privacy — but close enough that they could call and sign to one another as needed, too.

Ulfarr'skofi was also far larger than Sune's, and Louisa gasped aloud when she first followed Killik up into it. Its floor was made of fresh-planed pine, and it wrapped almost all the way around the oak tree's big, rough-barked trunk. Ulfarr had already built two walls, too — all made of slim, tightly wedged trunks and branches, lined up vertically along the platform's edges, as if they were yet more trees, growing up out of the floor. Many of the trunks even still branched out above, creating an intricate, tangled skeleton roof, its wood criss-crossed against the tree's branches and leaves above, letting in dappled sunlight against the pale pine floor.

"This is incredible," Louisa said, breathless, with an awed smile toward Ulfarr. "How did you build so much so quickly?"

"Ach, I have had good help," Ulfarr replied, with a fond smile toward where Sune was kneeling and fitting a new branch into the wall. "And with a little more, my kin, mayhap we could finish it this eve."

My kin. It had surely been a slip of the tongue — surely? ButUlfarr was still smiling at Sune, so Louisa nodded and plucked a branch from the stack on the floor, and went over to kneel beside him. Watching how he stood his branch on the platform, and bound it to its neighbour with tightly knotted twine. Now you place yours, he signed at her, whilst I find another.

Louisaobliged as well as she could, and it soon made for a steady, easy rhythm, alternating back and forth between them. And it was only once she'd placed four more branches that she realized Killik and Ulfarr were both still standing there watching, Ulfarr with an approving little smile, Killik with a strange flicker in his eyes. But upon meeting Louisa's gaze, he glanced away, and squared his shoulders. "I shall go fetch more wood for you, then," he said. "And some furs, also."

SoLouisa kept working, moving steadily down the wall, until she and Sune ran out of wood, and needed to wait for more from Killik. WhileUlfarr climbed around on the outside of the kofi, fortifying and fastening it together with nails and steel wire, and weaving the roof's branches tighter together. And by sundown, they'd fully enclosed the platform, and Killik had indeed scrounged up a few large furs, and spread them out on the pine floor.

"This shall make you a good kofi, Wolf," Killik said, sweeping his gaze over their work. "All you need now is a tarp for when it rains, and a bed, and a chest or two for your goods."

Ulfarrwas blinking around at his new kofi too, and suddenly his eyes looked very bright, his mouth twisting. "Ach, I ken," he said. "I — I thank you for your help, my kin. Skai-kesh has so greatly blessed me."

My kin, again. And though he surely still hadn't meant to include Louisa in that, her throat still felt tight, her eyes warm and weepy on his face. "You deserve it, sweetheart," she told him. "I hope you'll be very happy here."

Ulfarrsmiled back at her, slow and wavering — and in a surge of movement, his big arms swept around her, and Killik and Sune, too. Drawing them all into his chest, and squeezing them almost painfully tight. "I am sure I shall," he said thickly. "Now, join me for supper, ach?"

Thesucculent smell of roasting poultry was wafting up from below — more of Thomas' delicious cooking — and Louisa again joined the Skai in a hearty supper around the roaring fire. While also cheerfully chatting with all her new friends, and learning all the day's news. Including how they'd now printed and distributed over a thousand flyers, and how the new latrines were finished, and how Filak and his team had apparently dug all the way beneath the clearing, and thereby unearthed an excellent deposit of amethyst.

Afterwards, once they'd said goodnight to Sune, Ulfarr silently led Louisa back to his new kofi, with Killik close behind. And once they'd all climbed up into it, Killik turned toward her, and squared his shoulders.

"We have reached the last of our ten nights, woman," he said, his eyes shifting oddly on hers. "So tonight, mayhap I shall allow you to choose your lesson. What should you wish for, from us?"

Right. Their last night. The truth of it thudding in Louisa's chest, tightening painfully in her throat. Damn it, how had they gotten here already? And was Killik really — offering her this? Letting her choose what she wanted from them?

Theywere both watching her, now, Ulfarr with wary uncertainty in his eyes, Killik with a tense, tight-jawed stubbornness. As if he really had meant that, but gods, what did she want? What would she wish she'd done, if this truly was their last night, forever? What would she wish she'd learned? Face this, prove this, Skai, hers…

"Thank you, Killik," she finally whispered, her hand over her heart. "And for my last lesson, I just want to see — you. Both of you, in your own show. Together."