My head came off the pillow at a dizzying speed as I sat up, chest heaving with fright, and dug my nails into the mattress beneath me.

"Shhh. 'Twas just a dream, sweeting." I heard Anne's soft whisper and licked my parched lips as the dregs of my powerful nightmare settled under my dawning wakefulness.

Her cold hand rested on my cheek and her beautiful face swam into view, though the dying embers beside the inglenook afforded scant light to see by. I sucked a stilted breath harshly into my frozen lungs and turned my head from her. The small hand retreated as my eyes dimmed with tears.

I moved my throbbing leg, rubbing the calf of the healthy limb across the other as my skin began to itch under the bandage. I had ostensibly lain insensate for an indeterminate length of time, I knew not how long, during which my leg had been cleaned and dressed and I had been divested of my blood-soaked raiments.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"A full day," she answered quietly. "I have barred the door and allowed no one to enter, save Lucian and Godwin, of course." I nodded. "They have been beside themselves with worry-"

"I don't care," I interposed caustically, still facing the opposite wall. "Where is everyone?" When she did not answer I turned and fastened my cold gaze to hers. I had so much fury coursing through my blood. A part of me loathed the way I now spoke to her. I both hated and embraced my bitter mindset.

Her lips compressed. "Godwin and Lucian are in his library... and Fendrel plans to leave Nørrdragor within the hour."

That was a surprise! I had thought him of a mind to stay on till spring for the snow would only make their journey treacherous if they departed any sooner. I hid my astonishment and shrugged my shoulders noncommittally which only elicited an involuntary hiss — now that I was not fueled with adrenaline I could feel each and every painful bruise and laceration. Cold-soaked with pain and fingers trembling, I lifted the blankets away from my body to see for myself the extent of the damage: almost every inch of my skin was blackened with bruises; I had, however, expected worse. I should look worse for all the trauma I had endured. Anne, meanwhile, continued as if I were not distracted by the awful colors swathing my pale skin.

"Carac and Caine are out hunting," she informed me. Did they not gorge themselves on blood the night before? I snorted and Anne arched a brow as if she's heard my thoughts, but forged on. "Lucian, however, has refused to stray far from your side."

I rolled my eyes petulantly and looked towards the window to see dawn peeking though a heavy curtain of dusky clouds.

"No doubt to pepper me with lies as soon as I woke!" I scoffed my cynicism.

"Aria!" she bristled, shocked by my vehemence, and I had the good grace to duck my head in chagrin. With a resigned sigh, she said, "Godwin would like a word with you If you are well enough for it."

I whipped my head around to her. "No!" I cried as a scowl bloomed across my brow.

"My child," she pushed her fingers against her temples, "you cannot avoid them indefinitely. There is too much left unsaid. If you would just let Godwin explain."

"I would that I had never been forced to come here!" I keened.

I had meant to rail at her some more, but my throat had constricted of a sudden with the misery of her perfidy. She shook her head ruefully then took my chin in her implacable fingers.

"I had not taken you for a puerile sort and nor have you ever been unfair... up till now." I tried to pull away but she held fast. "I beseech you to dismantle this heavy sense of betrayal that you are determined to bear and hearken closely to what Godwin would say!" When I merely glowered in response, she growled in frustration and stood, peering over me in vexation as I lay supine. How dare she act as if I were being merely petulant! Was I not the victim in this farce?

I pushed myself up gingerly onto my elbows. "You are all mad! I nearly died, only to find that I had married a monster! Tis you who have spawned a pair of beastly-"

She slapped me hard across the face and I, shocked by her violent outburst, stared wide eyed and dutifully curbed my tongue forthwith. I was all astonishment because she had never raised a hand to me ere now. I blinked in shock as Anne struggled to regain her composure. She was such a tiny thing, but her tempest reigned just as powerfully despite her lack in size.

"I have loved you from the moment I saw you!" Her breast heaved with her outburst. "I could not love you more were you my own flesh and blood! Understand me well, Aria, I would gladly kill any who sought to do you harm... but do not think, for even a moment, that because I bear you such a love, I will allow you to slander the rest of our kin."

"Anne-"

But she foiled my attempted apology with a raised hand and then wiped irritably at the wretched tears that were falling in earnest before she commenced.

"We have not been disloyal to you! What you perceive as duplicity was done for your own good, though you refuse to see it as such. You are determined to hate us all, but you will have the decency to hear an explanation ere you cast us from your affections forever!" She stood from where she had been perched upon the edge of my mattress and paused some minutes before affixing me with a weighty stare. "You have the power to hurt us all with your cutting words, but tis Lucian over whom you wield the greatest influence-"

"I mean nothing to him!" I pouted.

"Take care, Aria," she leaned over me — her face inches from mine — so that I had to lie back down onto my back, and thereby she effectively silenced me so that she could have her say unhindered. "You hold my son's heart in your hands. Be not careless with it. He has already suffered the callousness of his uncle long enough; therefore you can certainly spare him the added weight of yours." She pushed herself from the bed and took a step back. "It is a fragile thing, his heart, for all he seems a thick-skinned brute." She transferred her gaze to the conspicuous shape of my legs under the furs and changed the subject, for which I was glad. "Your bones are fortunately not shattered, merely bruised. Would you like to walk to the solar... or shall I call Lucian here to carry you thither?"

"I will walk," I replied tersely. Or limp, as the case may be, I conceded in silence, grudgingly withal.

We spoke no more as I maneuvered my achy limbs from the bed and took my time adjusting to the change in altitude from the pillow to my full height of almost six feet, my head feeling as though it weighed no more than a speck of dust. Anne helped me dress and as soon as my toilette was complete we repaired to Godwin's library — she with a determined scowl and I with a growing trepidation.



❅



The sound of voices raised in ire, and glass shattering against the door, rent the corridor as we reached Godwin's lair. I looked nervously towards Anne as we heard angry voices yelling from within.

"Stay here," she advised and then opened the door just enough to slip through, shutting it soundly in my face ere I had a chance to appease my curiosity.

The bellowing of male voices ceased immediately and all became quiet, save Anne's calm murmuring. In truth, no more than a moment passed before she appeared again and beckoned me forward, peering over my shoulder as if the tapestries themselves might have overheard all that had transpired. I stepped carefully over shards of glass and drew abreast of her once she'd closed the door.

My eyes flew straight to Lucian, who looked more feral than I'd ever seen him. His dark, golden hair was mussed wildly, his eyes molten yellow and his bottom lip was visibly split and bleeding, the flesh already swelling with outrage. He sought my gaze and licked the crimson from the edge of his mouth, but my eyes immediately rejected his.

Although my heart had initially pounced into my throat with sudden dread at the first sight of him, specifically his damaged lip, I had fortunately had the wherewithal to squelch any unwanted compulsions. Thus, I now stood irresolutely beside Anne, in contempt of my need to rush to his side.

Stop it, Aria! What do you care that he is hurt. Tis no more than he deserves!

I felt suddenly sick to my stomach. Opposing my natural inclination was one thing, but harboring this forced, merciless sentiment toward Lucian had the opposite effect that I had wished for. I felt as though each time I stabbed at his character, or sneered at his pain, I only wrested more anguish from my own breast!

Intent on distracting myself from my husband's bruises, I took in the rest of the dishabille of Godwin's, usually immaculate, sanctuary. There were chairs overturned, food lay scattered amidst the rushes and a flagon lay cracked atop the flagstones beside the window. I shuddered at the thought of the cost of glazed windows — 'twas fortunate then that the flagon's trajectory had not taken it thence... through the glass.

Godwin had, all this time, been scowling at Lucian, who was by now glowering at Fendrel, who in turn was glaring in my direction with so much hatred that it nearly winded me. The only other occupants, or spectators, in the chamber were Warwick, Anne and myself; Caine and Carac were like as not still hunting.

"We've reached a stale mate, Fendrel-"

"The devil we have!" Fendrel transferred his potent glare to Godwin and I breathed a sigh of relief at being released from it's intensity. "Get rid of her!"

"No!" Lucian roared and lunged towards Fendrel, but thankfully Warwick tackled him as Godwin stepped between his son and brother-in-law.

"That is quite enough, Lucian!" Godwin seethed. "Control yourself or I'll throw you out!" His jaw ticked furiously as we all watched Warwick plant a knee in his grandson's back, but it was unnecessary for Lucian has recalled his senses the moment Warwick had wrestled him to the floor. I was sure he could overpower his grandsire, were he of a mind to try, but fortunately he did not.

"I should have you both executed-"

"And you, Fendrel, would do well to remember that you are in my territory and under my roof! I am sick to death of the lot of you!" He looked between his son and brother-in-law. "I alone shall do the talking," Godwin declared. "And unless you are spoken to, you shall all remain mute henceforth!" He swiveled around on his heel and shot his stony regard at me. "Sit!" he commanded and I rushed to comply, Anne following sedately behind me.

Once the chairs were righted and we were also seated quietly, Godwin — who had been surveying us from his throne like Odin himself — finally deigned to address us, and Fendrel in particular.

"Ariana is not to be touched," said he and I watched, in fascinated horror, as Fendrel snarled his objection, "moreover you will leave here peaceably and-"

"You may be master of Nørrdragor, Godwin, but remember to whom you speak!" Fendrel warned viciously.

"I am well aware of your rank, Fendrel, but I cannot allow you to harm my daughter," Godwin replied succinctly. "You broke the covenant when you took her mother in violence-"

"Tis you who disregarded the covenant! She," he pointed pointed maliciously at me, "should not be allowed to live! I wield supreme authority here and I say-"

"I know what you would say," Godwin returned, unperturbed by Fendrel's mottled visages. "But you must see reason! We both know who Ariana's sire is..."

"So you say, but I disagree; most passionately!"

"Yes, we can see that!" drawled Lucian, which only earned him three hostile glares.

Anne and I alone, sat passively. However, I was only outwardly so for the mention of my parentage — as if it had always been in question — shocked me utterly. I wanted to shout that I knew the exact identity of my father, but the slap I had collected from Anne earlier must have knocked enough sense into me since I remained demure and continued to sit mutely as Fendrel persisted arguing.

"How can you be so sure?" Fendrel's teeth gnashed furiously against one another. "She's a Hálfrblód, for her mother was human!" He spat the word out as though it were a curse. "It was not I that begot her! Therefore tis impossible!"

"Evidently she was not human..." Every gaze in the room followed Godwin's as he locked his to mine. "But what then?"

I had always wondered that myself.

Fendrel then looked at Anne, as if only now realizing that she too was privy to the discussion, and clamped his mouth shut. "This conversation is extremely inappropriate," he said. "Leave us, Anne."

My mother-in-law seemed only too happy to oblige and made quick her escape, with one last compassionate glance at me ere she withdrew while Godwin fumed at Fedrel's temerity.

"Shall I not also leave, Your Grace?" I inquired with timid incertitude.

"Tis too late for you to unsee all that you have witnessed, girl!" he barked. "I daresay, it matters not what you perceive hereafter." He seemed to relish the sight of my horror as it dawned like nausea across my grey and pallid mouth. "Ah, yes," said he, "did you assume I had not noticed your... singular essence in Niflheim? More fool you!" he snapped.

"I don't understand..." Or did I?

I knew what he was now and I knew that it was more than likely that my attacker, and my savior, were now both present in this very room — only two other suspects were not yet in attendance. Although, I doubted Carac and Cain's implication because I had by this time, subconsciously, conjectured that they were not The Ghost and The Grey. I know not why, but I had already ruled them out.

"Let me enlighten you then-"

"Fendrel!" Lucian growled, but stayed seated, Warwick's steady hand on his shoulder seeming to staunch the flow of wrath that simmered just below his glacial demeanor. However, his uncle resumed our colloquy as if his nephew had not spoken.

"Imagine my astonishment, Hálfrblód, when I awoke with your scent coating my lips!" he shouted.

"You!" I cried aghast.

"God's blood, Fendrel!" This from Warwick.

"You dare!" came an awful roar.

The chamber then erupted into violent shouting and wild disorder as Lucian leapt from his chair. Thankfully, Warwick had had the providential foresight to ball his fist into his grandson's surcote, after the first tackle, so that the precaution yielded an opportune result by the time Lucian pounced the second time.

It took all of Warwick's strength to wrestle him back into his seat, but this he did easily enough, his presence seemed to affect Lucian like a calming tincture — either that or Lucian was loathe to injure his grandsire in a violent rage. I hoped it was the latter. Godwin, meanwhile, had done the same with Fendrel and now barred his brother-in-law's countermeasure by stepping between the two antagonists.

"Stand down; both of you! I will have order in this house, by God!" I had never witness so much choler from Godwin all the years that I had lived under his roof, but to behold him now was truly breath-taking. In that moment he reified what I had always imagined Thor to look like — he epitomized that tall, golden-haired deity exactly; all he lacked now was Mjölnir in his clenched fist.

Fendrel curled his lips in disgust and nodded for Godwin to go on. "Do continue, Brother," he muttered, dispelling my awe.

"Although you repudiate the girl's birthright," Godwin fumed, "the timing of your visit to Heathersea is not in favor of your claim to the contrary." Then, turning to me, he gestured to my general appearance with a fluid turn of his palm. "Notwithstanding the evidence of her resemblance to you."

"What?!" I stood from my chair in horror.

"Sit down, Ariana!" Godwin thundered. "You too, Lucian!" I had not noticed, but when I had jumped up, so had my husband.

Godwin had never spoken to me with such acrimony and I cowered instantly, my eyes immediately flying to Lucian, who had now transferred his enmity from Fendrel to Godwin. I did not wish him to bear the brunt of his father's rancor and thus willed him silently to flush the conflagration from his filthy look, but he ignored my pertinacious attempts at gaining his attention and continued flaying the elder Greybacks with amber fury.

"It is unlike you, Godwin, to put such heavy emphasis on a baseless supposition," Fendrel retorted.

"Hardly a supposition, old friend." The air had suddenly begun to prickle with animosity and tension as Fendrel stood from his chair. Though Godwin had now to look up at his brother-in-law, it did not lessen his air of command. "She may share your likeness, but she has not your coldness; nor your malefic nature."

"Godwin," Warwick interjected, "perhaps tis best that these discussions be held in private." He looked toward me pointedly. "Aria has had a harrowing few days and Lucian... " he shook his head in annoyance, "would try the patience off a boulder in his present mood."

"Aye, you're right, Warwick," Godwin conceded before compressing his lips, the cyan brilliance of his glare now fixed to his son. "Take Ariana for a turn about the gardens," he commanded and then locked his eyes once again to Fendrel, who's fury was radiating off him in threatening waves.

Three pairs of eyes, in varying degrees of emotion, watched as Lucian stalked toward me: hateful green, inscrutable, icy blue, and Warwick's weary, light brown concern. Lucian raised me aloft with a care that was so at odds with his scowl, and before I had a chance to object, he carried me to the door and through the watchful underpass of powerful gazes. The pressure of the prickling, viridescent pair were by far and large the most disturbing of all.



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