Realms Gate Page 14

  “You seemed uncomfortable in the Banquet Hall. I gather you do not like crowds?”

  “No, especially not when everyone is staring at me.”

  “Everyone is curious as to how powerful a Priestess you will become.”

  “I have not decided yet as to whether I will become one. That is why I did not want to come here, I did not want to give anyone false hope.”

  “You do not turn eighteen for a few weeks yet, you will change your mind.” He dismissed her objections.

  “I don’t think I will. This is one birthday present I really don’t want.”

  “Why do you not want to embrace your full powers?”

  “Because I’m not ready for them. A few weeks ago I was just a moody teenager with a dead father and uncaring mother. The only thing that has remained unchanged is my ability to swing a sword. I didn’t ask for any of this, I don’t even want it. But it has landed in my lap and I’m not sure how to deal with it.”

  Wilhelm was struck by her honesty. “Sometimes not knowing your path until it appears before you is a blessing. I have known my whole life I am to inherit the throne from my father. But as each year passes I think I am even less ready for that moment when it eventually happens. And so does my father.”

  “Fathers are always hard on their sons, from what I have heard.” She looked up at him and those brown eyes held hers captive for a moment.

  “This is your door.” He nodded. “I will see you in the morning, Erin.”

  She stared after his departing figure. Perhaps tomorrow wouldn’t be so bad after all.

  CHAPTER 18

  Heinrekh was waiting for his generals to show. It seemed his soldiers were going to get the fight they so wanted. His plans to lure Erin to his realm had worked in so far as she had crossed over. However his inept mercenaries had gotten themselves vaporised before they could bring her to Vasmaar. He had seen her fight though and she was pretty good. If only she knew how to use all her powers, she would be almost invincible.

  Now she was in Lokranor, he had to get her attention. And he planned to. He had a couple of options, but first needed to prep his army for battle.

  His three generals filed into the room looking decidedly nervous. Getting a summons was not usually a good omen, especially after the latest abduction attempt had failed.

  “The young Priestess of Lokranor is staying with King Olav for a few days. We need to seize this opportunity and bring her to Vasmaar.”

  “You want us to invade Lokranor?” General Jurgen asked.

  “No. I need the army mobilised and sitting on the border with Skarsgaard. I want to see how Olav will respond.”

  “I imagine he’ll deploy troops to strengthen his borders.”

  “Which will leave the priestess unprotected in Lokranor.” Heinrekh concealed the smile that threatened to spread across his face.

  “If he takes no action?” General Selvig asked. “Do we invade Skarsgaard?”

  “Perhaps. The troops will need to be ready to fight or invade. I will keep you updated as to which. But you need to move the army tomorrow.”

  After the generals had left, Heinrekh allowed his thoughts to drift. Erin was so close, he could almost touch her. He headed down into his private vault and stood before the marble plinth in the middle of the small room. Clasping the huge blue Baldoren crystal that sat atop the plinth with both hands he travelled swiftly in his mind to Lokranor.

  It wasn’t difficult to find Erin, remnants of Loxhadrin left a trail like breadcrumbs. He slipped through the door into her chamber. In the huge four poster bed, she looked like a small, china doll, so fragile and so harmless. He reached out and stroked her cheek with his slender fingers. He couldn’t actually feel her skin in his ethereal form, but he imagined it was cool and silky. Leaning down he murmured softly in her ear using his most hypnotic of tones.

  “Tomorrow you will stop in Nordgard. Meet me in the house with the lantern in the window. You will be drawn to it.”

  “House with lantern,” Erin muttered in her sleep. “Lanterns are pretty.”

  “Come alone.”

  “Alone with Wilhelm,” she sighed appreciatively. “He’s very cute.”

  “No Wilhelm, just yourself,” he reiterated.

  Erin grunted and returned to the depths of her sleep. Trap set, Heinrekh thought smugly to himself. Despite King Olav’s guards, he had all but walked right into Erin’s bed chamber. At least in his virtual world.

  He took a deep breath and released the crystal. It took a few seconds for the dizziness to stop. Coming back to the present after using the Baldoren crystal was always disorientating. By the time his army reached the borders of Skarsgaard, he hoped to have Erin captive. But if they failed, he at least had an alternate plan.

  Erin awoke feeling a bit strange. She was pretty sure she had dreamt about Heinrekh, that he had spoken to her, but she couldn’t recall either him or the conversation. It was just out of reach in her sub-conscious.

  The laundry pixies had been in overnight and her jodhpurs and shirt had been cleaned and laid out for her, along with a selection of warmer tunics and a beautiful blue cloak. She dressed and wandered into the living quarters.

  A mix of sweetbreads and cold meats had been set out. Erin ate the bread and a piece of fruit. A serving girl slipped into the room.

  “Prince Wilhelm asked that you join him out by the stables when you are ready.” The girl curtsied and left.

  I have been summoned, Erin groaned to herself. She attached her sword and grabbed the cloak.

  Finding the stables wasn’t too difficult, with the help of several guards. She spotted Wilhelm in the distance tacking up the horses. That touched a chord with her, he might be heir to the throne but saddling his own horse was not beneath him.

  “I’m glad you don’t like to sleep too late.”

  “Thank you for saddling Athena.” She stroked her horse fondly on the nose.

  “She’s certainly has attitude,” Wilhelm scowled at the horse. “Well matched to her owner I think.”

  Erin laughed despite herself. “Yeah, we’re well suited.”

  Wilhelm pulled a fur hat from his cloak and handed it to her. “I thought you might benefit from this.”

  Erin ran her hand over it, it felt so soft. “Thank you.” She pulled it on.

  “Now you look like a citizen of Lokranor.” He gave her a boost into the saddle. “I thought we would head through the town first then I’ll show you the forests and lakes.”

  “You’re the tour guide, so lead on.”

  The town of Lokranor was really beautiful, and the houses mostly looked well built. There were people milling about, all of whom stopped and acknowledged Wilhelm. She was here in a genuine Viking realm, yet her brain still had trouble taking it all in. She was convinced someone with a camera would pop out from behind one of the houses and shout “Smile, you’ve just been pranked.” But the more she saw, the more she realised this was most definitely a reality.

  “How about we pick up the pace to the next village?” Wilhelm challenged and pushed his horse into a steady canter.

  Erin felt the adrenaline rush through her veins as she and Wilhelm sped across the snowy barren landscape. With the cloak and hat, she was toasty warm. It certainly made a change from the midge infested highlands back in Muirhead.

  “You ride well for a woman,” Wilhelm acknowledged.

  “Where I come from we are taught to ride as children. Is it always snow covered here or do you actually get warm?”

  “You are here in our winter time. The snows will disappear in about three months’ time and summer will arrive. Then everything is green.”

  “How strange that our seasons are reversed. In Muirhead it’s summer. At least it’s supposed to be.”

  They slowed as they came to the next village. “This is Nordgard.”

  “How do these villages survive?” Erin asked. “Do they hunt?”

  “Yes, they rely heavily on hunting as the village is not far fro
m Mallin forest.” Wilhelm indicated to her to stop, there was some commotion ahead. “Wait here a moment, I need to see what is happening.” He rode over to the crowd that had gathered, they parted as soon as they saw him. She eventually lost sight of him.

  Erin intended to wait patiently for Wilhelm to reappear but something was drawing her down a nearby street. She leapt down off Athena, tied her to a post and went exploring. She spotted a group of children playing with sticks, using them as swords. She leant against the side of a house watching them. They looked so bizarre with their long shaggy hair, baggy tunics, trousers and boots.

  One particular young boy was coming under heavy fire from a couple of larger kids. She decided it was time to offer some tuition. She wandered over and whispered in his ear “If you make quicker, smaller movements, you will beat them no problem.”

  The boy smiled and picked his stick back up. “Are you taking advice from a girl, Erik?” one of the boys taunted.

  Erin flipped her cloak back revealing her Talmar. The boy’s face was a picture. It was even more entertaining when little Erik disarmed him within a very short space of time. She ruffled Erik’s wild blond hair. “See. Fast and accurate wins over brute strength.”

  “Are you are warrior?” Erik’s big blue eyes stared at her in awe.

  “Of sorts,” she smiled. “You live here I take it?”

  “On the outskirts of the forest with my mother. My father’s dead.” He spoke so bluntly it touched her.

  “So is mine.” Erin patted him on the shoulder. She spotted a house across the square that had a lantern burning in its window. She knew she needed to visit this house, but she had no idea why.

  “Who lives in this house, Erik?”

  “It’s a bad house. You should not go inside.” The small child sounded a little agitated.

  “Do you mean bad things happen there?”

  He nodded. “People go in but don’t come back out. Ever.”

  She started towards the house but little Erik grabbed hold of her hand. “Please don’t go inside,” he pleaded.

  Erin smile warmly at him. “I’m not going to disappear, Erik.” She heard her name being called and turned to see Wilhelm striding towards her.

  The boy gripped her hand tighter. “That’s the King’s son.” It seemed he was more afraid of Wilhelm than some ghost house.

  “Yes,” Erin grimaced. “He might be a little cross that I wandered off.” Hoping to divert Wilhelm’s annoyance, she decided on the safety in numbers tactic. “Did you want a ride back to your home?”

  “On your horse?” Erik’s eyes nearly popped out his head.

  “Of course.” Erin looked down at the young boy, anything to avoid eye contact with Wilhelm whose hand most definitely on his sword.

  “Erin, I was starting to worry.” He sounded a little pissed.

  “Sorry, I got side-tracked. I said I would drop Erik home. He lives at the edge of the forest.”

  Wilhelm rolled his eyes. “Fine,” he sighed. He led them back to the horses, boosted her up into the saddle and sat Erik in front.

  “Which way is home?” Erin asked.

  “Mallin forest,” Wilhelm grunted.

  Erik was positively beaming as they rode through the village.

  “Did you get sorted whatever it was you needed to do?” Erin asked Wilhelm.

  “Yes. Just village politics.” He glanced at Erik. “Are you up for some speed, young one?”

  Erik nodded eagerly. He held on tight as they cantered towards the forest. They slowed as they neared a small cluster of houses.

  “That one is mine.” Erik pointed to the tiny house in the middle. Wilhelm jumped off his horse and lifted Erik down. As he did, Erik’s mother came rushing out the house.

  “My lord,” she bowed her head. “Has Erik done something wrong?”

  Wilhelm smiled. “Nothing of the sort. We just gave him a ride home.”

  Erik glanced up at Erin. “Thank you,” he beamed before hiding behind his mother. He was still not quite sure of Wilhelm.

  They continued on their way. “I hope I have not disrupted your tour too much,” Erin apologised.

  “You are free to see and do what you want,” he shrugged nonchalantly.

  “So where next?”

  “I will show you the Lake of Lokborin.”

  “Isn’t it frozen?”

  “Yes, but the rocks that surround it are quite stunning.”

  They rode on again in silence for a while until Wilhelm spoke again. “That was a kind thing you did for Erik.”

  “I felt for the child. We both have lost our fathers.”

  Erin could not believe how beautiful the scenery had become. The area around the lake was heavily wooded with a beautiful rock formation at one end. Erin dismounted so she could explore it further. She stared up at the rock face above her and the frozen waterfall.

  “It’s stunning, Wilhelm,” she breathed.

  “I’m glad you like it.” He jumped down and walked alongside her. “You should see this place in summer.”

  “So how does the heir to the throne fill his days?” Erin was curious.

  “I usually take charge of the army but at the moment my father has me watching the gates to your world.”

  “Judging from your tone, I gather that’s a punishment. Did you upset your father?”

  “Yeah,” he snorted. “For some reason he objected to me strengthening the armed guard on the borders with Vasmaar.”

  “Perhaps he is trying to get you to see if there is an alternative to war. Back home we send in the army as a very last resort, we try diplomacy first.”

  “And if that doesn’t work?”

  “Send in the heavy guns,” Erin laughed.

  “My father is never appreciative of anything I do.” Wilhelm could not disguise the sadness in his voice.

  “Parents are often difficult to please. My mother is never happier than when she is criticising me for something.”

  Wilhelm stared at her strangely for a moment. “I thought your mother was dead?”

  “No. Just my father.”

  Some falling snow from the rock face made Erin look up. She heard a low growling and saw a blur of fur and teeth.

  “Wolves,” Wilhelm shouted, drawing his sword and pushing Erin out the way.

  She watched in a mix of horror and awe as two wolves leapt at Wilhelm from above. She raised her hand and let loose a burst of Loxhadrin. Both wolves were thrown off their trajectory and hit the rock face, giving her time to draw her sword. She took care of one, Wilhelm of the other.

  “You’re certainly a useful person to have around.”

  “I didn’t think your father would be too impressed with me if anything happened to you.”

  “He probably wouldn’t even notice,” Wilhelm grunted.

  “I think you ……” She let out a loud scream as her foot when through the frozen lake and she went down like a sack of potatoes.

  Wilhelm grabbed hold of her. “It’s just an air pocket, Erin. You’ve not gone through the ice.”

  She was shaking like a leaf. “Don’t…don’t let go of me,” she stammered.

  Wilhelm wrapped his arms tighter around her. “You are quite safe.”

  She looked up at him, her face white as a sheet. “I thought I’d gone through the ice.”

  “I’d not let anything happen to you.”

  Erin blamed the shock for her trembling, not the closeness of Wilhelm. His face was next to hers, her gaze fixed on that beautiful mouth of his. She was overcome with an urge to kiss him. Not just because he was a prince or a Viking, but because he was so damn cute. And they were alone in the wilderness together.

  The loud shriek of a bird echoed through the silence, bringing Erin back to planet Earth. She gave herself a shake, not quite sure why she was so overcome by hormones. Men figured way down on her list most of the time.

  Wilhelm set her back on Athena and she had regained much of her composure by the time they arrived at the castle
. As Wilhelm escorted her back inside, she spotted Magnus, Olav and several older men deep in conversation. No doubt discussing her.

  “Who are those people?” she whispered to Wilhelm.

  “The Council,” he replied.

  “Do they often meet?”

  “Only when trouble is brewing,”