Talon: The Windwalker Archive (Book 1) (16 page)

“
You want to make sure Fylkin never becomes chief?”

“
I want him dead,” Moontooth said, slamming the desk. The ferocity in his eyes quickened Talon’s heart.

“
Where do I come in?”

Moontooth shrugged and took another
drink; Talon followed him. “It’s no secret that Fylkin took your woman and plans to kill you during Freista. He’s made it quite plain to the Vaka: you are not to be killed by any but him, on pain of castration. He seems to have taken a special interest in you.”

Talon couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The
wine had gotten to his head, true, but this was something out of a dream—nearly as unbelievable as meeting an elf in a cave.

He loosened the grip on the ring in his pocket.

“You want me to be your bait?”

“
Exactly,” grinned Moontooth. One of his teeth was covered in silver.

“
I control everything on this heap, from grain supplies to liquor. My eyes and ears are everywhere. For instance, I learned from Vaka Bjorn that you and your friend are planning to escape Volnoss on a one-sailed keipr.”

Talon could not hide his anger at the perceived betrayal.
Jahsin had been right about Vaka Bjorn. How could he have been such an idiot, asking Bjorn questions as if he were his friend, trusting him?

“
He brought the idea to my attention. Bjorn is a good man, and quite perceptive. We’re not all bad you know.”

They shared another drink and Moontooth filled their glasses once more.

“I can ensure that you make it off this island, you and your friends and that wolf of yours—if it hasn’t been turned into one of the hunting wolves by then.”

How in the hells does he know about Chief even?
Talon wondered.

“
By when?” he asked.

“
Freista, of course,” said Moontooth.

“
Why then?”

“
We need you to lead Fylkin into a trap. Into the mines, to be exact. You will lead him in, and when you are safely out, we will blast the Feikinstafir
all the way to Val’Kharae. I got two dragonsbreath sticks with his name on them.”

“
How do I know you won’t blow up the mine with me inside?” Talon dared ask.

“
Because my word is as good as gold…and you have no choice.”

“
What about Akkeri? I won’t see her given back to Fylkin.”

“
Fylkin is away with his father to meet with Bear Tribe. He will return in two days. When he does, Akkeri needs to be there.”

“
No,” Talon said, slamming his glass down on the desk. He knew he was a little drunk, for he never would have spoken so to the High Vaka if he were sober.

“
I can assure you she has not been touched. Fylkin may be a monster, but he’s a monster with standards, nonetheless. He would no sooner bed a Skomm than he would a dog. Ask her yourself. She can gain him good coin at the slave market, even with that scar on her face from Vaka Brekken, but if she’s…spoiled, she won’t sell as high.”

Talon wanted to believe him more than he wanted anything at
that moment. All of those long weeks, he had imagined nothing but the worst.

“
That’s the deal; take it or leave it. Lead Fylkin to the mines and to his death. When he is confirmed dead, we will see you safely off Volnoss to start a new life on Agora. Hells, I’ll even set you off right with some coin in your pocket—enough to set you up in any city for a month.” he said with one hand sweeping toward the map behind him. “She will be returned to Fylkin before his return, and you will return to your daily life until Freista. Tonight you can both stay in the room. But she must remain unseen; there are select few Vaka privy to our plans, and I would keep it that way. What say you, Talon Windwalker?”

Talon straightened at the mention of his full name. With the High Vaka on his side
, there was a far better chance they would get away. And the man might help with Chief.

“
I’ll do it.”

Moontooth extended his hand across the desk and they shook.

“Of course you will,” he grinned.

Sjofn, Goddess of Love, why do you tempt him so? Forbidden, the child with hair of dancing flame. He shall scour the world for his son.

—G
retzen Spiritbone, 4996

Talon returned to the room to find Akkeri sitting on the bed with her knees drawn up to her chin. Her red curls fell about her shoulders like exotic furs, and her scared face sent a pang through Talon’s heart. The door closed behind him and the lock was engaged. They raced across
the room and embraced once more.

“
What’s happening?” she asked.

They sat on the bed and h
e told her what High Vaka Moontooth had offered. Halfway through the story, a knock came at the door. Talon got up and hesitantly opened it. Vaka Fyrfang handed him a tray of food and a pitcher and silently left. The lock sounded and Talon returned with the tray containing of a loaf of bread, exotic fruits, a variety of cheeses, and half a roasted chicken. The pitcher contained cold water. They supped and they drank and Talon finished his story. They had both been famished, and by the time the tale ended, only scraps and bones remained on the tray.

“
Do you think he can be trusted?” Akkeri asked.

Talon shrugged.
“I trust he wants Fylkin dead.”

He hadn’t told her about t
he elf and the ring, afraid she would think him crazy. The ring proved his sanity; whether it was a magic ring had yet to be seen. He didn’t want to spoil their time together with his crazy story.

He
wasn’t sure how many glasses of wine he’d had, but with the initial rush of the encounter wearing off he felt quite drunk. Many times during his story he trailed off midsentence, leaving Akkeri looking at him expectantly. He explained away his behavior by saying he was trying to remember the encounter word for word, but in truth he had lost himself in her beauty. Given the bandage wrapped around his head to cover his ear, she probably attributed his behavior to the beating he had taken. She hadn’t asked him what happened—bandages on Talon were as common as fleas on a dog.

“
I don’t know; seems like you’re the one taking all the risk,” said Akkeri. “Being chased into a mine set to explode? And trusting they’ll wait until you’re out? I don’t like it.”

“
It’s the best chance we have; if I’m successful, we can get off this gods-forsaken island once and for all,” he said.

“
If you’re not successful, then…you will die!”

“
Well, then. I guess I better not fail,” he said with a smirk.

Akkeri’s eyes watered and her fa
ce flushed with emotion. “You’re not funny!”

“
I’m sorry, but what am I supposed to do? High Vaka Moontooth made it pretty clear that I don’t have a choice in the matter. What am I going to do, tell Fylkin there’s a plot to kill him, in hopes that he’ll be appreciative? No. This is a good plan, and now we’ve someone in our corner.”

“
And Fylkin will die,” said Akkeri, tucking her knees up under her chin once again.

High Vaka Moontooth’s words came to him again
: “He would no sooner bed a Skomm than he would a dog.”
Those old maddening images came to his mind once again, and Akkeri must have noticed the change. She smiled and his heart leapt with hope.

“
He has not touched me; if I’m anyone’s slave, it’s his spiteful sister.”

Talon couldn’t help it
; tears came to his eyes and he began to sob. She took him in her arms and held him against her breast. He felt like a child then, nearly a full-grown man being consoled by a woman who had been kidnapped, a woman who surely needed consoling herself. He tried to get ahold of himself, but the pressure and worry of the last few weeks came crashing through all at once. Akkeri lifted his face and kissed his tears.

“
When they came for me, I thought I was dead. And when I was taken to Chiefson Fylkin, I thought he would…But he didn’t. He looks at me with nothing but disdain, something for which I am grateful.”

Talon had gotten control of himself but cursed his shuddering breathing. He took a few slow breaths before he attempted to speak.

“I wanted to go after you every day. Jahsin had to choke me out the first night to prevent me from running to the Timber Wolf village and getting myself killed. I’m sorry, Akkeri, sorry I’m not strong enough to protect you.” He thought of the ring in his pocket then. “But I will be.”

“
It’s not your fault. What can be done against those giants? What you did was harder than fighting: you respected my request not to act rashly. That kind of self-control is manlier than the god of strength himself; look what it has gotten you,” she smiled and kissed him. He had meant to say something more just then but soon forgot all about it as he fell into bliss. He trailed kisses to her neck and she shuddered. A desire stronger than anything he had ever known surged through him. His hands traced her curves as hers clung to his back desperately. Her nails pressed against one of his bandages and he hissed.

“
I’m sorry,” she gasped.

“
It’s all right; a few new lashes is all.”

“
Here,” she said and lifted his shirt. He raised his arms so she could take it off. She ran her hands across his bare chest.

“
Now I know what not to touch,” she said with a grin.

Talon laughed and was sure
he sounded nervous. She too sounded nervous but also exhilarated. They kissed again and her hands carefully explored his body. He had put on some muscle during his time in the mines, and though he was still skinny, he was beginning to look more like a man. His hands became as brave as hers, following the curve of her back slowly down. He let her lead, thinking she would set the limits, but she set none. They kissed as if the world were crashing down around them and their last moments were near. Nothing existed but their bodies and the golden light of the candles. Talon felt as though he contained a volcano within him. She pushed away from him slowly and their lips parted.

“
I’m sorry,” he said, worried he had gone too far.

She only grinned. Her neck and face were covered in the sheen of their heat
; her hair had been tousled and hung about her glowing face in unruly locks.

“
When I was taken from you, and I thought Fylkin meant to have me, I wished…you already had. I have been preserved by the goddess Sjofn herself, and I would give to you that which I can only give once.”

She stood
and walked toward the candles burning on the stand. Facing away from him, she pulled her blouse strings loose. She lowered her arms and it fell to the floor. Another tug and her dress joined it. She turned back to him and Talon was awed by her beauty. The candlelight caused her heated body to glow with golden light; in that moment Talon thought her more beautiful than the goddess of love.

On that night no Vaka or Vald existed, no Volnoss and no coming Freista, only each other. They lay under the thick, fur blankets and talked into the small hours of the night about what life would be like in Agora. They spoke of someday having children and even argued playfully over names.

What they had done was forbidden by the Vald
. If a child came of it, they would all be killed, but they planned on being far from Volnoss shortly. Somewhere they could show their love freely and without persecution.

Talon
never thought that such happiness existed or that anyone would ever love him as she did. With her he was more than a runt Plagueborn; he felt big and strong and, for the first time, proud. If
she
loved him, then it meant there was something to love about him.

“
I’m scared,” said Akkeri. “Not about returning to Timber Wolf Village or even death. Only one thing scares me now.”

She lifted her head to lay her other cheek upon his chest. Her green eyes shimmered with th
e candlelight as she stared into his eyes. “I’m scared to think we might never have this again.”

“
We will,” he assured her. “We’re getting out of here. I promise you that.”

A
pretty smile replaced her worried frown.

“
And when we get to Agora, I’m going to marry you, Akkeri Brightwing.”

Her face turned bright
red, illuminating her many freckles, and she bit her lip with a shy smile.

“
That is, if you would have me as your husband.”

“
I would have no other,” she said, kissing him.

“
I love you, Akkeri.”

“
I love you, Talon Windwalker, always and forever.”