Lynesse

To the Fjord - Part Six

Everything was the bad kind of fuzzy when I finally came to again. My shoulders burned fiercely and it didn’t seem like I could feel my hands. I’d upgraded prisons from a cage to a straw lined floor in a single outbuilding. Flaming sconces lined the wooden walls. I’d seen places like this burn down in less than an hour and panic set in. 

There was no fleeing, though. My arms were bound by shackle and chain to either side of the narrow space. I didn’t know how long I’d been like that, but I still felt drained. My fingers felt too thick as I went to move them and pain shot through my arms. Angry, red runes had been burned into the backs and palms. I couldn’t draw any magic to heal them. The panic rose. 

Hours passed, I think, until Lucas came back around with a bucket of water and a ladle. I could hear song and laughter going on outside. That didn’t help. The bowl of the big spoon hit my lips and I drank and drank. “You were asleep when the Rune Binder came. Be glad,” he said. 

Oh. 

“I’m not the smartest woman,” I slurred, “but I am going to guess that means they bound my magic?” 

“Yes,” he paused, dropping the ladle back into the bucket with a splash and setting it aside. “Bruna– she’s the “wife” of the man you killed– requested it. I suspect after the feasting to celebrate Thorvald’s ascension to the Halls of Valor that they’ll decide what to do with you then. The Thane has been in talks with her since his body was brought back. You took her husband, she took your magic.” 

Oh. 

“I suspect she didn’t consider that a fair trade?” I asked with all the humor and sarcasm I could muster for this situation. 

He was handsome for a human, I’ll give him that. His sad, crooked smile highlighted the deep crags in what should have been a youthful face, “No. Going to the Halls of Valor is… … It’s the highest honor you could have given him, but he is still dead, and she has a young daughter.”

Fuck. 

I pulled on the chains a little. Nothing. He shook his head, frowning deeply, “You shouldn’t have run. I had to tell them, you know, that you’d gone. I was the last person to see you, I didn’t want them to think that I’d set you free. It would’ve ruined everything I’ve worked so hard for.”

My anger rose like a flash, hot and caustic. I would’ve lashed out with a hammer made of pure Light if it hadn’t been bound in me, if I even had the energy to do so. “It would’ve ruined you? I am going to die here because you– you–,” I couldn’t even form words. Magic or not, exhaustion or not, my anger gives me strength. I pulled against the bonds with renewed vigor and heard the wood the chains were bolted into creak. 

Lucas had the dignity to look absolutely terrified. 

“Portal me out of here, Lucas. Send me home. Fix your bullshit mistake,” I snarled, teeth bared. 

He took a few steps back before finding his spine, “I have worked too hard for this. The feasting will last two more days. You should rest.” He couldn’t hide how pale he’d become as he stepped out into the moonlight. 

I imagine I looked quite the sight.