House of Winter

Chapter 37, Part 1

In the morning, Lumi woke to Tom and Katja talking quietly over the dying embers of the fire.

She felt disorientated, and sat up, trying to mark her bearings. There was Kobuk, Helvig, and Jinni was beside her. But there was no sign of another wolf, or its starrling.

"Sanna's gone," Tom said, as soon as he saw she was awake.

"She's probably gone after Ari," Katja said. There was something dismissive in her voice, which made Lumi frown.

Tom was setting out tea, and Lumi took a cup from him when he handed it to her. He didn't meet her gaze, and she felt sick with the tension of it. She wanted to talk to him, to let him know how she felt and make him understand her, but more than anything she wanted to unwind time to a place where he had seen her as more than helpless and weak.

"If we fly well today, we'll make it to Vulfholm by the afternoon," Katja said, standing up, apparently unaware of any tension between Lumi and Tom. "Are you ready to go?"

Lumi swallowed a sip of her tea, startled, and almost choked. "We're going to Vulfholm?"

"Of course," Katja said. "You're a royal runaway, Lumi. My mother will take you in. She'll take care of everything."

Lumi glanced at Tom.

"I think it's a good idea to go to Vulfholm," Tom agreed. "We can rest. Eat some good food. We'll talk to the Queen, and let her know the truth about Tai. You'll have Norrlish support when you claim your own throne."

"Ah, thrones," Katja said with a grin. "I quite like the idea of the three of us on our thrones."

"The three of us?" Lumi asked, quietly shocked. So that was it, then? Katja had decided that she would marry Tom? He would be her king, to sit by her side? Maybe they had already discussed it. Maybe that's what they had been talking about so quietly before she woke up.

The idea of it broke Lumi's heart, even though last night she had felt so much rage towards him. She wanted Tom to want her. She wanted, so desperately, to be the one who was desired, and loved.

But it would always be Katja.

"Let's just go," Tom said gruffly, and he pulled himself onto his wolf's back.

Lumi did the same, and the three of them took off.

As they did, Lumi felt a flame of power within her, and she gasped.

"Lumi?" Tom said, twisting back in his seat and looking at her.

Lumi concentrated hard on her body, shocked at the sudden surging of power within her.

"Tai is here," she called out, her voice weak. "He must be nearby. This is his power. It's the surge. It's not Jinni, it's Tai. He's here."

"Then we need to get to Vulfholm, fast," Katja said. "This way."

Their morning flight took them across snow-dusted forests until the trees gave out to black sand beaches. Icy floes banked on the sand; shining crystals embedded into ivory, while frothy white waves crashed on the shore. There was a lighthouse on a hill, and as they flew past it Katja told them they were nearly there.

As she had predicted, they flew along the coast until they reached the fjord where the shining white city of Vulfholm was nestled between white mountains. The city spilled from the mountains to the mouth of the river which turned into the sea. Upriver, the surface was frozen, while down beyond the city the huge pieces of ice were breaking off and drifting out to sea. In the sea beyond the drifting icebergs was a fleet of ships flying gold banners.

"Kat!" Tom called out. "Those are Lombardian ships."

"I see them," Katja said. "The sooner we get to the palace, the better."

"You're doing so well, boy," Lumi told Jinni, stroking his fur as they swept down towards the city. She'd never flown on tigerback for so long, but she was amazed at how well he was doing, even with his injury.

The three kinnlings soared across the hills that gave way to the fjord, in which the city was nestled in a golden ray of sunlight, just out of reach of the mountain's shadows. The wolves landed with ease on the snow, and Jinni followed, although his descent was not as smooth, as he landed on his back legs and then had to catch his weight on his front paw. Lumi gripped onto him so as not to be thrown off.

The three kinnlings walked the rest of the way up the snowy hill, where they were already greeted by a pack of kinnwolves.

The leader of the guard called out to the princess in the Norrlish tongue.

Katja sat up straighter in her saddle, but Lumi could see surprise on her face as she answered her guardswoman.

"What's wrong?" Lumi asked.

Tom glanced at her. "They say the Kaio general is here."

Lumi let in a sharp intake of breath. "Auntie V."

Ahead of them, Katja had fallen in line beside her wolfguard, who were talking to her in Norrlish.

Tom turned and steered Kobuk next to Jinni, but kept his eyes on the wolfguard ahead of them as he spoke. "The royal winter army was out in force to greet the Lombardian ships," he said, hurriedly translating for Lumi as they raced towards the palace, following the wolfguard. "And somehow..." he paused now, waiting to hear what the wolfguard said. His posture was tense.

"The Fire General was able to approach the palace from the mountain," tom said, sounding uncertain. He pointed up beyond the palace, where the mountains of the fjord loomed down over them. "But there's a wolfguard defence line up there. I don't understand it."

"It doesn't matter," Lumi said. "What matters is that if my aunt has made a surprise approach against Vulfholm. And she won't have done that for a friendly chat."

Their entourage of wolfriders took them to the entrance of the palace, and then left them there, to return to defend the palace. Lumi looked over at Katja, who had panic written across her face. But when she caught Lumi's gaze, she hardened her face into calmness.

"Welcome to Vulfholm, Lumi," Katja said, as politely as she could muster. "Home to the Norrlish throne. You are an honoured guest. Please, come inside. It is Norrlish tradition to offer fermented shark meat to new guests, but I hope you'll excuse me if today I don't extend that courtesy."

"It's fine," Lumi said. "I don't eat meat, anyway."

"Of course," Katja said. "Well, come in."

... to be continued

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