Crystal Kingdom Read online

  I still wasn’t sure if I should trust Konstantin, but without him, I was completely alone and isolated with Viktor’s men and Kanin scouts after me. With Konstantin, I wasn’t much better off, but he knew a few more things than I did, and at least he was here.

  One thing I did know for sure was that I couldn’t stay on the run like this, not for much longer. Running wasn’t accomplishing anything. Konstantin would argue that it was keeping us alive, and he was right, but to what end? What was the point of doing this if it meant constantly moving and looking over our shoulders everywhere we went?

  Beyond that, I knew that with the King dead, things in Doldastam had to be descending into chaos. That was just what Mina wanted so she could be the one to save them. But only after she got rid of anyone who stood in her way. Things were only going to get worse before they got better—if they got better.

  If Mina was willing to do all these awful things to those who loved her, like Konstantin and Evert, then what kind of monarch could she possibly be? She was vindictive, greedy, and remorseless. The kingdom could only suffer under her rule.

  I rocked slowly in the chair, feeling the warmth of the sun, and wondering what my fate might be, when my pocket began to vibrate. It took me a few seconds to realize that my phone was ringing. I scrambled to get it out before it went to voice mail, and saw that it was an unknown caller.

  I debated not answering it for a second, but then I realized that if Viktor Dålig or Mina had somehow gotten this number, I was already in deep crap whether I took the call or not. So I went for it.

  “Hello?” I answered, feeling a little out of breath.

  The caller waited a beat before saying, “Bryn?”

  Relief washed over me so intensely I nearly cried, but I held it back. “Ridley.”

  “It is you, thank god it’s you,” he breathed in one hurried sentence. “When I saw the missed call on my phone, I thought it had to be you.”

  “How are you?” I asked. “How is everything?”

  “Everything is … not good.” He sounded pained. “Everything’s falling apart, Bryn. I’m calling from a phone that Ember got me, and I don’t think they can trace it. They shouldn’t, since they don’t know it exists. I had to talk to you. I had to know that you’re okay. Are you okay? Are you somewhere safe?”

  “Yeah, I’m safe. I’m okay. But what happened after I left? Are you all right?”

  He hesitated for so long I was afraid that the call might’ve dropped. “I don’t want to talk about that now.”

  My heart sank, and I felt like throwing up. “Ridley, I’m so sorry. I never meant to get you in trouble.”

  “No, don’t be sorry. I did what I had to do to protect you, and I would do it again,” he said. “And I’m fine now.”

  “Are you really? Promise me that you’re okay.”

  “I’m okay. I am.” He sighed. “I mean, I’m as okay as anyone else in Doldastam.” He paused. “The King is dead.”

  I thought about lying to him, but I didn’t want to lie to Ridley. Not now, not ever. “I know.”

  “You know?” The tension amped up his voice. “What do you mean, you know? How?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” I brushed him off, because explaining Konstantin seemed like too much.

  “Of course it matters!” Ridley was nearly yelling.

  “Ridley, I just know, okay? Let that be enough for right now.”

  “Fine,” he relented. “I can’t talk long, and I don’t want to spend this time arguing with you. I just called to tell you that you need to go to Förening and see the Trylle.”

  “What? Why? They’re allies of the Kanin. They’ll arrest me on sight.”

  “No, I don’t think they will,” Ridley said. “Ember talked to her brother, and he thinks that you might be able to sway the King and Queen into granting you amnesty.”

  “That’s a huge risk to take. I can’t end up back in the dungeons of Doldastam. They won’t let me out of there alive.”

  “I know, but Ember seems convinced that the Trylle are your best hope. Her brother says that the Queen has granted amnesty before,” he said. “And I know it’s not safe for you out there, on the road alone like that. You need to get somewhere where you’re protected.”

  “Okay,” I said finally. “If it’s what you think is best.”

  “I do.” He breathed deeply. “I should get going, though.”

  “So soon?” I asked, hating that I could hear the desperation in my voice.

  “Yeah. I can’t raise any suspicions right now,” he said huskily. “But it was worth it to hear your voice.” He paused. “I miss you.”

  “I miss you too.”

  “Be safe, okay?” he asked, sounding pained again.

  “You too, Ridley. Don’t do anything dangerous.”

  “I won’t if you won’t,” he said, laughing softly. “Good-bye, Bryn.”

  “Good-bye, Ridley.”

  I kept the phone to my ear long after it had gone silent, as if I’d be able to hear him after he’d ended the call. Talking to Ridley had somehow left me feeling more heartbroken and yet rejuvenated all at once. I missed him so much, and I hated it that I couldn’t be there with him and that I didn’t know what he was going through.

  But now at least I knew that he was alive and okay, and he’d given me a direction. I had to reach the Trylle.

  EIGHTEEN

  parting

  “I can drive,” I offered, not for the first time. The journey from our bed-and-breakfast in Wyoming to the Trylle capital of Förening on the bluffs of the Mississippi River was over twelve hours, and so far Konstantin had driven all of it.

  “I took this car so I could drive it,” Konstantin said, and pressed his foot down on the gas of the Mustang, pushing it over eighty to prove his point.

  “I’m just saying. If you need me, I’m here.” I sat slouched down in the seat with my bare feet on the dash and stared out the window at the world flying by.

  He softened and let the speedometer fall back a bit. “I’m used to doing things on my own.”

  “Yeah, I’ve kinda figured that out.”

  “Are you sure that the Trylle will give you amnesty?” Konstantin asked, retreading a conversation we’d had a dozen times since I’d told him about Ridley’s phone call.

  “No, I’m not sure. But I trust that Ridley and Ember wouldn’t send me somewhere to get hurt.”

  He didn’t say anything right away. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and his eyes stayed fixed on the road before us. His knuckles momentarily whitened as he gripped the steering wheel tighter, then relaxed again.

  “What?” I pressed, since Konstantin seemed anxious.

  “Trust and love can be very dangerous things,” he said finally. “I loved Mina, and I trusted her with everything, and you’ve seen how that worked out for me.”

  “Ridley and Ember are nothing like Mina.” I paused as something occurred to me. “You trust me.”

  He glanced at me from the corner of his eye. “I do,” he said, his voice low and gruff, like he hated to admit it, even to himself. “But everything’s different with you.”

  “Yeah, I know what you mean,” I agreed quietly.

  I turned away to look out the window again. An odd tension settled in the car, and I felt like talking would only make it worse.

  The roads became more winding, reminding me of a piece of string tangled up among the overreaching maples and evergreens. The car rolled up and down the hills along the bluffs, and between the branches I’d occasionally get a glimpse of the dark waters of the Mississippi racing along beside us.

  When we reached the top of the bluffs, the road began to narrow, making it nearly impossible for more than one car to pass at a time. Fortunately, there weren’t any other vehicles for us to contend with, so I didn’t have to see how the Mustang would handle the sharp embankment that began right at the edge of the asphalt.

  For a moment I could see the river clearly over the tops of the trees,
and then the car was plunging down a steep hill, with Konstantin laying heavily on the brakes to keep us from going off the road and crashing into the trees.

  The pavement leveled off a bit, and Konstantin pulled over as far to the side as it would allow and put the car in park.

  “What’s happening?” I looked around, searching for any sign of the Trylle palace, but it was only trees that surrounded us. “Why did you stop?”

  “Förening’s just up there.” He motioned in front of us, but the road curved just ahead, so I couldn’t see anything. “Maybe a quarter of a mile. You can walk it from here.”

  “I can,” I agreed tentatively. “But why would I? Why aren’t you driving?”

  He turned to face me, a sad smile on his lips and his gray eyes hard. “I can’t go with you, white rabbit.”

  I sighed. “I know that you don’t know Ridley or Ember, and you have major trust issues, which I get, but—”

  “Ridley doesn’t know you’re with me, does he?”

  I hesitated. “No.”

  “And if he did, I doubt he would’ve suggested I go with you to Förening to ask for amnesty.”

  “The Queen is open to things here—” I tried again.

  “Yes, but the difference between you and me is that I did the things I’m accused of. You didn’t,” he said, smiling wanly at me. “I would not fare as well there as you, and I would only hurt your case.”

  I pushed back my hair from my face and let out a heavy breath. For some reason, it hadn’t occurred to me that Konstantin wouldn’t come with me. We’d made it together this far. I thought we’d go together until the end.

  “What are you gonna do?” I asked finally.

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ll figure something out. I always do.”

  “Will you go back to Viktor?” I asked.

  “No.” He shook his head with finality. “I’ll do what I can to buy some time, to keep them from coming after me, but I’m not going back.”

  “Good.”

  Since there was nothing more to say, I smiled at him, and then opened the car door. Konstantin got out and walked around to the back of the car, so he could grab my duffel bag from the trunk. I went over to him, and we stood together awkwardly after he handed me my bag.

  “Should we hug or something?” I asked.

  Konstantin smirked. “I don’t think either of us is the hugging type.”

  “That’s true. So this is good-bye, then.”

  He shrugged one shoulder. “For now.”

  We walked back together until we reached the driver’s-side door, which he’d left open. I gave him a small wave, then walked ahead down the road. The asphalt felt hot on my bare feet, but I didn’t mind. Konstantin hadn’t left yet, and I could feel him watching me, so I glanced back over my shoulder.

  “I’ll find you if you need me,” he called to me, and he got into the Mustang. I made it around the curve, and then I heard his engine rev and the tires squeal as he sped off, leaving me to continue the journey on my own.

  NINETEEN

  compound

  A massive gate blocked the road heading into the Trylle compound, not unlike the one in Doldastam. This one was shiny silver, whereas ours was made of worn iron. The guard shack appeared freshly painted sage-green, with vines growing up the side.

  The guard manning the gate slid open the glass window and leaned down to get a better look at me. He wore a uniform of dark emerald, and he had eyes that nearly matched.

  “This is private property,” he said, not unkindly. “If you’re lost, you need to head back up to the main road.” Since he was Trylle, he probably wasn’t used to seeing blond trolls and assumed that I was a human.

  “I’m not lost,” I told him. “I’m here to see Finn Holmes. He used to be a tracker, but I believe he’s a guard now.”

  The guard pushed up the brim of his hat and narrowed his eyes at me. He scrutinized me for so long I was afraid he’d had a stroke or something, but finally, he nodded. He closed the sliding glass window, and I watched as he picked up a black phone that sat on his desk.

  When he hung up, he glanced back at me, but he didn’t open the window. I wasn’t sure what was happening, but I knew I had no place else to be. I dropped my duffel bag on the road and I leaned against the gate, pressing my face against the cool metal so I could peer into Förening.

  I spotted a few luxurious cottages, nearly hidden among the trees, all poised to take in the full view of the river below us. Knowing trolls, I was sure there were more that were camouflaged better. But still, it reminded me of an affluent gated community in northern California that I once visited while tracking a changeling. The Trylle were by far the most contemporary of the troll tribes.

  My feet were sore from walking down the road, so I sat down on my duffel bag, using it like a chair, and leaned with my back resting against the bars. And I waited, and I waited some more.

  Without warning, the gate groaned and started to move back. I scrambled to get to my feet before I fell over, then I turned around to see Ember’s older brother Finn walking toward me. I wasn’t sure what he’d been doing before I arrived, but he was dressed in black slacks, a dress shirt, and a vest. He wore variations of the same clothes every time I saw him, and I was beginning to wonder if he slept in them.

  Finn walked with slow measured steps, and there was a rigidity to him that would make the Högdragen envious. His dark hair was smoothed back, and his mahogany eyes reminded me of Ember’s, though hers were even darker.

  “Bryn,” he said, without any hint as to whether he was happy or upset to see me. He kept his expression and voice completely neutral.

  “Thank you for meeting me like this,” I said. “I’d heard that Ember had talked to you, and you’d agreed to help me.”

  “I did.” He motioned for me come inside, so I grabbed my bag and walked through the gates into Förening. “How are you? Did you get here all right?”

  “Yeah, I got here okay. I’m as fine as I can be.”

  “Good.” Finn started walking ahead, so I followed alongside him. “Are you ready to see the Queen? I’ve told her about your arrival, and she’s anxious to meet with you.”

  I wouldn’t have minded a few minutes to gather my thoughts and get cleaned up. Especially since I was wearing jeans with holes in the knees, a tank top that showed my black bra strap, and my hair was just pulled back in a ponytail. But I also knew better than to keep royalty waiting.

  “I can meet the Queen now.”

  “Good.” Finn smiled for a moment. “She’s a fair Queen, and there’s no reason for you to worry.”

  “Thanks.” I smiled back at him. “I’ll try not to.”

  The roads inside Förening were even more winding than the ones that led to it, and it sort of felt like we were walking in circles until we finally reached the palace. Unlike many of the other troll palaces, which were designed more like castles, the Trylle palace was an opulent mansion.

  Long vines grew over the three-story structure, nearly masking the bright white exterior, and the back was made entirely of windows. It sat perched on the edge of a bluff, with the back of the palace supported by beams overgrown with vines. It appeared as if it might fall off the edge and plummet into the river many feet below, but the Trylle had enough magic that I knew that would never happen.

  Finn opened the grand front door, and I’d expected a footman to greet us, but the Trylle apparently had a much more help-yourself kind of operation. Inside the main hall, the floors were marble, and from the front door I could see straight through the house to the breathtaking view through the windowed back wall.

  As Finn led me through the palace, I was once again reminded of the gated community in northern California and the mansions I’d seen there. The chandeliers on the ceiling, the velvet jade runner that lined the corridor, even the furnishings—it was all lavish but it was all so modern. Other than the paintings on the wall, which appeared to be of former Kings and Queens.

  Fin
ally we reached the throne room, where I’d be meeting with the Queen. Finn pushed open two massive doors with vines carved into them. I’d been here once before, when I’d visited Förening as part of a field trip in tracker school and had been given a tour of the palace. But the beauty of the throne room would never cease to impress me.

  It was a circular room, with rounded walls, and the one behind the throne was made of floor-to-ceiling glass, to take in more of that stunning view. In all honesty, it felt more like an atrium with a domed skylight stretching high above. Vines grew over the ornate silver and gold designs etched on the walls, making this room feel much closer to nature than anything we had in Doldastam.

  The throne sat in the center of the room, covered with lush emerald velvet, and I could’ve sworn that when I’d been here last, the throne had been red. It was made of platinum that swirled into latticing with bright emeralds laid into it.

  Queen Wendy Staad sat in the throne, wearing a long flowing gown. The fabric was a deep evergreen, nearly black, but there was something iridescent about it, so when she moved, it would shimmer and change color.

  Her dark brown curls were arranged perfectly, with one bright silver lock in the front. She appeared young, even though she was actually a few years older than me, but she had a severity about her when she smiled at me.

  On either side of her there was a smaller chair fashioned in the same way as her throne. To her left was Bain Ottesen, the Trylle Chancellor I had met before in Storvatten. He was a rather slight young man with dark hair and features, so only his bright blue eyes gave away his partial Skojare heritage.

  To her right was the King, Loki Staad. He sat rather casually for a King, tilting to one side and resting on his elbow, and he grinned when I entered the room. His hair was lighter than most Trylle’s, and it was slightly disheveled.

  “My Queen.” Finn bowed slightly as he entered the room, so I followed suit. “This is Bryn Aven of the Kanin. I told you about her.”

  I stepped forward and bowed again. “Thank you for taking time to meet with me.”