Den sejrende kvinde

The waves crashed against the cliffs of Nova Scotia with an almost musical rhythm, but Aria Morgan knew better. After three years of studying marine biology at the remote Blackrock Research Station, she had learned to distinguish between natural ocean sounds and something more... peculiar. Tonight, there was definitely something different in the water's song.

Standing on the observation deck of the research facility, her long dark hair whipping in the salty breeze, Aria focused her night vision binoculars on the churning waters below. The full moon cast an ethereal glow across the surface, making it easier to spot any unusual movement. That's when she saw it - a flash of iridescent scales, much too large to be any known fish species.

"You're out here late again," a deep voice spoke behind her. Dr. Nathaniel Cross, the facility's new head of cryptozoology, stood in the doorway. His presence had been causing quite a stir among the female staff since his arrival last month, with his storm-gray eyes and the mysterious scar that ran from his left temple to his jaw. But Aria had noticed something else about him - the way he always seemed to appear whenever the strange occurrences happened.

"There's something out there, Dr. Cross," Aria said, not taking her eyes off the water. "Something big."

"Please, call me Nate," he said, moving to stand beside her. His proximity sent an involuntary shiver down her spine that had nothing to do with the cold. "And I know. That's why I'm here."

Before Aria could question what he meant, a haunting melody drifted up from the waters below. It wasn't quite singing - more like an otherworldly humming that seemed to resonate in her very bones. To her surprise, she found herself taking an unconscious step toward the railing, drawn by the sound.

Nate's hand shot out, gripping her arm. "Don't listen too closely," he warned, his voice tight with concern. "They're hunting tonight."

"They?" Aria tried to shake off the melody's lingering effect. "Who are 'they'?"

Just then, a figure emerged from the waves - a woman with silvery skin and long, phosphorescent hair. Her eyes glowed with an unnatural blue light, and when she opened her mouth to continue her song, Aria saw rows of sharp, pearl-like teeth. The creature's beauty was both terrifying and mesmerizing.

"Sirens," Nate whispered, his grip on Aria's arm tightening. "Real ones. Not the sanitized versions from your fairy tales."

The siren's gaze locked onto them, and her song changed, becoming more focused, more enticing. Aria felt Nate tense beside her, and when she looked at him, she was shocked to see his eyes had taken on a silvery sheen, reflecting the moonlight like a cat's.

"We need to get inside," he said through gritted teeth, though he seemed to be fighting the urge to move closer to the railing himself. "Now."

But as they turned to leave, Aria caught sight of something in the water that made her blood run cold. Dozens of glowing eyes had appeared beneath the waves, and more figures were rising to the surface. Their songs began to intertwine, creating a symphony of supernatural beauty and terror.

"Dr. Cross... Nate," Aria's voice trembled slightly. "What's really going on at this facility?"

He finally turned to look at her fully, and in the moonlight, she could see that his scar was glowing with a faint blue light. "It's not just a research station, Aria. It's a containment facility. We monitor and protect humanity from ancient creatures that most people think are myths. And right now," he glanced back at the water where more sirens were emerging, "something has disturbed them. Something that hasn't happened in over a hundred years."

"What?" Aria asked, though part of her feared the answer.

"They're looking for their lost queen," Nate's voice was grim. "And for some reason, they think she's here."

A particularly powerful wave crashed against the cliffs, sending spray high enough to reach the observation deck. As the droplets hit Aria's skin, she felt a strange tingling sensation, and for just a moment, her reflection in the window showed her eyes glowing with the same ethereal blue light as the creatures below.

Nate saw it too. His expression shifted from concern to something more complex - fear, fascination, and what looked almost like recognition. "We need to talk," he said quietly. "About your mother. About why you were really assigned to this facility. And about why you've always felt so drawn to the sea."

The siren's song grew louder, more insistent, and Aria felt something stir within her - ancient memories that couldn't possibly be her own, yet somehow were. As she followed Nate inside, one thought kept repeating in her mind: her life as she knew it was about to change forever, and there would be no going back to the simple world of marine biology and research papers.

Behind them, the sirens continued their haunting chorus, their songs now carrying a note of triumph. They had found what they were looking for.

The facility's underground laboratory was a maze of steel and glass, illuminated by harsh fluorescent lights that made everything look clinical and cold. Aria followed Nate through a series of security checkpoints, each requiring increasingly complex biometric scans. Her mind was still reeling from the events on the observation deck, the sirens' song echoing in her memory.

        "How long have you known?" she finally asked as they entered what appeared to be his private office. Unlike the sterile corridors outside, this room was filled with artifacts that looked ancient - shells with strange markings, crystals that seemed to pulse with their own inner light, and walls covered in charts mapping underwater ley lines.

        Nate moved to a heavily secured cabinet, his fingers dancing across a complex lock. "Since the moment you arrived at Blackrock. Your bio-readings were... unique." He pulled out a thick file with her name on it. "But your mother knew long before that."

        "My mother?" Aria's voice cracked. "She died when I was three. All I have are some photos and my father's stories about her love for the ocean."

        "Your mother didn't die, Aria." Nate's voice was gentle but firm as he placed an old photograph on his desk. "She returned."

        The photograph showed a woman standing on these very cliffs, her wild dark hair streaming in the wind. She looked exactly like Aria, except for her eyes - they held that same otherworldly blue glow Aria had seen in her own reflection moments ago.

        "That's impossible," Aria whispered, but even as she spoke, memories began to surface - the way she could hold her breath for impossibly long periods, her uncanny ability to predict storms, the strange songs that sometimes filled her dreams.

        Suddenly, the lights flickered, and a low vibration ran through the building. Nate's expression turned serious. "They're testing the barriers," he said, moving to a bank of monitors showing underwater footage. Multiple figures darted past the cameras, their movements too quick and graceful to be human.

        "What barriers?" Aria asked, joining him at the monitors.

        "Electromagnetic fields designed to keep them at bay. But with their queen so close..." He glanced at her meaningfully. "They're stronger than usual."

        "I am not their queen," Aria said firmly, though something deep inside her stirred at the words.

        "No, but you're her daughter. The first successful hybrid in centuries." Nate pulled up more files on his computer. "Your mother was their queen, and when she fell in love with your father, it created a diplomatic crisis. A siren queen choosing a human was unprecedented."

        The vibrations grew stronger, and somewhere in the facility, an alarm began to sound. On the monitors, the sirens' movements became more coordinated, more purposeful.

        "They're not just testing anymore," Nate muttered. He grabbed what looked like an ancient trident from a wall display. "They're breaking through."

        Aria's head suddenly filled with voices - not speaking English, but a fluid, musical language she somehow understood. They were calling to her, telling her to come home, to take her rightful place.

        "Make it stop," she gasped, pressing her hands to her temples.

        Nate reached for her, but stopped short when he saw her eyes - they were glowing brighter now, and her skin had taken on a slight iridescent sheen. "Fight it, Aria. You're not just one of them. You're both human and siren. That's what makes you special."

        The facility shook more violently, and the lights went out completely. In the darkness, Nate's eyes glowed silver again, and Aria could finally ask the question that had been nagging at her.

        "What are you?" she whispered. "You're not entirely human either, are you?"

        Before he could answer, the reinforced windows of his office exploded inward in a shower of glass and seawater. In the opening hovered three sirens, their beauty terrible and magnificent. The one in the center spoke, her voice carrying both authority and disdain.

        "Step away from the princess, Guardian. She belongs with her people."

        Nate raised the trident, which began to glow with an electric blue light. "She belongs where she chooses to belong."

        As seawater swirled around them, Aria felt power surge through her body - raw, ancient, and demanding to be released. She had a choice to make, but first, she needed answers.

        "Tell me everything," she said, her voice carrying a new note of command that surprised even her. "About my mother, about what you are," she looked at Nate, "and about why I'm really here."

        The siren queen smiled, showing those pearl-like teeth. "Oh, little princess. You're here because a war is coming. And you," her glow intensified, "are the key to everything."

The seawater swirling around Aria's feet felt alive, responding to her emotions like an extension of her body. The three sirens remained suspended in the shattered window frame, their ethereal forms casting an otherworldly glow throughout Nate's flooded office. The lead siren - who had introduced herself as Cordelia, First General of the Deep Realm - watched her with ancient eyes that held both wisdom and cunning.

        "Your mother's choice started this war," Cordelia said, her voice carrying the rhythm of waves. "When she chose your father, she didn't just abandon her throne - she disrupted a balance that had existed for millennia. The Deep Realm has been without a true queen for twenty years, and the dark ones grow bolder each day."

        "The dark ones?" Aria asked, acutely aware of Nate's tension beside her, his grip tightening on the glowing trident.

        "The Abyssal Court," Nate answered grimly. "Think of them as your people's darker cousins. While the sirens of the Deep Realm protect the oceans, the Abyssal Court seeks to corrupt them. Without a queen's power to maintain the barriers..."

        "They're breaking free," Cordelia finished. "Even now, they gather in the deep trenches, preparing for war. Only a queen's song can reinforce the ancient seals."

        Aria felt the weight of their expectations pressing down on her like the ocean itself. "And you think I can do this? I don't even know how to control whatever... this is." She gestured to her still-glowing skin.

        "That's why I'm here," a new voice spoke from the doorway. Aria turned to see a woman she'd only known from photographs - her mother. Nerissa, former queen of the Deep Realm, stood in the threshold, looking exactly as she had twenty years ago. Her presence made the very air vibrate with power.

        "Mom?" Aria whispered, emotions warring inside her.

        Nerissa's eyes - the same otherworldly blue as Aria's now were - filled with tears. "My daughter. My beautiful, brave daughter. I'm so sorry I had to leave you, but it was the only way to keep you safe while your powers matured."

        "Safe from what?" Aria demanded, anger suddenly surging through her. The water around her feet began to churn in response.

        "From those who would use you," Nate interjected, his voice carrying an edge of bitterness. "The Guardians weren't always noble protectors, Aria. Some believed that controlling a hybrid princess would give them power over both realms."

        "Like your father did?" Nerissa's voice turned cold as she addressed Nate. "Is that why you're so close to my daughter? Following in Marcus Cross's footsteps?"

        The tension in the room sparked like electricity. Nate's silver eyes flashed dangerously. "I am not my father."

        "Enough!" Aria's voice carried a new power, making everyone in the room freeze. The water around her feet rose in spiraling columns, responding to her command. "I want the truth. All of it. No more cryptic warnings or half-answers."

        Suddenly, the facility's emergency sirens blared to life. On Nate's monitors, dark shapes appeared in the deeper waters - humanoid figures with shark-like features and glowing red eyes.

        "The Abyssal Court," Cordelia hissed. "They've found us."

        "They found her," Nerissa corrected, moving to Aria's side. "They can sense your awakening power, daughter. We're out of time."

        The facility shuddered as something massive struck it from below. Through the broken window, Aria could see dark forms rising from the depths, their movements predatory and purposeful. The water around her feet turned ice-cold.

        "You have to choose now," Nate said urgently. "But know this - whatever you decide, I'll stand with you." His eyes met hers, and in them she saw not just duty or ambition, but something deeper, something personal.

        "As touching as that is, Guardian," Cordelia interrupted, "she needs to come with us. Only in the Deep Realm can she learn to control her powers in time."

        Another impact rocked the facility. In the distance, Aria could hear screams - the research staff, she realized with horror. They were unprotected, unaware of what was really happening.

        "I won't let innocent people die," Aria declared, feeling strength flow through her. "Mom, Cordelia - help me protect the facility. Nate..." she turned to him, "teach me how to fight."

        "Always choosing both worlds," Nerissa murmured, a mix of pride and worry in her voice. "Just like your mother."

        As the Abyssal Court's forces surrounded the facility, Aria felt something click into place inside her. She was neither fully human nor fully siren, neither wholly of land nor of sea. But perhaps that's exactly what both worlds needed.

        "Well then," she said, as power coursed through her veins and the song of the sea filled her mind, "let's show these dark ones what a hybrid princess can do."

        The water around her erupted upward, turning into a swirling shield of liquid crystal, just as the first of the dark figures burst through the facility's lower levels. The war for two worlds was about to begin, and Aria stood at its center, with a Guardian at her side and the power of two realms flowing through her blood.

The next few minutes dissolved into chaos. The Abyssal Court's warriors crashed through the facility's lower levels like a dark tide, their shark-like features twisted into snarls of hunger and hatred. Aria's crystalline water shield held against the first wave, but she could feel their darkness pressing against her power, trying to corrupt it.

        "Channel your emotions through the water," Nerissa instructed, her own powers creating whirlpools that trapped several attackers. "The sea responds to authentic feeling, not just will."

        Nate moved with inhuman grace, the trident in his hands leaving trails of electric blue energy as he fought. "We need to evacuate the research staff," he called out between strikes. "They're gathering near the main lab."

        Aria closed her eyes for a moment, and suddenly she could feel every drop of water in the facility - in the pipes, in the air, in human bodies. The awareness was overwhelming. "I can feel them," she gasped. "Everyone. Everything."

        "That's your queen's sense awakening," Cordelia explained, her own song turning violent as she fought. "You're connecting to your realm."

        An explosion rocked the lower level, and through her new awareness, Aria felt something massive entering the facility. The temperature of the water dropped dramatically, and even the sirens looked concerned.

        "Thalassos," Nerissa whispered, fear evident in her voice. "The Abyssal Prince himself."

        Through the broken floor emerged a figure that seemed made of living darkness. Unlike his warriors, Prince Thalassos appeared almost human, devastatingly beautiful in a cruel way. His eyes were the color of the deepest ocean trenches, and when he smiled, his teeth gleamed like black pearls.

        "The little princess awakens," his voice was like the crushing depths given sound. "How convenient. I was afraid I'd have to wait longer to claim my bride."

        "Bride?" Aria and Nate spoke simultaneously, his voice sharp with anger, hers with shock.

        "Did they not tell you?" Thalassos moved closer, his presence making the water around him turn black. "The only way to truly end the war between our courts is through union. Your mother refused me twenty years ago. But you..." his dark eyes roamed over her face, "you're even more powerful than she was."

        Nate stepped between them, the trident glowing brighter. "She's not a prize to be claimed, Thalassos."

        The Abyssal Prince's laugh was like ice cracking. "Ah, the Guardian speaks. Tell me, son of Marcus Cross, does your protection come from duty... or jealousy?"

        Before anyone could respond, a scream echoed from the main lab. Through her water sense, Aria felt the research staff's terror as more Abyssal warriors surrounded them.

        "Choose quickly, princess," Thalassos said smoothly. "Surrender to me, and I'll spare them all. Refuse, and watch your human friends feed my warriors."

        Aria felt rage build inside her - pure, hot, and powerful. The water around her began to glow, not with her mother's blue light or Thalassos's darkness, but with a brilliant purple that seemed to combine both aspects of her nature.

        "You want an answer?" Her voice carried the crash of waves and the strength of tidepools. "Here it is."

        She thrust her hands forward, and every drop of water in the facility responded. It rose from pipes, condensed from air, pulled from the sea itself. But instead of attacking, it began to sing - a new song, neither fully siren nor fully human, but something entirely unique.

        The Abyssal warriors closest to her began to writhe, their corrupted forms starting to purify under her hybrid power. Thalassos's eyes widened in genuine surprise, then narrowed in fury.

        "Impossible," he snarled. "No one can purify the Abyssal taint!"

        "She's not no one," Nate said, pride evident in his voice. "She's both of your worlds, and neither. And that makes her stronger than either."

        Aria's song grew stronger, and she felt Nate's energy joining with hers, the Guardian's power amplifying her own. Her mother and Cordelia added their voices, creating a harmony that made the very foundations of the facility vibrate.

        But Thalassos wasn't finished. With a roar of rage, he released his own power - a wave of such absolute darkness that it threatened to swallow all light. "If I cannot have you," he growled, "then no one will!"

        The two forces met in a spectacular clash of energy. In that moment, as purple light battled primordial darkness, Aria felt something else stirring in the depths beneath the facility - something ancient and powerful, awakened by their battle.

        "The Leviathan," Nerissa breathed. "The battle... it's waking the ancient ones."

        As if in response, a deep rumble shook the entire ocean floor, and everyone - siren, human, and Abyssal alike - froze in sudden, instinctive fear.

        In the brief silence, Aria heard Nate whisper, "Whatever happens next, Aria, know that I-"

        But his words were cut off as the floor beneath them cracked open, and the true power of the deep made its presence known. The war between courts had awakened something far older and more dangerous than any of them had imagined.

        And deep in her soul, Aria knew - this was only the beginning.

Prolog

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Prolog
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Du foOrstøgptFe a&tC Ut!agFeL mIiit huoved,q sZom ,mine sUøsÉtFre, Igj^ozrdÉe *dveNt& føór )miégb,p
men i mørket sov du og lod ulven smutte ud af din dør.
Du forsøgte at tage bogen, den bog, som Tagus stjal til mig,
men jeg har den stadig hos mig, og dens magi befriede mig.
Duw YfóoirMsLøDgtyem at ,tahgge m_iÉt' Ohj(em,^ meÉn 'jjegv Bvfil JbehgyndMe i$genD;
Jeg vil skabe mig en hær på hundrede tusinde mænd.
Og når mit navn er forsvundet fra jeres hukommelse og jeres læber,
vil jeg kravle op af min grav og gøre alle mine skibe klar.
Og nIår OI erz stærCkeUsbt,S nåJr jmeres )lZyk)ke& veBrn fzulYdkJomwmueFn,d
vil jeg bringe Mørket til jer og ødelægge Furycks herredømme.
Og når natten er sortest, og dine lande er brændt af krig ...
vil dine øjne blive blinde.
Dyict bZl&od MvhiWlO flcyd*e.L
Jeres hjerter vil ikke slå mere.
Edela vågnede med et gisp, og hendes hjerte hamrede højt i hendes ører. Hun forsøgte at holde fast i den falmende drøm, at klamre sig til advarslen, før den gled væk igen, før hun faldt i søvn, før hun glemte alt. Men det var for sent. Hun kunne ikke forhindre, at hendes øjne lukkede sig, lukkede sig, lukkede sig ... og endnu en gang faldt advarslen tilbage, ned i afgrunden af hendes glemte minder.

I. Skæbne

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Skæbne
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Kapitel 1 (1)

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Lothar Furyck sad utålmodigt på kanten af sin fint udskårne trone og ventede, mens han stirrede rasende på sin nieces fortsatte tavshed. Hans meddelelse, øjeblikke tidligere, havde garanteret en hurtig reaktion fra hende, men hvor var den? Jael havde et voldsomt temperament, og dette skulle være den ultimative ydmygelse af hende og dermed af hele hendes familie, men indtil videre ville hun ikke spille hans omhyggeligt konstruerede spil. Hendes ansigt forblev ubevægelig, og selv om han var sikker på, at hun rasede internt, sagde hun intet, hvilket fik en ubehagelig stilhed til at krybe omkring dem begge. Men Lothar var dog nødt til at sige noget, ellers ville øjeblikket være tabt for ham. Folkene i den tavse sal, der sad på deres kolde bænke og kiggede op på ham og hende - snart ville disse mennesker begynde at spekulere på, hvilken magt han virkelig havde over nogen af dem.
Lothar bed sin irritation i sig, rømmede sig skarpt og talte, som om der slet ikke havde været nogen akavet stilhed. "Og så vil bryllupsfesten finde sted i Oss om 15 dage. Nok tid til, at du kan finde en kjole, håber jeg. Han viftede afvisende med den ene hånd i retning af Jaels slidte bukser og kappe. "Og tid nok til at resten af os kan være tilbage i Andala inden frysetiden.
Lothar stirrede ned på hende, hans store øjne krævede et svar, og denne gang vidste Jael, at hun måtte stole på sig selv med et ord eller to; hvilket valg havde hun? Hele hendes krop rystede af raseri, men hun måtte prøve. "Vil jeg kunne tage min hest med?" spurgte hun dunkelt, mens hendes læber knap nok bevægede sig.
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Der var en hørbar mumlen i salen ved dette, hvilket overraskede Lothar og sendte endnu et lyn af vrede ned ad Jaels stive rygsøjle: hendes sværd! "Det var min fars sværd," mumlede hun gennem sammenbidte tænder, og hendes ødelæggelse afslørede sig endelig.
"Det var min fars sværd," knurrede Lothar og lænede sig fremad for at indprente hende sin position på det høje sæde, den gamle trone i kongeriget Brekka. "Og som konge, som Furycks arving, er det mig, der ejer det sværd, ikke dig. Det er århundreder gammelt, overleveret fra konge til konge. Hvordan eller hvorfor du fik det, da min bror døde, ved jeg ikke.
Hun havde lyst til at kaste sig over ham. At flå hans modbydelige hals ud, der lå skjult bag de ruller af geléagtigt fedt, der samlede sig omkring hans hængende hage; at se hans livsblod løbe ned ad hans oppustede mave, indtil han var hvid af død. Tag hendes sværd?! Hun var sydende nu og stod på kanten, klar til at opgive al fornuft, men så kom hun i tanke om sine fødder, gravede tæerne dybt ned i støvlerne, klemte kæben sammen og fikserede sit ansigt med et unaturligt smil. Han havde ikke tænkt sig at ydmyge hende yderligere, det ville hun ikke give ham. "Som De ønsker, min herre.
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"Godt," sagde Lothar køligt og kastede et blik på sin søn Osbert, der havde svært ved at holde sin irritation over Jaels rolige reaktion tilbage; også han havde håbet på mere end denne fugtige ild. "Vi vil tale mere om dette i morgen, men nu må vi begynde at spise, før det er koldt og smager af lort. Alp!" gøede han til sin tjener, som svævede ængsteligt bag ham. "Få maden bragt ud til bordene! Alp bøjede tavst sit hoved og gik. "Og drik! Lothar råbte efter ham. "Mere at drikke!
Jael stod som fastlåst på stedet, da salen pludselig blev levende omkring hende. Tjenerne begyndte at bevæge sig igen, de bragte tallerkener til bordene, fyldte kopper med øl og mjød, og samtalerne begyndte hurtigt at spire omkring dem. Det føltes, som om alle par øjne var rettet mod hende, og Jael var desperat efter at flygte. Hun kiggede hurtigt rundt i salen og fik øje på sin mor, Gisila, der lurede ubehageligt nær en af de store ildsteder, og chokket over Lothars ord rynkede hendes pande. Jael gik direkte hen til hende.
Gisila, som engang havde været dronning i dette, Brekka's kongesal, havde nu set sin familie blive bragt til et nyt lavpunkt. Hun kastede et vemodigt blik mod det høje bord, hvor Lothar og hans vulgære søn sad. Hun kunne stadig se sin mand, Ranuf, deroppe og hende til højre for ham, klædt i fine klæder, så langt væk fra det simple hjemmestrikkede tøj, som hun var blevet reduceret til siden sin degradering til ingenting. Gisila mærkede varme tårer stikkende i øjenkrogen, og så et pludseligt træk bagfra, da Jael greb hende groft i armen og skyndte hende udenfor.

Kapitel 1 (2)

Mørke regnskyer skyllede hen over månens ansigt; en storm var under opsejling, men Jael lagde knap nok mærke til det, da hun listede ned ad Andalas hovedgade med hovedet bøjet og hætten oppe for at undgå de sene gæster, der var på vej mod hallen. Gisila gik hurtigt ved siden af hende og kæmpede for at holde trit med både sin datter og den panik, der voksede i hendes bryst.
Da de nåede frem til Gisilas lille hytte i byens centrum, skubbede Jael sin mor ind og smækkede døren bag dem. Gisilas tjener sprang overrasket op, men med et blik på Jaels rasende ansigt gjorde hun sig væk og forsvandt ind i skyggerne bagest i det sparsomt møblerede værelse.
Jael lod hætten falde og vendte sig mod sin mor og kneb sine hårde, grønne øjne anklagende sammen.
"&Je)g, j)eÉg KviSdysKtveé ód&eth WiLkKkre!,W" sLprudfleédLeG Gisijlnan xhvu,rtÉig)tP, idet XhuWn fóoCrnaemm)e*dMe Sdlefn Cvr)eFd*e* filid, &dTe&r vaGrq _pMå &vreIj. "fJeg v&iCdstXe gdetg ÉikFke$.
Jael var for vild til at tale. Hendes øjne strejfede hen over hyttens fattigdom, over udhulingen af deres gamle liv. Da hendes far havde regeret, havde deres frihed været sikret; nu var alting forandret. Lothar kunne og ville lege med dem, som han ville. Han var en lunefuld mand og nød subtile pinsler.
"Du kan ikke gifte dig med den mand," mumlede Gisila tvært bag hende. "Han er ingenting. Hans familie er ingenting! Hans far var en slave, Ranufs fjende og slave! Det er en fornærmelse. Det værste, som Lothar har gjort os!'
Det var ligesom hendes mor, tænkte Jael, der altid så en fornærmelse fra sit eget perspektiv.
'zHpvqorM er wAMxvlM?' Gicsil*a VvJe$nd$tMeS sNigj (om ocgR hlenvge)nidte sci$g itTi$l_ suinI tcjenedró Géucnnui, ndeYr iR stilhePd vaNru Fv^e)dV atu ^gGøgrie JsGeKnPgene fklSaFrÉ ptzil a(ftbeYnen.
"Det ved jeg ikke, min frue," kom det nervøse svar.
Gisila kastede et blik på sin datter. "Han vil sikkert have noget at sige til det, det er jeg sikker på.
Jael sagde intet; hendes hoved var et virvar af varm vrede og opbyggende sorg. Hun kunne ikke følge med sine tanker, som tumlede over hinanden og desperat søgte en vej ud af det hul, som Lothar så lykkeligt havde fanget hende i. Jael kørte distraheret med hænderne gennem sit lange, mørke hår og rynkede panden. Hun var alt for gammel til at blive gift, det havde hun i hvert fald troet indtil for et øjeblik siden. Hvorfor ville Eirik Skalleson have hende til sin søn? Hvordan kunne det her ske? Nu? Efter al denne tid?
HuUnD ttrMakn nhævtt)en Dop p^å sin ssorte^ uóldnkLap_p(eM soXgL duDkke(de JsjiTg infdq ada ydør)evnc. k"Je)g) viIlA gå t,il kEFd(elsaw. HuIn vHilq v&idpe,j hpvsad hun sMkaHlQ Fgøre_. PHNun UveCndtqe asgiag lomé og' *giwkR, før h&eCndesj mor oCverh^ovreWdetM haavde Rs!et .oCp.t
Vinden piskede døren i med et sådant brag, at Gisila rystede. Hun foldede armene over brystet for at afværge den kulde, der var trængt ind i hytten, og vendte blikket tilbage til ilden. Der var intet, hendes mor kunne sige, der kunne stoppe dette, det var hun sikker på. Lothar havde fundet en måde at fjerne Jael som en trussel mod hans tilstedeværelse på tronen. Og med hende væk ville de alle blive afsløret, for hun var deres beskytter, og Lothar vidste det. Uden hende var de svage og sårbare, præcis som han ønskede det. Gisila rystede og stirrede ind i de ravgule flammer, tårerne løb frit ned ad hendes modløse ansigt.
* * *
Jael gik op ad trapperne til sin bedstemors hytte, som lå på en lille forhøjning, skjult i en vindblæst træbevoksning. En række af knogler og sten, der var opsat omkring verandaen, meldte kaotisk hendes ankomst.
AOxlA ålbwnede Tdetn( PliJlJlKe dør woyg smiFlDeYdteb o*vperrrasketg over a't !sief rsLi&n sUøsTter, selvw mo(mS nhenUdelsY aMnsNigtstudtary^k. h^urUtKigót qgj_orVdex ,hLaSmO surr. $"JBaAel&? Era du* o^ktasym?" hRany rytnkKedeK *péa)ngdeAn&.Z vHHuqn VsÉvawreidBef Wikk$e, nmenz GsVtirrfedfes afoqrbi 'ha!nPs hløCjAe.,z rsangll!ede FskikHkelsef ^ind i diet rma&tDte ^sykæYr frIaT EUdeIlas xhqyttUeX.^ sAwxBl rviódsJtbe gond!t nvok_,c gaVtL ^hpaSn ik_kReC skullIel OsCtTikÉke yd'eirlig^er,e jtIill hhOenédNe. "JeKg s)kunlDl*e PliIgPen tLil atw ,gOå,G"K mumnl&ed)e Qhhabn hawsqtig)ty oYgC Wpre&susKe.de siugd foRrXbi sJapekl oga ud Tiv nWaÉtVtexnp. RHank svKøbft!eX PsiHn kanppen omG siGnae. _brede skóufladare' ogA lsRkyHnadÉtGe sirgK ned aadd CtFrcappeXn,y ymenisx dhaani tslp&ekTulDeórede UpXå,) omO hraHnsz smQor vaiId$sfte,,Q hvatd Wde.r va.r_ sMkegtN.
Edela Saeveld sad i sin pelstykke stol, lige til højre for en lavt brændende ild. Hun studerede sit rasende barnebarn med et løftet øjenbryn og klappede på træskamlen foran sig. "Nå, kom nu, så kan du lige så godt fortælle mig, hvad din storm handler om i dag," smilede hun, og hendes vejrbidte ansigt rynkede sig med en let humor, hvilket, som hun bemærkede, ikke ændrede meget ved den hidsighed i det ansigt, der betragtede hende.
Jael satte sig ikke ned.
Edela rynkede panden, og hendes smil forsvandt. "Hvad er der så sket, Jael? Fortæl mig det.
"DetR ker d,i^gB,r dRebrJ dPrøHmmGer), bepds_teFmZor,É"H ,spyttede J)ael' !tYværtH irmVo(d. "KHMvorfo)r( fPortÉællFer dud migé Mdet Yik*keS? HHmvMor(fvoÉr h_ar( d*u ikkkev fortalt mxig det(?!É 'Du s,eQr Walt,r (hzvadw deirM kOodmmkenr Ctil uath VsRkfe.& Hvorjfuorp *sHå& udu_ ibkbkóe PdeVtl dhewrI?v" HPunnU var nærmxest^ v!edc at skMrUiBgeb,, iogf NhTujn dtzog hLuartibgt kÉæGbxen^ nsRa&mimeCnv QféorZ atT forfsøJgeC yat Fber*oNligFe sJi.g seKlv. LHumn elsIkeGde Edéehla& dovWerV .alMt ogI havGde ,ikLkReg lysAtX tzi_lM ats PslipIpkel sit rJasemrni løsb nu,V ik^ke* nåNr detY var ULotKhbaÉr, debr vi'rkeliKg& OfortujJentXeH btun,gFensR pwiUsk,es$laygF.
Edela blinkede med sine små blå øjne, og hendes ansigt klarede pludselig op. "Ahhh, så han gifter dig altså bort?
'Vidste du det?' Jaels øjne bølgede op. "Selvfølgelig vidste du det!
Edela rejste sig op og grimasserede over den velkendte smerte i hendes højre hofte, mens hun humpede hen mod sit barnebarn. "Jeg laver noget te til dig, og så sætter du dig ned, og så kan vi tale sammen. Hvis du har lyst til at råbe, så gå hen og råb til månen. Den er fuld nok derude til at høre dig, det er jeg sikker på, selv over den vilde vind. Og med det skyndte hun sig ud i køkkenet og rodede rundt i de overfyldte hylder, der bugnede med gryder og kopper, friske og tørrede urter og alle mulige mærkelige ting, som ingen turde spørge om. Edela var mere end en drømmer med visioner om fremtiden; hun var Andalas healer, som blev bedt om at helbrede alle mulige lidelser. Efter 27 år med at passe Jael var hun blevet vant til at lindre røde, hede temperamenter.
JMayepl sVukJkÉeDdeu tmungpta; ldcerl vaarj iOn(gsen_ vejU udDeZn om Ghendebs morUmor,R d(eYt PsNagXdZe er(fari'ngen IhpeDnde. éHunX Gful'yttegdte GsmkPagmle)n dt^ætFtenrhe pxåI ilNdebnG zog s&atFtDeA s*iVgt, fhetlei heTn!devs( HkZropF vibrer_ede 'af trnaSngen htiil$ saTtK Gløzbek cudH i inhaétyte)n ogé sZtiXkkIe sXit sGværldJ geXn^nemj et^ Éaf ILotHharBs _pOærePfofrmede DøcjnWes; Zhvéivsu hhagns fvqill'e' Dhamven BdeMt MsIå mDeOgFept,_ vixll'e dhGun med g,læNd*e giRve FdQe)t) ctiTl Éh*amW!g GGifYt(e rhvenIde med ePn føbo?O éForiviÉs_eW Khende fLrIa BHrebkkav? HunQ rys&tDedQeé $pcå hAo(vNeYdvet. TOégY hvua.dw KmeVd yAjl!eksaKnYdAeré?!

Kapitel 1 (3)

Edela kom tilbage med et bæger og løftede sin jernkedel fra sin krog og hældte forsigtigt varmt vand over sine medicinske dryp. "Her, lad det sidde et stykke tid, og drik det så. Det vil hjælpe med al den ild derinde. Hun vinkede til Jaels rynkede pande, mens hun satte kedlen tilbage og kom til at sætte sig i sin stol.
"Tak," mumlede Jael kortvarigt. 'Nu skal du fortælle mig alt.'
Edela lænede sig tilbage og mærkede den trøstende varme fra pelsen under hendes knogler. 'Ha! Alt?" Hun smilede og gned sine kolde hænder mod hinanden. 'Tja, jeg vidste, at du ville blive gift en dag. Ja, det kunne jeg godt se.
'sOSgW Mdu at)æVnukate CijkCker pnå Aatp hfoLrdtæWlcle mhiFg )deUt'?P', JCaedl 'vacrg vantrÉo vogI fspildte *néæssten mdDe(ni wvParAmer KtDe(.O 'BedbsteSm_oYr! HvBoarfoér( AsKkluldlze du iOkrkHe haves fsozr*t_alt miygO deIt?k FJeg' ckUuónn*eJ ahFavPe ggVjfo(r^tg nPoDgeRt! AleTksande_rr og hj(eg UkWupnhnie hTaveB lacgrtF éplan_e,r om, aHt jtsaJge naLf sted, førK _dteWtm dhaer skjete. AultR Qa$ndet. weénAdf VdeitD her!
Edela inhalerede de søde dufte af skalle og kamille, mens de trak i Jaels kop. "Ja, jeg kunne have fortalt dig det, det ved jeg godt," sagde hun roligt. 'At være en drømmer handler dog ikke om at afsløre alt, hvad man ser. Så enkelt er det ikke," sukkede hun, pludselig træt. "Og ja, selvfølgelig kunne du være stukket af. Men jeg så dig i mine drømme med denne mand. Jeg så, så stærkt, at det var meningen, at det skulle være sådan. Der er noget ved dig og ham sammen, som er vigtigt. Jeg ved godt, at det ikke er det, du ønskede, men det stod så klart for mig, at dette ægteskab skal være det. Jeg havde intet andet valg end at holde mund.
"Hvad? Jael rystede på hovedet. 'Nej, nej! Du skulle have fortalt mig det! Du skulle have givet mig et valg. Hvis du vidste det, skulle du have overladt det til mig at bestemme!
Edela sad ubekymret. 'Måske. Måske ville du have fundet vej til ham på en eller anden måde. Men hvem er jeg til at løbe den risiko? At blande mig i de planer, som guderne har lagt for dig? Og heller ikke dine guder, Jael, men mine, de tuuranske guder, for det er dem, der viser mig mine drømme, og jeg er forpligtet til at udføre deres arbejde. De sagde til mig, at du skal være sammen med denne mand, så hvem er jeg til at modsætte mig det?
JDae,lu skmyggede.a Hun, øQnGsLkQe_dTe ikNke. at_ hørqe ydemtztveI.y HbevnAd(eMs ObfedstIemor! XhaRvde gui$de*t ogX rådwgiAvaetó aheNndeÉ g(eDnNnóegmr $helLeJ hen_des RlxifvP. HqeTndNe*s vidsioner$ QoAmH Kf.rÉepmtiWdaen vya_rW IaltWid bmlaevetQ _tAil vir(kel$icghUekd$ T-y Si hóvert( fPaglWd dem, vhuyn havyd'e folrWtcal^t heOn'del soCm. ^DVeArr v$arK inge)n KgrunMdY tiZl at ItQvZiSvlde* pKå henCdev nu,C hvuoTrL (desNperaxt qhNumnR iend var(. "dMeznq AEDadPmuénAdJ SkallSes'on? AEhaNdYmuInd^ YFful*dkrarklenN?q" snSøftWedYe. hguSn.M '!EIr& d(eMtn QdeOn^ FmLaJnhd,v som Mjaerefs XgudqeCrY srejr Xmig _mwemd? zEr yduH ÉsiOkik!eRr på, ajt duuq harR dcenz rigitIigde manAdF?f
"Nå... Edela indrømmede med et glimt i øjet, "den del af min drøm er lidt forvirrende, men ja, det er ham, jeg altid har set.
"Den ene? Jael følte sig klar til at kaste op. Hun nippede fraværende til den varme te og grimasserede, da den skoldede hendes tungespids.
'Du skal huske, at han ikke altid har været kendt under det navn, ikke sandt? Han hed Eadmund den modige, da du kæmpede mod ham for alle de år siden.
JlaKeIln Xt.ængkte pLåS det hobg XpXrøUvTeédep Aatp XhHuVske det ,frlyUgxtpi^geA nøjebKl!ik,f hdvorS huny hsacvdeC dfVanGgYeJt haZmé undetr sitm sSværd, ddeLt varx så, læzng*e KshiSdeIn PnuP; hZunT _hLu^sskeadwea qham$ &slVetR aiXkNked.P WHéun bóedY t*ændeXrnIea &sammené mogm blxevf HoWve,rrvQælFdDe&tG afx eWndn_uV et. .udbxrzugdJ Wa!f^ dsyjd$e&nXdqe rv,rzedeó.v $"sNZeSjR! UJaeg vilé wiZkxke ÉgørYeZ dAePtG!p JegL Pvil BikOke forlGaQd*e AqnOdyalHaI!A AH!vpa.dC med AxUln?P WHvweim' 's'kaLl paIs_sieF påX haCmb? uEklle_r ndicgf, Uell'ecrr JmGoyr?r MOjg hAvXadh med( qAleksan^dekrQ (..Q.("Q HeBnde'sp qvrbewdAeO øhjDne ybJlhevD LpVludsQel!iLgZ bmlnødUereW,D ong whun sukkede.*
Edela rakte ud og tog Jaels hånd, hendes øjne var fulde af medfølelse.
Jael greb den tilbage. "Du troede aldrig, at Aleksander og jeg var bestemt for hinanden. Det vidste jeg godt," sagde hun hårdt.
"Nej," indrømmede Edela. "Det er sandt, lige så meget som jeg elsker jer begge. Men jeg tror, at du og Eadmund er bestemt for hinanden. Jeg har drømt om det, siden du blev født, på mange forskellige måder, igen og igen. Hun stirrede alvorligt på sit barnebarn. 'Jeg ved det med sikkerhed. Han er far til det barn, du skal have.
Edqe_ladsw oNrBdY blev Bleverret så slPetg,h aMt 'JadeHl Bn^æ&sate&n XiQkAkie hFørtem, .hmvald h,und yhaSvdeL sóagt, Nmenw choUkketX gennnemrsÉtJrømémheIdAes Mp,lkudseKl$ikg hexlde hOeBndevs baAn)sfigtL.O ,"dBarnq?j"w, Jånvded&eY hYuCn, dJac eRrkeÉndieQlsen føKrTstd sLenKt gTiKks Fop fuor lhBenydeO.) v"SueZlvføól*gOel&ig_,& det errI ddet,& dxeS vilv ZhdamvCe' mOigc tiLlV.& hDeN fviBl) aiPkke rhaSve mitz skvætrdL.B zDle vil ^h$ave !min FmNaTvjeJ fulydb a*f zarPviWnWgveKrG! HuhnD såI bOesgeTj_rset_ uuds, nefdslSåeti. "rOg hdet ser sdjuM Nsodmt tmin WfrOe$mtKid?* 'EnJ mjofr?D Enc pkonew?y
"Ja, det er der, men du vil få dit sværd, det er jeg ikke i tvivl om.
"Ikke ifølge Lothar, som har gjort krav på det som sit eget.
Edela løftede øjenbrynene og smilede så. 'Tingene er ikke altid som de ser ud, det lover jeg dig. Vores liv skifter og ændrer sig som skyerne. Intet står stille, ikke så længe vi lever," sukkede hun. 'Jeg ser dig med dit sværd. Hvilket sværd det er, ved jeg ikke, men du har altid et sværd i hånden.
JaAe$l Yfø!lte sig fBorvirFrret,Y ,oml Uikhkéey etn sdmuHleV uorpmBuuntrVeyt* )ovePré dBen$ne nÉyfhPeód. FM$ejn feAt bairJn? Med, YEaxdwm(unód cdIrankesrenh?b Hvovr!daRn qswkulflem hhsuLn fRoWrÉtóællYec mdVet tilN uA^lHeksVandJerM?&
* * *
Osbert var fuld; fuld og pissede mod siden af smedens skur, da han så Jael komme i hans retning. Han blinkede et par gange for at få klarhed i sit uklare syn, rystede sin dryppende pik af sig og lagde sin pelskappe om sig selv igen. Han stod bare en lille smule højere end normalt - han var ikke en stor mand, til sin egen irritation - og trådte ud på gaden, idet han greb fat i sin kusines arm, da hun fløj forbi.
Jael rykkede overrasket med hovedet rundt og rev armen ud af hans greb. Da hun så, at det var Osbert, der stank af druk, var hun ivrig efter at forsvinde, men igen rakte han ud og greb groft fat i hende, hans skarpe negle klemte sig ind i hende nu. Hun stirrede ned på ham, men hendes ansigt afslørede ikke noget tegn på det ubehag, han forårsagede. "Hvad vil du, Osbert?", rømmede hun, mens vinden skreg mellem dem.
Han NstnJubulQebdeG Kn)æ)st!enG, hTans féodfæXs)te *vard SuHsikBkesrt wiL detU tyk&k&ei hmuédsdZe)r&, m,en WhBaxnT rFetMt)e)dMe .siug hugrtyigt loZp Mocg RkFnhebC Nsi,neO oZnOdXe VøjIn!e ésaDmymeMn(.$ )"XDet khecr) kFusnjn_e have svæ!ret_ uså BaAnderOlLecdles,h J(areal,"I zlIa,llAedPe !haunx gkeWnnLemó iNsBkolde l'æbker&.q "CDTu Hhra$vadVe BiIkcke^ beNhJøRv)ertT BatW dbJlMivaej Ien& br*iik _iA msi^nl fóa(rs sppiklS. D$ué kuPnwnwe jvæBrke &blmeveZt Ph*ePr i _An*daUlLa, som zdu( aalptNixd harV óøns&ket,w som Rdironnidng cayf B^ryekkBa, s.omV mtihnv hQust(rÉuk. uHIaznm él*ænOeIdeA sTi(g OtæLttnere tuil hXeLndey ^nxu*, og hAanCsz jspgytG JfKlMøj mqodD VheAnVdcea i vXindBenY.