The Fallen Queen by Rob Neuteboom

Author:Rob Neuteboom
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2023-01-13T19:08:42+00:00

Chapter 17

Red’s Despair

It’s not that he begrudged any dream memory experience, but this one made little sense to Ask. He felt deflated. Initially, he believed his previous dream had been about his aunt and that he would soon learn how she lost her power. Obviously, that was not the case. What did Hyrrokkin have to do with the information he needed to ultimately defeat Freyand? Until recently, his dream memories were always connected, had always provided him with some insight that was immediately relevant. Not this time. Evidently, Bjornen now imparted wisdom in riddles. Ask’s musings followed him downstairs to the kitchen, where he poured milk over cereal and fixed a stare on the far wall while he ate. A memory of laughing as Orla held the milk container between her hands until it froze panged him. Invisible walls seemed to hem him in, like a forest that ensnares and imprisons, leaving just enough light to grieve for what you no longer have. Was that the lesson of the dream memory? He and Hyrrokkin shared a self-imposed exile?

Red stretched in the doorway, filling it up with his girth. He sat down and reached for a stack of burnt toast Freyand must have prepared before he came downstairs. Ask pushed the cereal to Red. “Trust me. It’s for your own good,” he said. One of the many differences between Idun and Freyand is that Idun cooked masterfully, while Freyand could ruin, well, toast. He nearly lost his appetite when he considered the charred slices too similar to the bodies Freyand had rendered to ashes.

Red nodded and poured a bowl of cereal. They ate for a few minutes in silence before Red asked, “How do you see this playing out?”

“Excuse me?” Ask said.

“The battle with Hyrrokkin and, well, the aftermath with your aunt. What is your plan?” Red slurped down a bowl of multi-colored sugary milk.

How much did he trust and how much should he tell this stranger? Red seemed to hate Freyand, so that was a start. Ask realized he had few allies in this end game. It might be best to share what he knew, since he didn’t feel he could count on the half-truths and deceptions everyone else seemed to serve him. He decided to ease into an explanation and determine if he should elaborate depending on how the conversation developed. “We think Hyrrokkin will come for us, now that we’re all in one place.”

Red nodded. “Seems logical to assume so.”

Encouraged, Ask continued. “All we need is Freyand to have a clear line to the giants. That will be that.”

“Yes, I’ve personally seen her wipe out entire battalions. She is very good at killing things.” He didn’t say this as a compliment.

Ask didn’t know how to shift topics to Freyand without her overhearing, either by eavesdropping or mucking about in his head. “And that will rid us of the threat.”

“No, boy. That will remove one threat, the lesser, in fact, of two evils. I have been running from Hyrrokkin for centuries, yet I fear her much less than I do Freyand.

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