It didn’t take long before the meat was done. They ate in silence while Alva concentrated on the light-gray plume of smoke curling into the night sky, blotting out a few of the winking stars overhead. Gathering her nerve, she threw the picked-clean bones into the orange flames and licked her fingers.
“Maya, tell me the truth. Why are you holding me—?” She glanced at her sister and cousin, then turned a steady gaze back to her captor. “Why are you holding us captive? What point are you trying to make with my mother? Because it will not work. My mother will not change the laws for anyone. Not even me.”
Her angry cousin flicked her thick strawberry-blond braid over her shoulder and jumped up, pacing once more, the knife she had used to pull the succulent meat off the bone twisting in one hand. “This must end,” she muttered, jerking to a stop. The smoke blurred her face but didn’t cover the anger simmering in her cousin’s eyes.
“You promised to hear me out. Are you denying me?”
Alva stared at her in confusion. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I never said—”
Isla threw up her arms in exasperation, interrupting her. “Yes, Maya, you may have your say, although Adriana and I know the speech by heart after hearing it so many times. I’ve had a very long day, and my feet hurt. I propose we get some sleep and head home tomorrow morning.” Her pointed gaze met Alva’s. “Meeting with your mother should not take long, and I’m certain Freyja would insist family business come before whatever she desires from you.”
Alva stared at Isla a moment longer before nodding, wondering what she was up to. Having worked for and with Freyja for almost three years, she knew her better than anyone. But not once had the goddess ever insisted she take care of her family’s business. In fact, she usually demanded the opposite, knowing the strife and abuse Alva had undergone from those who thought the same as Maya.
It was true, she didn’t live as a typical Huldra, camping out in the upper limbs of trees to wait for a male passerby or lounging next to a river or stream in the heat of the day. There was nothing worse than sweating with a back covered in bark and unable to scratch. Her mother stopped hunting men long ago when she took Anders into her keeping. Older Huldra had a massive cache of life-force from the thousands of men they had killed and didn’t need to continue harvesting the precious commodity. They could live out the rest of their lives in small cottages spaced around the forest in both Aasveigheimr and Midgard.
“I will not sleep!” Maya’s voice rose. “We have put up with the recklessness of your mother’s rule for too long. It is getting more and more difficult to find men who will give us the time of day. There used to be plenty to choose from, but not any longer. The war on Midgard drained a major source, but does the queen care? Hell, no, she doesn’t! She only cares about the older Huldras and hoarding their caches instead of pooling the energy, so every woman has a chance to live a long, healthy life.”
“I don’t—” A shrill whistle pierced the forest, interrupting Alva as Maya reached over her shoulder and pulled the sword from its sheath. The shwing of the metal was loud and ominous.
“This is my say, cousin. Until the queen agrees to meet our demands, her precious daughter will remain here with us.”
Alva frowned. “What demands?” Movement caught her eye, and she turned to see what looked like a whole squadron of Huldra emerge from the forest, each clad in a leather corset with a gold strap over her shoulder. More of the precious metal covered the breast area, the golden strands decorated in a tight-filigreed pattern for protection. Their skirts stopped at mid-thigh, just enough to cover their tails and make movement easier than the long dresses she preferred. Their brown leather boots came to just below the knees, with thick straps of gold wrapping around their shins and covering the top of their feet, making it difficult for sword tips to cause damage.
“Maya, what have you done?” Isla hissed. “The queen is willing to discuss the issues with you. Why are you jeopardizing your chances?”
Confused, Alva glanced between the two women, her gaze landing on her sister, who stepped up to stand beside their younger cousin. “Adriana, Isla, would either of you care to fill me in?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. The silence lengthened. Impatience growing, she tapped the toe of one boot against the pebble-covered path when two strong hands wrapped around her forearms, pulling them back and pushing out her breasts. Whoever held her had a grip of steel, and no matter how hard she struggled, she remained pinned.
She was now a true prisoner.