My arms are frozen in clenched fists and for an instant I think it’s my powers; that they’re manifesting again out here in front of all these people. The fear I suppressed before is suddenly laid bare as my heart lunges up into my throat, but then I realise Zara is in exactly the same state. She wants to come for me. She just can’t.

Well, now I know what Grenda’s power is. No wonder she’s such a force to be reckoned with. It’s not like anyone can fight back if they’re frozen in place. It’s magnificent in its deadliness. Even more so when I consider its strength was likely significant enough to hold a jötunn in place.

‘Let’s make no mistake,’ she says, her voice a low grumble. ‘I could drive a sword through both of you before you could even blink. But I’m not going to.’

She looks at Zara first. ‘You want this. You have fought your way to get here, and while I may not agree with the methods you’ve used at times, I understand that fierce drive.’ She turns her attention to me. ‘I will not lie, I did not expect you to make it this far, but having seen you against the jötunn – not to mention the manner in which you put yourself at risk in the water – I do not doubt that you are deserving. And it has nothing to do with who you choose to share your bed with.’ The belated addition somewhat sours the compliment. ‘I am a woman of honour. Beyond this event, I have never taken a life outside of battle. But make no mistake, I will happily change that if needed. Now, are you two going to play nice?’

I try to respond, but it’s impossible. I guess even my vocal cords are being held by her power, and judging from the silent rage emanating from Zara, she’s in the same situation.

‘Very good,’ Grenda continues. ‘Zara, I’m going to let you go first. And if you don’t walk straight to your carriage, I will take that as a personal insult.’ She pauses. ‘I do not respond well to being insulted.’

Zara is released, still practically foaming at the mouth, and I see her contemplate her options, weighing whether or not to strike. A large part of me hopes she will, because Grenda will easily take her down. But she knows it too, so instead she offers one last snarl before walking towards the carriage.

A moment later, I too am free, though unlike Zara, I do not move immediately for the carriages.

‘She will not forget this,’ I warn the old knight. ‘You’ve made yourself a target.’

Grenda smiles softly, and I’m reminded of Dinah. The same gentle calmness of the knight also radiates from the priestess.

A surge of guilt floods through me at the way I whined about not being able to see Kay at the ball. The only moments Grenda has had with her family were before she was snatched away from her son in the forest. And yet I have never heard her offer so much as a single grumble or word of complaint.

‘We all have a target on our backs when it comes to that one.’ She shrugs. ‘It will be Etta’s judgement that decides the rest. I will see you back at the barracks.’

With that, she heads towards her own transport home. I turn to Benny and Jonas. ‘Now that the drama’s over, want to share a carriage?’ I ask.

‘Sure,’ Benny replies. ‘Though this is you we’re talking about, Kultavaris. There’ll always be drama involved.’

I’m surprised that I have it in me to laugh, but a slight chuckle leaves me before my eyes fall on Jonas. There’s not a hint of humour in his expression at all.

‘Actually, I thought I might take one by myself. You know, stretch out, get some sleep. Some of us spent most of the last three days awake. Worrying.’

‘Oh, okay.’ I’m not sure why my chest feels quite so tight. Maybe it’s because this is the start of it. The start of the end. Of each of us looking out for ourselves. Maybe it’s something else. Either way, I step back and turn to Benny.

‘Guess it’s just you and me then.’

I sleep during the carriage ride, but it’s fitful. My body feels too warm, though I don’t know if it’s the lingering effects of the water or the absence of Kyor. Maybe it’s the guilt. I killed Oke, I handed Llinos a glass of poison, and now my suggestion got Kyor kicked out of the Retterheld. Yes, I’ve got more than my fair share of guilt.

My restless state is enough for Benny to notice.

‘You want to bunk in with me tonight?’ he asks as we trundle over rocky terrain. ‘In a purely platonic way, obviously. The last thing this group can deal with is a love triangle becoming a love quadrilateral, and to be fair, you probably wouldn’t be my first choice out of the trio of possibilities.’

I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but he actually manages to raise a smile on my lips. I thump him lightly on the arm. ‘Yeah, I’ll pass on the love quad, thanks.’

He chuckles, but it fades quickly. ‘It would probably be best for you to bunk back with me though. With Zara on a rampage against you, you shouldn’t be on your own at night.’

‘It’s fine, honestly. I’ll be safe.’

I think about Kyor’s room. About him and me alone in there. Will they have made him clear out his belongings, I wonder. What about his drawings, his charcoal? It’s been four days since he slept there. Will the scent remain, even if the bedclothes are gone? Gods, I hope so. A flicker of hope ignites within me. He’s used the room long before the Retterheld, so maybe, like Caroline, he could sneak in through the library and temple to find me. But then, the Prince of Morathka is a much more identifiable figure than one stray scribe.

‘Okay, well, stay close, okay?’ Benny breaks my stream of thoughts. ‘You might not have your prince, but I reckon I make a pretty good knight.’

‘You do,’ I agree. ‘And I suspect a pretty good future duke, too. I guess that explains why the others all followed your lead the whole time.’

I lean my head on his shoulder, expecting him to offer some joking remark about his lineage, but instead, he sits upright. ‘Jeez, Rose, you’re freezing.’ He slips off his coat. ‘Put this on.’

I try to shrug it away. ‘Honestly, I don’t need it.’

‘You do. For me? If you get hypothermia, that’ll be the end of the relationship between Wrohelm and the Eastern Isles for good. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, except I’m pretty sure Kyor would come for my head. So please, Rose, take the fur.’

I do as he asks and shift up my own stole so that it sits under my head as a pillow.

At first, I think it’s Kyor gently rocking me awake, ready to bring my body to climax the same way he did last time I woke up. But as the shroud of sleep lifts and I blink open my eyes, I see Benny standing there instead. The memory of what happened hits like a stone dropping in my stomach.

No Kyor. No Llinos. No Kay.

I thought I was motivated before I came into this. It’s nothing compared to now. I am determined to win this. Determined and exhausted. And hungry.

As we climb out of the carriage, we head to the dining hall to see Jonas already leaving, his hands full of baked goods.

‘Are you not going to sit down?’ I ask him, gesturing to our table. It’s stupid that it’s still the only table I want to sit at given that it’s right at the end of the hall and there are so many others completely empty, but I’m not ready to let go of the memories that live with it.

‘No,’ Jonas says stiffly, shaking his head. ‘My legs are soft from sitting so long on the boat, and then in the carriage. I’m going to stretch my legs in the battle yard.’

‘Give me five minutes and I’ll join you,’ Benny replies.

‘No offence, but I could do with a bit of time by myself,’ Jonas says with a flatness that leaves no room for argument. ‘Just … you know, the whole paired thing is over now. We need to focus on solo skills.’

‘Well, that’s me told,’ Benny mutters, rolling his eyes as Jonas begins to walk away.