Chapter 44: Truth and Consequences

(CORRINE)

Sigrid smiles at me. “It’s been a long time, Corrine.”

My eyes fill with tears. “Oh, yes. It has been.”

She steps forward, and I cover the distance between us, throwing my arms around her with a broken sob. I never realized how desperately I missed her. Though our time spent together was brief, she left her mark on me, a piece of herself in me. She was my safest harbor, the one who fought for me from the very beginning.

Her arms wrap me in a warm hug. “I’m so glad you’re doing well, Corrine.”

I take in her scent. It’s comforting. When I pull away, I study her, sniffling. “Come in.” As I close the door after her, I ask, “Why do you look so old, Sigrid?”

She chuckles lightly. “Probably the stress. I’ve been at the border with Locke ever since you disappeared.”

“The border?” I ask, horrified. “Why were you there? Aren’t you the head maid anymore?”

“Somebody had to look after Locke once you were gone. He wouldn’t eat. He was just throwing himself into the battles like a madman. He was—” A sheen of tears covers her eyes. “It was tough on him. He wasn’t himself. And with Ravenna at the castle and the elders trying to control the situation, Locke couldn’t bear to be there. There were too many betrayals. He was falling apart. He needed somebody to hold him together, so I went with him to the border.”

The strain in her voice makes it hard for me to know what to say.

“He’s fighting there nonstop now. He rarely returns to the castle anymore. And when he does, it’s only for a couple of months, to deal with administrative work.”

I guide her to the living room, Finn hovering at a safe distance. I’m trying to process Sigrid’s words, my chest tightening. “I don’t understand. He got Ravenna. He got what he wanted.”

Sigrid sits down in the armchair, and I take the seat on the couch that is closest to her.

She sighs. “He can’t stand the woman. Never could. He’s never once stopped torturing himself for what we all assumed was your death. He blamed Bella, and he blamed Ravenna. He tried to get the two of them executed. He was dead set on going against the elders. But the kingdom would have fallen apart.”

Her words have the hard knot in my chest softening. He tried to get them executed?

Was I wrong about him?

The defeated look in Sigrid’s eyes makes me wonder what else happened.

“So, he accepted his fate and left the castle. He invited me to go with him as his attendant, and I did.”

If anybody else said all these things to me, I wouldn’t believe them. But this is coming from Sigrid. Even back when she didn’t know me all that well, she never lied to me. Sigrid is not someone who lies. There were times when she told me the truth even when I didn’t want to hear it. But this truth is different. It’s harder to process.

“But he mated Ravenna, didn’t he?” I demand, unable to keep my voice level. I see my son looking at us curiously, so I add, “Finn, go to your room.”

He makes a face. “But I want to hear!”

Sigrid turns her attention to him, and her lips bloom into a smile. “He looks just like him.”

“Like who?” Finn asks.

Sigrid glances at me, and I shake my head discreetly. When she realizes that I haven’t told Finn about Locke, I see disappointment in her eyes. It stings, but she doesn’t understand my reasons.

“She means your father,” I say reluctantly.

“My father?” Finn’s eyes light up with interest. “Do you know my dad?”

Sigrid nods.

“Where is he?”

For a moment, I expect her to tell him that he’s sitting outside, but she doesn’t. “He’s not here right now. But do you know that I raised your father?”

“So, you’re my grandmother?” Finn asks slowly before looking at me. “Mom, is she my grandmother?”

“Yeah, I guess she is.” It’s not entirely true, but I like the idea of Sigrid having a relationship with my son. Locke already knows about him, so it’s not as if letting Sigrid in is going to cause any more problems.

Sigrid’s eyes fill with tears as she gazes at me. “Oh, this is a wonderful gift, Corrine.”

I can’t help but smile at her.

“How old are you, Finn?” she asks.

“Seven. I’ll be eight soon. What’s my dad like?”

“Well…” Sigrid looks at me for permission before turning back to him. “He’s a warrior. He’s strong and brave and very smart.”

“Oh!” Excitement fills my son’s eyes. “How big is he?”

“Very big.”

“Like that man outside?”

“Finn!”

He ignores me, watching Sigrid intently. “Is my dad as big as him?” Sigrid nods slowly.

The pleased look in Finn’s eyes doesn’t help me relax. “Why don’t you go clean up, and then we’ll have dinner,” I suggest firmly.

“But I wanna know—”

“Finn.”

“Fine,” he complains. “Can my grandmother stay for dinner?”

“If she wants to, sure.”

“I would love to,” Sigrid replies sweetly. “Now, hurry up and do what your mother says so we can eat.”

Finn rushes off without another word, and I give Sigrid an impressed look. “It normally takes me half an hour to convince him to do his chores. From the moment he learned how to talk, I swear the first thing he did was argue with me. Everything is a negotiation with him. And I know he didn’t get that from me.”

“No,” Sigrid laughs. “He definitely got that from his father. Locke was the same way. Stubborn to a fault. So, Finn not only looks like his father but acts like him, as well. He’s going to be a handful.”

My lips curve upward. “Well, he’s my handful, and I’m grateful for him.”

Sigrid’s own smile dims. “Do you really not intend for him to know who his father is?”

“Not yet.” I study her. “You disagree.”

She sighs. “If I were standing in your shoes, I would understand. But I’ve seen both sides of the picture, Corrine. I know what you don’t. I know that we were duped by Bella, and I know that I was right all along.” Her eyes tighten around the corners. “I knew Locke would never have ordered your execution, and he never did. His only fault was giving Bella another chance. She had his royal seal. She knew that he had feelings for you and that he would choose you over Ravenna. So, she forged the letter to get you out of the way. She admitted it.”

My jaw clenches. “You can’t expect me to believe that she would risk Locke’s wrath, that she would go against him. She was loyal to him—”

“You don’t know Bella. She’s prideful and arrogant, and your presence, along with Locke defending you and punishing her, attacked her pride. Even as a child, when angry, Bella was ruthless. She would stop thinking with her head. She always had to get her way, damn the consequences.” A hint of sadness touches Sigrid’s eyes. “Locke turned his back on her. When the elders sided with her, Locke took control of the castle away from her. She became Ravenna’s royal advisor, at the princess’ demand, but Bella lost all her childhood friends. And even now, she still thinks she was right to do what she did. Of course, the people who suffered the most were you and Locke.”

I look away, not wanting to hear more. I’ve spent a lot of mental effort putting those events behind me. I don’t want to go back and rehash the past. However, Sigrid clearly came here with a purpose in mind.

“Corrine.” Her voice is gentle. “I’m not here to advocate for him. But I also don’t want the two of you to suffer, drowning in misunderstandings. Locke never forgave himself for your death. It’s been eight years, and his grief and guilt have permeated every part of his existence. You had brought him to life, Corrine, and when you left, you took all his hope and joy away with you.”

The broken edge to her voice has my eyes burning with tears. Still, I say nothing.

“When you came along, you managed to touch his heart, something no one else was ever able to do, not even me. He didn’t want to care for you, but you were so easy to love, so fragile that despite his reluctance, he wanted to protect you. And those feelings evolved with the time he spent with you. You showed him the possibility of a world that he never imagined, a life that he never thought could belong to him. He didn’t want Ravenna. The only thing he wanted was you.”

Something hot and wet drops on my hand. My face is wet. No. I won’t believe it. I can’t.

“It has always only been you, Corrine,” Sigrid says quietly. “Locke was fading fast after you left. When he returned after each day on the battlefield, he was a little bit more broken, a little bit more disappointed that he hadn’t died.”

My heart aches, and I sink my teeth into my lower lip, wishing this feeling away. “No. ” I get to my feet. “Enough. If you just came here to tell me all this—he mated Ravenna, didn’t he? She’s his queen. They are—”

“He never mated her.”

Sigrid’s words are stark and have me going still.

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