through, and there are herbs that help offset the ill
effects.”
He wanted to believe her, wanted to give in. She would say anything to get him to work for them.
“It isn’t any healthier to suppress your magic than it is to use it too much.” She came closer, looking up at him—she was quite small, barely reaching his shoulder. Her
face was plain, and her dress was simple and longer in the hem than was fashionable. She had to be twice his age. Yet the word that flashed into his mind when she looked at him was
“seductive.” If he listened to her speak for too long, he might do anything she asked.
He thought of Thea. He had seen little of her the past few days. She helped Ingrid tend to the injured, and she seemed more interested in chatting with Sebastian and his men than seeing him. She
danced to the evening music and didn’t pester him to join her. She still hadn’t checked on her mother.
I can’t let her get to me.
He turned on his heel. “If I revive one person, it will lead to more and more. And soon you’ll have someone you don’t want to let go.”
“Freddy, one thing I swore I’d never do,” Sebastian said, “is force a magic user to work. But don’t you want to know, too? What if Roger brings word of you back to
whoever he works for?”
“We could all be in danger,” Ingrid said, “including your girl.”
Sebastian’s expression was brooding as he gently checked Anton’s pockets. Freddy thought he must be casting for a way to convince him.
I’d do the same thing, if it were
someone who died working for me.
“I’ll do it,” Freddy said. “On one condition.” His whole body was growing warm with power, though he knew this was an illusion; he was a slave to his magic more
than it gave him power.
“Yes?” Sebastian said.
“I believe Ingrid put a spell on Thea, a spell that was meant for me. If you’re really working for a righteous cause, you don’t have to enchant us to have our help.”
Ingrid regarded him with such a dark look that he felt a chill of fear. Her look went far beyond her fragile appearance. Those eyes belonged to something ancient.
“All I did,” Ingrid said, “was show her Yggdrasil. When Thea saw Yggdrasil, she forgot her human suffering. It may seem like she has become a little heartless, but she has
simply connected with the greater love of the entire universe. She’ll grow stronger and stronger because of it.”
Sebastian stood like a statue as she spoke, until the last moment, when a small frown tugged at his mouth.
“Do you have anything to say, Sebastian?” Freddy asked.
Sebastian looked at Ingrid, briefly. Then he said, “No.”
“No?” Freddy threw up a hand. He realized he should probably be more delicate for the sake of his friends, if not self-preservation, though he was too frustrated for delicacy.
“I don’t know what madness you have
him
under,” he said, pointing at Sebastian, “but I have gone through too much to see Thea forget all about her mother.”
“I’m not under any madness,” Sebastian replied, but the response was oddly delayed. “What are you accusing Ingrid of?”
Ingrid came closer again. She touched Freddy’s hand in a familiar way. “So suspicious, Freddy…” Why didn’t he stop her? “I understand, seeing you spent all
those years with the Valkenraths. You don’t trust other people. Give Thea time: She will remember her mother as soon as she’s ready.”
“And when will that be?”
“It’s her decision. I haven’t put anything in her mind that wasn’t already there.” Ingrid turned Freddy’s hand over, like she was reading his palm.
“Such power in these hands. You’ve never known what it is to do
good
. Wouldn’t you like to find out? I can feel the magic burning inside you. You don’t have to hold
back.”
Freddy felt short of breath. Trying to resist Ingrid and his magic at once…it was too much.
“I just want to prove that I
can
hold back,” he said.
“You
effects.”
He wanted to believe her, wanted to give in. She would say anything to get him to work for them.
“It isn’t any healthier to suppress your magic than it is to use it too much.” She came closer, looking up at him—she was quite small, barely reaching his shoulder. Her
face was plain, and her dress was simple and longer in the hem than was fashionable. She had to be twice his age. Yet the word that flashed into his mind when she looked at him was
“seductive.” If he listened to her speak for too long, he might do anything she asked.
He thought of Thea. He had seen little of her the past few days. She helped Ingrid tend to the injured, and she seemed more interested in chatting with Sebastian and his men than seeing him. She
danced to the evening music and didn’t pester him to join her. She still hadn’t checked on her mother.
I can’t let her get to me.
He turned on his heel. “If I revive one person, it will lead to more and more. And soon you’ll have someone you don’t want to let go.”
“Freddy, one thing I swore I’d never do,” Sebastian said, “is force a magic user to work. But don’t you want to know, too? What if Roger brings word of you back to
whoever he works for?”
“We could all be in danger,” Ingrid said, “including your girl.”
Sebastian’s expression was brooding as he gently checked Anton’s pockets. Freddy thought he must be casting for a way to convince him.
I’d do the same thing, if it were
someone who died working for me.
“I’ll do it,” Freddy said. “On one condition.” His whole body was growing warm with power, though he knew this was an illusion; he was a slave to his magic more
than it gave him power.
“Yes?” Sebastian said.
“I believe Ingrid put a spell on Thea, a spell that was meant for me. If you’re really working for a righteous cause, you don’t have to enchant us to have our help.”
Ingrid regarded him with such a dark look that he felt a chill of fear. Her look went far beyond her fragile appearance. Those eyes belonged to something ancient.
“All I did,” Ingrid said, “was show her Yggdrasil. When Thea saw Yggdrasil, she forgot her human suffering. It may seem like she has become a little heartless, but she has
simply connected with the greater love of the entire universe. She’ll grow stronger and stronger because of it.”
Sebastian stood like a statue as she spoke, until the last moment, when a small frown tugged at his mouth.
“Do you have anything to say, Sebastian?” Freddy asked.
Sebastian looked at Ingrid, briefly. Then he said, “No.”
“No?” Freddy threw up a hand. He realized he should probably be more delicate for the sake of his friends, if not self-preservation, though he was too frustrated for delicacy.
“I don’t know what madness you have
him
under,” he said, pointing at Sebastian, “but I have gone through too much to see Thea forget all about her mother.”
“I’m not under any madness,” Sebastian replied, but the response was oddly delayed. “What are you accusing Ingrid of?”
Ingrid came closer again. She touched Freddy’s hand in a familiar way. “So suspicious, Freddy…” Why didn’t he stop her? “I understand, seeing you spent all
those years with the Valkenraths. You don’t trust other people. Give Thea time: She will remember her mother as soon as she’s ready.”
“And when will that be?”
“It’s her decision. I haven’t put anything in her mind that wasn’t already there.” Ingrid turned Freddy’s hand over, like she was reading his palm.
“Such power in these hands. You’ve never known what it is to do
good
. Wouldn’t you like to find out? I can feel the magic burning inside you. You don’t have to hold
back.”
Freddy felt short of breath. Trying to resist Ingrid and his magic at once…it was too much.
“I just want to prove that I
can
hold back,” he said.
“You
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