“We’re enormously happy for the Turquoise People. It’s been a privilege to be of service. Will your Majesty now permit us to return to Norghana with the Star of Sea and Life?”
Uragh smiled. “Courteous but direct,” she said to the Mage. “You’ve always had a hidden charm. What kind of Queen would I be if I didn’t keep my word?”
Viggo tried to say something, but Ingrid stopped him again.
“So, do we have your Majesty’s permission to go back to our land with the object of power?”
“I always honor my word,” she said, and waved her hands, pronouncing a word of power as she did so. On the right of her watery throne, a circle opened in the floor and a jet of water rose from it. On top of it was the Star of Sea and Life.
“I promised you that if you brought me Olagar’s head you would be able to return to Norghana with the Star of Sea and Life, so that you can destroy the Frozen Specter. I also told you that once this threat of the ice was destroyed, you would return my star. That was the deal, and you accepted it.”
“That was the deal, and we accept it,” Eicewald repeated solemnly.
“I’ll honor my part. You may take the Star.”
Eicewald went over to the object and contemplated it for a moment. Then he picked it up with both hands.
“Take great care of it. With your life.”
“With my life,” Eicewald replied.
“There remains one small detail, to conclude the deal.”
They all tensed. This was something they had not expected. Lasgol and Astrid exchanged a worried glance. Viggo was already protesting under his breath, and Ingrid was looking at the Queen through half closed eyes.
“Your Majesty?” Eicewald enquired.
“How do I know you will keep your promise to return the Star once you have defeated the frozen threat?”
“The Mage waved at the whole group. “You have my word, and that of all of us,” he said.
“I trust you, Ice Mage, but something might happen to you at the hands of either the enemy, or your own King. As for them, I don’t know them well enough to trust them. For that reason, I need further reassurance.”
“What does your Majesty require?” Eicewald asked hesitantly.
“That special young man,” The Queen pointed to Lasgol. “Step forward.”
Lasgol felt his heart skip a beat, but he obeyed. His friends tensed.
“Your Majesty …” he said, unsure exactly what to say or do.
“I am Uragh, the Turquoise Queen, Sorceress of Sea and Life. I have also lived for a long time, and I am a good judge of the human soul. I can read it in their eyes. Yours inspires confidence in me. Will you allow me to examine it?”
Lasgol was frozen to the spot. He glanced at Eicewald out of the corner of his eye, and the Mage nodded. He looked at his friends, and both Astrid and Viggo shook their heads. He sighed, feeling that he had no choice. If they wanted to get out of there, they had to negotiate with the Queen.
“Go ahead,” he said.
“A brave young man,” Uragh said, and smiled. With two fingers she pointed at the water around her throne, and cast a spell. Two turquoise beams, composed of thousands of infinitesimal water droplets, rose to her fingers. She directed them to Lasgol’s irises, while he stood there unflinchingly with his eyes open. For a moment, the process continued, with more turquoise drops entering his body, until at last the Queen pronounced an arcane word. When she did this, all the droplets left Lasgol’s eyes and flew to hers.
There was a tense silence. Lasgol’s friends stared at him uneasily, and he waved his hand to reassure them that he was all right.
Suddenly the Queen opened her eyes.
“I was not wrong. You are a young man with a clean and honest soul. This, the Magic of Water and Life has transmitted to me, and I believe it. For this reason, it will be you who must return my Star to me.”
“Oh … well … of course, your Majesty.”
“But to reassure me that nothing will stop you in your errand, you will have a very significant incentive.”
This did not sound good to Lasgol. “An incentive?”
“What is the thing you love the most?” the Queen asked him seriously. “Answer truthfully.”
“I … wouldn’t know …”
“I have seen your soul, so answer truthfully,” the Queen repeated.
Lasgol could not help but look at his friends. He thought of them: Ingrid, Nilsa, Gerd, Viggo, Egil, Camu, Ona, Astrid … Astrid …”
Viggo stepped forward. “What he most loves is me, ’cause I’m his best friend,” he said. He had suspected what the Queen was planning.
“You are very clever and accomplished,” Uragh said, “but you are not what he most loves. Come, Lasgol. Answer truthfully, or there will be no deal.”
Lasgol saw that Ingrid was shaking her head. Gerd was pale, and his mouth was open. Nilsa was glaring at the Queen. Astrid looked at him in the eye, fixedly, and nodded.
“Astrid …” he replied.
“Good. The deal is that Astrid will stay with me as an incentive for you to return the jewel. Nothing will happen to her, and I will look after her as if she were my daughter until you bring me back the jewel. But if you fail to come back with the Star, your beloved will die here at my hand.”
Lasgol swallowed. He felt as if he had sentenced Astrid to death.
“I’ll bring it back,” he promised the Queen, and even more so Astrid, whom he was looking at with all his love.
“Good. We will have your ship repaired very soon, and you will be able to return to Norghana. I wish you luck.”
Chapter 33
Two
