Аманда Хокинг - Torn

“No, Vittra work differently than us.” Tove shook his head and sat down on the opposite end of the couch from me. “Our abilities lie in here-” He tapped the side of his head. “We can move objects with our minds or control the wind.”

“Loki can knock people out with his mind, and the Vittra Queen can heal them,” I said.

“The Vittra Queen has Trylle blood in her, back a generation or two in order for her to be Queen. Loki has our blood, actually,” Tove said. “His father used to be Trylle.”

“Now he’s Vittra?” I asked, remembering what Elora had said about knowing Loki’s father.

“He was for a while. Now he’s dead,” Tove said matter-of-factly.

“What? Why?” I asked.

“Treason.” Tove leaned forward, and using his mind, he lifted a vase up off a nearby table. I wanted to snap at him and tell him to pay attention, but that’s actually what he was trying to do.

“We killed him?” I asked.

“No. I believe he tried to defect back to Förening.” He bit his lip, concentrating as the vase floated in the air. “The Vittra killed him.”

“Oh my gosh.” I leaned back on the couch. “Why would Loki support the Vittra still?”

“I don’t know Loki, nor did I know his father.” The vase floated down, setting gently on the table. “I can’t tell you their reasoning for anything.”

“How do you know this stuff?” I asked.

“You would know it too, if it weren’t for the state of things.” Tove exhaled deeply, seeming calmer after moving the vase. “Its part of the training you’d be undergoing now, learning our history. But because of the attacks, it’s more important that you be prepared for battle.”

“How do Vittra powers differ?” I asked, returning to the topic.

“Strength.” He flexed his arm to demonstrate. “Physically, they’re unmatched.

Even their minds are more impenetrable, which makes it harder for people like you and Elora to control them. It even makes it more difficult for me to move them. And like us, the more powerful the Vittra, the higher the ranking, so a Markis like Loki is awfully strong.”

“But you threw Loki like he was nothing at the Vittra palace,” I reminded him.

“I’ve been thinking about that.” His brow furrowed in confusion. “I think he let me.”

“What do you mean? Why?”

“I don’t know.” Tove shook his head. “Loki let me subdue him then, and he let them capture him here. Elora’s power over him is real, but the other guards…” He shook his head. “They don’t stand a chance against him.”

“Why would he do that?” I asked.

“I have no idea,” Tove admitted. “But he’s much stronger than all of us. Elora wouldn’t be able to hold him long enough for them to kill him.”

“Could you?” I asked tentatively.

“I believe so,” he nodded. “I mean, I’m capable, but I wouldn’t do it.”

“Why not?” I asked.

“I don’t think we should. He hasn’t done anything to hurt us, not really, and I want to see what he’s up to.” He shrugged, then glanced over at me. “And you don’t want me to.”

“You would go against Elora’s wishes if I asked you to?” I asked, and he nodded.

“Why? Why would you do something for me and not her?”

“My loyalty lies with you, Princess,” Tove smiled. “I trust you, and other Trylle will learn to trust you, once they see what you can do.”

“What can I do?” I asked, feeling oddly touched by Tove’s admission.

“Lead us to peace,” he said with so much conviction, I didn’t want to argue with him.

After hearing what Tove had to say about Loki, I wanted to talk to him. He hadn’t been very forthcoming with me, but I had to know why he’d let me escape and let himself be captured. But, much to my disappointment, Loki’s guards had gotten stricter.

Word of my talk with him had gotten out, and the guards decided they needed to work twice as hard to keep me away from Loki. Duncan had gotten his butt chewed for letting me see Loki at all, and when he finally returned to fulfill his duty as bodyguard, Duncan refused to let me go near him.

I could’ve used persuasion on Duncan, but I’d already screwed up his brain so much practicing on him. I’d also sworn off using persuasion on anyone, but I hadn’t told Tove about it.

Besides, it would be good for me to actually use my day off to relax. Tomorrow, I’d go back to training, and I could try to see Loki after that. I’m sure I could find a way around the guards without using persuasion on anybody.

I didn’t spend much time by myself, though. Duncan escorted me to my room, and I’d barely been in it for five minutes when Rhys got home from school. He made a pizza and invited me over to his room for bad movies and relaxation with him, Matt, and Willa.

Since I felt like I hadn’t spending enough time with any of them, I agreed and made Duncan tag along. I sat on the couch and made sure to keep a safe distance between Rhys and me, but I didn’t have to try that hard because Matt was chaperoning.

Although, Matt seemed to be letting his big brother duties slide. He talked a lot to Willa, teasing her and laughing with her. She surprised me more than anybody, though. She actually ate the pizza. Even I wouldn’t eat pizza, but Willa ate it with a smile.

Unlike the last time I watched movies in Rhys’s room, I made sure to leave before I fell asleep. I excused myself while everybody was in the middle of watching The Evil Dead.

On my way to my room, I saw Finn making his rounds. I said hello to him, but he wouldn’t even nod or acknowledge my presence. Duncan apologized on Finn’s behalf, which only made me angrier. Finn shouldn’t need other trackers to make me feel better.

The next morning, Tove woke me bright and early. With him living in the palace, he no longer had any commute to get here. It felt way too early to get up, but Tove’s insomnia had gotten worse since moving to the palace, so I didn’t complain.

After I got ready, we spent a long day training. We went to the kitchen, which was ordinarily deserted, but with all the guards and people in the palace, the cook was on full-time. Much to the chef’s dismay, Tove had me practicing on moving pots and pans.

I was hoping for something like Mary Poppins, with all the dancing utensils, but it didn’t work out that way. I did get a couple cast iron pans to float, and I nearly took off Duncan’s head when I flung a saucepan across the room using only my mind.

Part of me was ecstatic that I’d finally gotten stuff to move. Tove thought it had something to do with me slamming the door when Elora was hurting Loki. It had unlocked whatever had been preventing me from harnessing my potential.

The part of me that was thrilled was eventually drowned out by the part of me that was exhausted. I’d never felt so drained in all my life by the time we finished.

Duncan offered to help me up the stairs to my room, and while I could’ve used it, I refused to let him. I had to learn to master this stuff on my own.

I didn’t want people like Duncan and Finn and even Tove risking their lives to protect me. Or even if they weren’t risking their lives, I didn’t want to need them. I was stronger than the rest of them, and I had to take care of myself.

I knew I couldn’t master everything overnight, but I’d work as hard as I needed to until I could get it down.

After the training, I took a short break, and then we had a defense meeting.

Tove, Duncan, and I went, along with a select few guards, and Elora. Both Finn and his father Thomas were already in the room when we arrived. I said hello to them, and while Thomas responded, Finn ignored me. Again.